“Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.” James 1:2-3

To say college is full of temptation would be understatement. You are constantly bombard with temptations that keep you away from your school work but most importantly, temptations that steer you away from the person you want to be and the relationship you want to have with our Heavenly Father.

Being away from my family and home church allowed me to venture out and decide what faith really meant to me. For the first time, it was up to me to spend time in the Word and go to church. At first, this was easy. I came to college knowing exactly how I wanted to improve my faith walk and how I was going to do it. I got involved in campus ministry and a small group. As the weeks went by, college really started to affect me. I was constantly picking watching an episode of Netflix when I was frustrated or upset when in reality, spending time in the Word would have benefited me much more. I found myself wanting to go out and experience the party scene because I was afraid I was going to miss out on the “true college experience.” I would slack off on my devotions and reading and feel guilty as the day came for our small group meeting and they weren’t done. I would rush and read the chapters so I at least knew what we were discussing. It finally got to the point where I realized my relationship was no longer between God and myself, it was strictly something I felt as though I needed to do. This feeling was one we all feel at one point or another. Suddenly we are in a position that we never imagined we would be in.

When I feel as though no one understands what I am going through, God is there. Doing devotions allowed me to center my full focus on Him at least once a day for a good amount of time. My faith has allowed me to meet people my first year I never would have come into contact with otherwise. I am surrounded in a community that pours into me and loves on me in ways words cannot explain. College is a time where we continuously find and lose ourselves. Yet one thing always remains true. I know no matter how far I stray; His arms are always open wide. He will never judge and turn away from me. He will always know what to speak into my heart to guide me along my way. In time where you can be overwhelmed with loneliness, He is always there by my side.