Sunday, April 26, 2009

Please Pray for "Collegers"

Joel calls people in college "collegers." After all, people in teenage years are called "teenagers." Makes sense to me.

If you know anyone in college right now, please pray for them. If you don't, please pray for my own three children. They have three weeks left.

Ben is feeling sick and run-d0wn and has a 10-page paper due Thursday. Last night I told him I was praying for him and he said, "Thanks. I need all the prayer I can get." He works 25 hours a week. I'm happy to announce that he got elected Vice President of Beta Alpha Psi at his college.
(It's an honors society for accounting majors.) The downside to that is that it's not just a figurehead position; he is actually supposed to recruit special guest speakers. Not exactly a high priority for someone who can't see a straight path from here through finals.

Sarah is spending most of her waking hours absorbed in schoolwork, and has a 16 hour-a-week job. For her, the biggest chunk is over; she had to put in 30 hours of field placement at a local elementary school and 10 at a nursing home. She may be able to get out of finals because of her grades; please pray that's the case. It would be such a reward for her diligence. Her mind is racing ahead to June when she'll be leaving for summer camp.

Stephen is finding himself facing harder work at school and tonight mumbled something about wanting "out of this major" (computer science). He is on a full merit scholarship and wants to maintain his 4.0, but this programming class has him stressed. Not only is he a student, he works about 15 hours a week and is a drummer for two different worship bands at church. He never complains about any of it; he simply wants to do well at everything.

They are all three having to cast their burdens on the Lord. I ask for:
-grace to finish projects in less than expected time
-improved health for the boys
-that Sarah doesn't have to take some of her finals
-safety on the road when their minds are elsewhere
-good sleep, even when it's less than they want
-me to be understanding (I've been trying to do extra little things to lighten their loads)
-that they wouldn't neglect quiet times w/ the Lord for refreshing
-gratitude for their education
-moral purity and spiritual strength on godless campuses
-that they wouldn't find their identity in their GPA like I did at 19 and 20, but remember it's secure in Christ alone
-anything else you can think of

4 comments:

terri said...

I will keep them in prayer. It sounds like their platters are full. Life is hard by itself but add all the extra stress and it can become overwhelming. Good luck to them and to you as you help lighten their load.

Laurie said...

Yes. I will pray. Oh, what a crazy time with opportunities to learn how to trust God with time, activity, anxiety, balance all the while remembering Christ "who is our life"!
Colossian 3:2-4
"Therefore if you have been raised up with Christ, keep seeking the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.
Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth.
For you have died and your life is hidden with Christ in God.
When Christ, Who Is Our LIFE, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in glory."

May He lighten their loads by being their delight.

Considering the "collegers" label, I'm trying to come up with a label for college age students who opt not to go the college route.

zz said...

You could call them "yads" for "young adults". ???

Laurie said...

"Yads" has a nice ring to it!!