Back to School Essentials: More than Surviving School

More Than Surviving School: Three Spiritual Disciplines That Will Help You Stand Firm This School Year

Laura Villareal

When My Plans Changed—

When I was in Senior high, I truly thought I had everything together. I had a plan of what I was going to do when I graduated. I had the specifics of the plan and nothing was going to detour me.

As a 17-year-old homeschooler, I was determined to walk this path I had meticulously planned. I was going to go to Bible school. I was going to major in music. I was going to stay away from the secular world as much as possible. I was in a bubble, and I was going to make the most immense effort to keep myself in that bubble.

You may be asking yourself why a girl that was homeschooled is about to talk to you about spiritual disciplines while in school…I know, just work with me.

But that bubble was popped the minute I stepped into the doors of my community college. I may have been in private school or homeschooled my whole life, but these doors in which I just walked in had completely uncharted territory for me.

On the outside, I was ready for the challenge to stand up at every turn, be courageous, show my faith to others, and all the things that you tell people to otherwise cover up a fear. On the inside, however, there was a deep gut feeling that I was going to go through my college years and be cautious. Don’t step out of the box. Just blend in.

DO NOT engage in any conversations that may bring up what you believe, why you do what you do, or why you look different than everybody else. You’ll be fine and before you know it, you’ll be at Bible college.

News flash… I never made it to Bible College… God completely disrupted the plan I had. I spent four years at community college, and I probably learned more about spiritual disciplines in that time than anywhere else.

So today I’m going to talk to you a little bit about what got me through the most challenging but rewarding season of my life. Whether you’re homeschooled, public schooled, or going into college, my hope is that you can take away some practical advice that will help you not only be courageous in this season, but stand firm in the truth, and be a light in the process.

There are three things that I want you to take with you into this new school year. Three things that will help you get through a bad year, a good year, an I’m not so sure year, and everything in between.

1. Carry Your Cross

You can be a witness to those around you with just this one tool.

In my years of college, I can’t even count the times friends would engage in conversations that weren’t Christlike, say things that didn’t align with what I believed, and in some cases would invite me to places I knew wouldn’t align with my spirit.

I remember a specific time a girl that I had taken multiple classes with told me, “I like hanging out with you because you don’t talk like the other girls do and you just don’t like engaging in some of the conversations that they engage in, you seem different.”

My simple reply was, “Me and Jesus get along.”

You see, she and I could not be more opposite, but she still wanted to hang around me just because she didn’t like how other people talked. This young lady did not profess to be a Christian. She didn’t attend church and was very adamant about how she didn’t like the church scene. Yet she still sensed something in me that was different than everyone else, and through that we were able to find common ground. I was able to be a witness to her simply by what I didn’t say and where I didn’t go.

Your lifestyle affects those around you, not just you. What you say will become how others perceive you. Who you choose to hang around with will become a picture of your future. How you look and act can is a reflection of Jesus.

Matthew 16:24 “Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.’”

There are some things you’ll have to say no to, some conversations you can’t take part in; because you’re submitted under the cross, which requires you to have the mindset of the One who carried the cross.

This doesn’t mean you can’t have fun. It doesn’t mean that you must sit alone in a corner while eating lunch, it just means you step away from things that aren’t godly, and that don’t align with the cross.

2. Strengthen Your Walk with God

The second thing I want you to take inventory of is your walk with God.

This goes together with what we just talked about, submission. If you can ever get these two things to line up during your time in school, you will be UNSTOPPABLE.

If we are supposed to live a life that is submitted to Christ, there’s no way we can do that without knowing Him. You can’t truly have submission without a relationship. It’s hard for me to submit to somebody that I don’t know, because I don’t yet trust them.

I epically failed on this point during college.

There were a lot of days that I started my day off and Jesus was nowhere in my mind. But one thing I can say is the days I did start off with Jesus were the days I can look back on and find good. Not because it wasn’t hard or trying at times, but because I had help from Jesus.

When I started my days off with praying and reading the Word there was a specific strength and empowerment that came with me for that day.

Even still, not every day will feel like you split the heavens open with prayer. Most days it just feels like consistency. But what I have found is that the Lord is faithful to give grace and empowerment to His people when we need it most.

Hebrews 4:16 “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

The way that we obtain the power and strength to walk through our school hallways and be a witness is through prayer. We need this courage to stand up and speak truth, to show love, and to answer hard questions about what it means to be holy. We need this power to pray for our friends wherever and whenever they need it! We need this power to start CMIs or P7 clubs knowing the Lord will guide us!

When we pray and read His Word, it gives us the tools we need to do all the things that we are commissioned to do.

I encourage you, take 20 minutes out of your day and give God something. Over time you’ll look back and realize how it has shaped you and your future.

In every season prayer will always be the best guide.

3. Don’t Forget to Laugh

The third tool I want to talk to you about is, one you’re probably not expecting, LAUGHTER.

You’re never too good to share a smile or laugh with someone.

When I went to college, I first approached it as a war, constantly in a battle. “I refuse to compromise.” “I refuse to let any enemy detour me.”

Girl… Calm down.

Ecclesiastes 3:1–4
“To everything there is a season… a time to LAUGH!”…

Yes, never let anyone sway you from the truth, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have fun!
Laugh a little. Make someone smile. Give a compliment. Be the girl that is known to support others. Be the girl who sees every young lady, how the Lord sees them!

You’re never more approachable than when you’re having fun, laughing, and sharing a smile.

You can be submitted and have fun. It’s that simple!

I pray this not only blesses you, but I pray most of all, you walk into this school year knowing that whatever season you’re in, you CAN do this!!! Stay submitted, bring everything to God in prayer, apply His Word to your life, smile a lot, and laugh even more!!

I believe in you, and so does God. You’re going to CRUSH this next season, in JESUS NAME!

Love you.