Weekly Update #11: College Is Hard

If I were to write a book called "College Is Hard" here would be my main points...

1. College is hard academically. This goes without saying, but college is way harder than high school (not to mention that half of my classes are Junior level classes).

2. College is hard mentally. It's not always that you don't have time to do homework, but sometimes you simply don't have any brain power left!

3. College is hard socially. This isn't to say that it's difficult to be social in college (althought that might be true for some), but that it's hard to dive into specific friendships when there are so many people and you are so crazy busy! You truly have to persevere to make relationships because it's so easy to (literally) forget about someone amidst the business!

4. College is hard spiritually. There are many spiritual challenges that college (along with adulthood) brings about--challenges that I've never had to face in high school!

Nevertheless, the glory of things that are hard is that, if we approach them in the right way, they turn us more into the image of Christ. If we are faithful, God is faithful to change us to be more like him--this is the glory of suffering. College is hard, but praise be to God that he uses the challenges for our sanctification!

So...yes, this past week was difficult on many levels. The semester is getting to that point in which big projects and papers and starting to be due, and the temptation to slack off is ever so present (not to mention the emotional drain of still missing home). Nevertheless, God is faithful, and that is my hope. His love will never depart from me, even in trials (Romans 8).

However, God did bless me with a few opportunities to pour into others this week, which y'all (excuse my southern accent...*) know I love. My RA let me lead this week's devotional and I also got to preach for my pastoral internship! The sermon was only to a few other college-age guys in the internship and my pastor here, but it was still awesome (as well as nerve-wracking...try preaching in front of a guy who has a Ph.D. and has preached for the past 20 years as he is solely their to judge how you do! Yikes!). The audio download is available in the "Sermon Audio" tab if you'd like to listen to it!

Other than the things listed above, it was quite a normal week with the same story of continued study, friendship building, and fun! I suppose I should also note that the Lord has enabled me to make some new friends this week as well as build relationships with those who have already been a freinds to me (including four men who are older, and much wiser than me, who have been able to pour into my life greatly). Thank you dearly for those who have been praying for this. Praise the Lord!

Prayer Requests..

• Anxiety. The intensity of the semester and the college life in a whole greatly tempts one towards anxiety. Pray that I may trust in the Lord in all things instead of be anxious.

• Self-control.

• Living Faithfully in Difficult Times. As already stated, college has its challenges. Be praying that I might persevere through them as I have faith in Christ.

• Thankfulness. It is a lifetime opportunity to be here at Boyce, pray that I might not take that for granted.

Peace be to you all, in Christ our Lord.

*Okay, so here's a mini rant for you guys today... Personally, I cannot stand southern accents. I don't understand how anyone likes them. They bug the crap out of me, I'm sorry. And being in Louisville, Kentucky, they're everywhere! Some of them I can stand (there are many different varieties depending on where in the south you are from), but some of them I have to strongly endure. Anywho, Southerner's do have something that I admire: the word "y'all." English (in its correct form) does not have a seperate second person plural pronoun (the word "you" is used to refer to both a singular person or a group of people in which you are addressing). However, the use of "y'all" enables one to distinguish between "you [singular]" and "you [plural]." So although I greatly dispise the southern accent, I do admire their use of the word "y'all," and I joyfully use it as well (even though it makes me feel like I"m committing treason).