Hey Homegirl,

As we begin our freshman year of college some of us are staying in the towns we grew up in and some of us are traveling hours to a whole new city. In this new atmosphere, we will have to pick our new favorite ice-cream parlor, coffee place, Japanese restaurant, thrift store, clothing store, and for some of us we will be looking for a church home to find community and grow spiritually during our time in college.

I know it’s weird to leave the church you grew up in. It’s hard to leave the people that have watched you grow up all these years and have committed countless hours to your life. It’s gonna be hard leaving the youth group that you spent every summer with.

September will come along as you've gotten everything unpacked in your dorm and classes have started and Sunday will seem a little weird to you, because instead of waking up to your mom making pancakes and your dad ironing his Sunday tie you’ll be up at 9 am laying in your bed in a whole new city.

Maybe, that’s not you. Maybe your family never was the church-going type and you wake up on Sunday at 9am and ask your roommate why she is up so early making coffee. She responds, “My family and I always went to church Sunday mornings. I guess I’m just used to waking up this early.” That sparks a thought in your head. All throughout high school, you wanted to know more about God and this whole “church” thing, but something or someone was holding you back.

Whether your family went to church every Sunday morning in the city you grew up in or your family never once step foot into a church I urge you to find that community as you start your freshman year of college.

It’s gonna be scary for the both of you, but trust me it will be worth it. My senior year of high school I stopped going to the church I had pretty much grew up in. I stopped attending Wednesday night bible study, youth group dinners, summer camps, and Sunday morning church. It was one of the worse decisions I had ever made, but yet one of the best learning experiences. I had in a way lost myself. The church building wasn't what made me It was the environment of people seeking to love God and love people that kept me grounded in my beliefs and love for God.

My church was my community. My community was my family. They were the people that prayed for me, invested their time in me, and made it their job to see me grow. When I stopped going to my community I was lost. We all need people. We need people to help us on this journey called life. We can't do life alone.

So whether you know the basic VBS scripture or only go to church on Christmas you both are in the same boat that Sunday morning. Adventure out to find a church you can be a part of. Find a college ministry that can become your community of people your own age. Find people who want to see you grow spiritually and grow as a college student. Find people who want to take you out to lunch and catch up on life. Find people who want to pray for you when the college life gets hard. Find people who can be your second family while in this new city. Most importantly find people who love God and love people.

P.S: Message me if you wanna get coffee and start that little community at Converse.

“As iron sharpen iron, so one person sharpens another.” Proverbs 27:17