Two Sides of a Coin

One of my favorite parts of this time of year is getting to know some of the new freshmen who have joined FOCUS. I try to be intentional about spending time with as many of them as I can, hearing their stories and seeing how things are going for them. Sometimes I also meet with students who haven’t yet decided to plug into a campus ministry but are still open to meeting up. The contrast between these two groups of students is often striking.

One of the students I met with this past month—we’ll call him David—is currently agnostic. He’s been to a FOCUS fellowship night and attended one or two other ministry events at the beginning of the year to check things out. Beyond that, though, he hasn’t really been involved in Christian community. As he told me about his first few weeks on campus, he mentioned that he’s made friends in his dorm and in his major. But with those friends, he’s experiencing near-constant drama. Conflict is everywhere—friendships form and break at the drop of a hat. Each week, advice is flying around about who to cut off next. David is caught in the middle, feeling stressed and sad one day, only to be on cloud nine the next when everyone is getting along, until the next conflict inevitably flares up. He told me he’s never felt so unstable in his whole life. His friendships are unpredictable, and on top of that, he’s trying to navigate the challenges of adulthood and making decisions for himself, which has been stressful. Everyone around him is also a freshman, so he’s left trying to figure things out largely on his own.

Now contrast that with another student I met recently, whom we’ll call Ethan. He’s in the exact same stage of life as David—a freshman living on campus, with friends from his dorm, his roommates, and his classes. But his experience has been completely different. Unlike David, Ethan got plugged into community during the first few weeks of school. He’s built friendships with upperclassmen who can help him process all the changes he’s going through. His friendships aren’t based merely on convenience but on a shared love for Jesus and a commitment to loving others. Instead of being stuck in cycles of conflict and drama, Ethan is learning more about God and how to love the people around him.

I see this same pattern play out every single year. Early decisions can cause paths to diverge dramatically, shaping the entire trajectory of someone’s college experience. That’s what excites me so much about helping students find a better path. I’m hoping David will stick around and honestly, I’m praying he’ll grow weary of the drama and choose to build healthier, more intentional friendships. I know there are a lot of Davids out there. In fact, I know there are more Davids than Ethans. So please be praying for us as we continue to go out, meet students, and help change trajectories.

Each week we continue to see new faces at TNF. Just this past week, around 20 new people showed up! Normally, our numbers start to drop off around this time of year, but God keeps moving, and people keep inviting their friends to come check it out. Please also pray that we would be faithful with the students God brings our way.

Thank you for being part of what God is doing. Thank you for helping make a way for students to have a better college experience. One that, Lord willing, will change the course of their lives for years to come.