Will my classmates ever know Jesus?

/ Christian in College, College, Relationship with Jesus, Surrender Life to Jesus, Your Story / 8 Comments

I walk out of class in a daze. So much sadness. So much pain. Jesus, will these people ever come to know you? Will they ever experience your life change? When will they experience your healing, forgiveness, redemption, grace and love?

This is my last semester of undergrad at the University of South Florida. I’m taking a class called Storytelling, and each week we share personal stories from our lives. During class last week, students shared one sad story after the next. Topics included: abortion, death, getting kicked out of the church, loss of friends, moving, getting arrested, abuse, and more. I was left questioning, God, when will you change their hearts?

In class, I looked around at my classmates and thought how beautiful each person was because God created them in his image. God, shouldn’t that mean you care about them? Yet, they don’t know you at all. Do they want to know you? Do they even have the information that you exist to be able to make this decision?

So many thoughts. So many questions.

Then, I think about how God saved me. What makes me different? Why did God choose me? I’m just like them. I have similar stories of pain and brokenness. I have screwed up just like them. What makes me different than them? (more…)

I am a Female Freshman: The Painful Realities of College

/ Approval, Body Image and Self Worth, Christian in College, College, Relationship with Jesus, Sexual Abuse, Surrender Life to Jesus / 11 Comments

Pain is running rampant on college campuses across the globe. Still in college, I have seen and experienced the pain. Some women lack an understanding that they have a God in heaven who loves them and created them with a plan and a purpose. Not knowing about God, they turn to the things the world tells them will provide pleasure and satisfaction. For a college freshman, those things include: boys, sex, drinks, a perfect body, and cool friends.

Maybe you live in a bubble and don’t realize this is happening on our college campuses. Please, open your eyes and realize that pain is spreading like a disease. Women are hurting themselves physically, emotionally, and spiritually, and Jesus is the only one who can provide healing.

I’m sorry for the language, but I want you to read the honesty and pain in her words. This is a poem written by a freshman who is living in the pain:

(more…)

Delight in God’s Ways

/ Devotional / Comments Off

Sin is fun. If sin wasn’t fun, then we would have no problem walking away from it and constantly obeying God. I don’t always want to follow God and his ways, but I’m asking God to begin changing my heart. I want to view his commands as beautiful gifts wrapped in shiny blue paper. I want to desire to obey him more than I desire the sins in my life.

If I take the step and turn to God, searching for the answers, then maybe I’ll begin to understand the purpose of his commands. (more…)

25 Fun Weekend Activities for College Students

/ Christian in College, College / 7 Comments

During my freshman year of college, I worried that I wasn’t experiencing college because I wasn’t drinking and partying. What a lie I believed, because college was insanely fun! College may be portrayed as a party scene, but that is not how your college experience has to be. As a Christian in college, you can still have the time of your life!

Here are some ideas on what to do during the weekend! (P.S. Yes, these are all photos of my crazy friends. We have a lot of fun together!)

Craft night! This is a favorite in my apartment.

(more…)

How can we maintain an authentic relationship with Jesus in college?

/ Christian in College, College, Guest Posts, Relationship with Jesus / 2 Comments

In college, it is easy to go through the motions and forget why we follow Jesus, but our walks with God do not have to dry out or become fake. We can constantly experience the love of Christ even during the busy days of college. In this series, Christian in College, guest bloggers will answer questions about faith and college. I’m very excited for you to read blogger Plylicia D. Masonheimer’s post answering, “How can we maintain an authentic relationship with Jesus in college?” (more…)

Can God heal our hurting hearts?

/ Devotional, How to Believe in God, Sexual Abuse / 5 Comments

JoyPedrow.com

I’ve seen God work miracles in my life and have experienced a healing that could only have come from God, yet there are still some issues that I struggle believing that he will heal.

My freshman year of college I was in a very dark place. Rape can destroy a girl. It takes her heart and makes it feel used, broken, worthless, and disgusting. During the heartache, I believed God could never heal me.

How could God make me feel valuable, loved, protected and beautiful? (more…)

“I can’t” = “God, you can’t”

/ Devotional, Goals / 3 Comments

When we limit God, we are also changing his character. For example, saying “I can’t” actually puts us in disagreement with what scripture says about God.

Scripture does not say anywhere that we are powerless when God is with us. In fact, every part of God’s word tells us we can!

^“I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” -Philippians 4:12-13.

^“Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” -Matthew 19:24-26.

^“So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited. Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me. But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” -1 Corinthians 12: 7-10.

If you are doubting the power of God, spend some time journaling and praying through these verses. You can also read two of my other posts about this topic: Stop Limiting God and “I’m not qualified”.

I pray that you will begin to understand that the power that created the world is inside of you. You can experience more life change than you ever dreamed possible.

Save

Cry out to God: When will this hurt end?

/ Devotional, Healing / 3 Comments

^“Why is my pain unceasing, my wound incurable, refusing to be healed? Will you be to me like a deceitful brook, like waters that fail?” -Jeremiah 15:18.

When was the last time you cried out to God like this? Jeremiah was a lonely social outcast who wanted to be healed and find comfort. Today our cries might be worded slightly differently, but the pain is the same. Our prayers might be like these: God will you ever heal us? God will you make our pain stop? Will you take away this loneliness?

God listens to our prayers. God cares about our hurt. God replies with comfort. Here is how he replied to Jeremiah:

¹⁹Therefore thus says the Lord:
“If you return, I will restore you,
    and you shall stand before me.
If you utter what is precious, and not what is worthless,
    you shall be as my mouth.
They shall turn to you,
    but you shall not turn to them.
²⁰And I will make you to this people
    a fortified wall of bronze;
they will fight against you,
    but they shall not prevail over you,
for I am with you
    to save you and deliver you,
declares the Lord.
²¹I will deliver you out of the hand of the wicked,
    and redeem you from the grasp of the ruthless.”

Read those verses again, and this time think of it as a letter written to you from God.

God promises that if we come back to him, he will restore us. God will take away our loneliness. God will protect us from our enemies. God will save us and deliver us. He will redeem us!

Cry out to God. He hears your prayers.

Join me in finding joy in the journey.

Save

Can I have non-Christian friends in college?

/ Christian in College, College, The Journey / 2 Comments

Yes! Yes, you can. Christians ask, “How can I socialize with people that have different beliefs than me and not be lead astray from God?”

People tell you to be careful not to let non-Christians influence you negatively and say, “Don’t be “un-equally yoked” with a friend.” This can be good advice in some situations, but it can also stop us from loving and befriending others. I have many friends that I love who aren’t walking with God. That doesn’t stop me from loving them or being friends with them.

If we don’t befriend non-Christians, how will they hear about Jesus?

(more…)

Who does God say you are?

/ Bible Study, Dear Friend Series / 3 Comments

Dear friend, God says that you are:

Forgiven.
“If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” -1 John 1:9.
Justified.
“and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” -Romans 3:24.
Set free.
“There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life has set you free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death.” -Romans 8:1-2. (more…)