The Christian's College Survival Guide: Maintaining Spiritual Strength in a Natural World

By Cheryl J. Harris-Woods

Are you a college student or soon to become one? How substantial is your faith in Christ? What does your faith look like right now, and will it be intact, damaged, or nonexistent when you graduate? How do you apply what the Bible says to your college experience while submerged in a godless culture?

Gods Word, the Bible, provides insight for mental, emotional, intellectual, physical, and spiritual survival. Cheryl J. Harris-Woods presents exciting and comprehensive answers from Gods Word in the pages of The Christians College Survival Guide!

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: May 31, 2016
• ISBN: 9781512741841

Cheryl J. Harris-Woods

Minister Cheryl J. Woods is an associate minister, Sunday school coordinator, adult Sunday school teacher, and assistant evangelism team coordinator at Faith Christian Center in Chicago Heights, Illinois. She holds degrees in biology from the University of Chicago and Chicago State University. Her greatest desire is to grow daily in her knowledge of Christ and to make Him known to the world through her Christ-centered lifestyle, teaching, and writing and by proclaiming the gospel. She has a passion for bringing the lost to Christ and for equipping believers to be effective in their daily walk with God. She is the author of two books: Heartwise: Experiencing the Life of Christ through a Transformed Heart and The Christian’s College Survival Guide: How to Maintain Spiritual Strength in a Natural World. Cheryl and her husband, Thomas Frederick Woods III, have been married for forty years. They reside in Country Club Hills, Illinois, have four adult children and three grandchildren.

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Copyright © 2016 Cheryl J. Harris-Woods.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

WestBow Press

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Thinkstock are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.

Certain stock imagery © Thinkstock.

Scripture taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

Scripture taken from the Amplified Bible, copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission.

Scripture quotations in this publications are from The Message. Copyright © by Eugene H. Peterson 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002. Used by permission of NavPress Publishing Group.

Scripture quotations taken from the New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-4185-8 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-4186-5 (hc)

ISBN: 978-1-5127-4184-1 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2016907454

WestBow Press rev. date: 5/31/2016

Contents

Preface

Acknowledgments

Introduction

Part I: Where Do You Stand?

Chapter 1 Do You Believe?

Chapter 2 Do You Mind?

Chapter 3 Are You Prepared?

Chapter 4 Who’s in Charge?

Part II: The Daily Battle

Chapter 5 No Shortcuts

Chapter 6 Feed Your Face

Chapter 7 It Sure Looks Good! (Winning the Battle over Temptation)

Chapter 8 Come Back!

Chapter 9 They’re Smarter than Me: Healthy and Unhealthy Comparisons

Chapter 10 Let’s Get Organized!

Chapter 11 Six Basic Principles

Chapter 12 Don’t Sit There! Emotions, Decisions and Attitude

Part III: Relationships

Chapter 13 What Kind of Friend?

Chapter 14 Getting Along with Impossible People: Heart, Words, and Actions

Chapter 15 When I Get Married: A Case for the Institution of Marriage

Part IV: Walking the Talk

Chapter 16 Wilderness Training: Separating Good from Evil

Chapter 17 Watch Where You Put It!

Chapter 18 God’s Heart toward You!

Chapter 19 A Vessel of Honor!

Chapter 20 The Balancing Act: Work, School, Marriage, Family, and Jesus!

Appendix I Fleshworks

To all who desire to embrace God’s will in every season of life.

PREFACE

My undergraduate college years were challenging. I attended a prominent four-year university with a ten-week quarter system. The pace was accelerated and the volume of work astronomical, and I felt behind before I even started. There was little in the excellent church I attended as a high school student that prepared me for the specific issues a college student might face, with one exception: Reverend Guest.

Reverend Guest taught Sunday school for the high school and college-age students. His approach was radically different and unpopular with the church leaders at the time. He introduced us to the philosophies and ideologies that would be presented in a college curriculum, showed where they erred with respect to God’s Word, and taught us how to stand in defense of our faith. He also introduced us to the writings of famous Christian theologians who defended the Christian faith. Every Christian college student needs to internalize the reality of God: Jesus is the Savior of the entire world and God is greater than any person, system of belief, or event in history. We have a God we can rely on and a faith that will stand the test of time and events. I survived college with my faith intact!

Sadly, many Christian young adults do not enter the college experience with a firm foundation in Christ. Overwhelmed by the freedoms of a new lifestyle, some have laid their nascent faith aside and progressively embraced non-Christian convictions. This does not have to happen. God gives us clear guidelines for survival in every setting.

I want college students to have a resource that encourages their faith in the Lord, strengthens their inner man, and equips them to succeed in college. As Christians, we must challenge all of God’s people to build their lives on the eternal foundation of Christ. God has supplied us with everything we need to be successful as we develop our gifts and talents for his glory. My prayer is that this book will be a source of information and encouragement for college students of all ages!

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

To my husband, Thomas Frederick Woods III, who has lovingly supported me in all of my endeavors, spiritually, financially, and practically. I love you.

To my children, Ayinde (Viki), Kaliq, Ayita, and Keshia, who embrace the Word of God. I love and enjoy each of you so much. To my grandchildren, Jocelyn, John, and Joshua, who bring me endless joy.

To Dr. Leo C. Harris (deceased) and Lucille Harris, my parents. No words can express the love, wisdom, joy, and counsel you have imparted to me over many years. They are an integral part of anything that God uses me to create.

To my brothers, Charles L, Harris (deceased), Rev. Leonard R. Harris, and Roger L. Harris. It is fun being your sister. You always believe that I will accomplish great things. To Darlene, my sister-in-law, who is more like the sister that I never had. You each inspire me.

To Pastor and Copastor Hughes. Thank you for the years of love and the solid Bible teaching that I continue to learn from you both. To my Faith Christian Center Church family—my encouragement and support network.

Special thanks to Rev. Cynthia Hill and Dr. Gina Price for reading and editing the manuscript and providing godly insight. Thanks to my daughter Ayita for her technical assistance and advice.

Finally, thank you to the army of friends who have counseled and encouraged me along life’s journey: Rev. Cynthia Hill, Minister Gina Price, Dr. Betty Johnson, Elder Cherry Ramsey, Elder Gloria Brown, Evangelist Pat Swanson, Evangelist Toni Cunningham, Minister Ida Moore, and Minister Barbara Donaldson.

INTRODUCTION

Why does a Christian student need a college survival guide? There are several reasons.

1. Most academic environments do not support your personal faith.

2. Profane speech and behavior are accepted as the norm.

3. Christianity as a belief system is ridiculed in many secular colleges and universities.

4. The sheer volume of a college workload can challenge the time that is spent in God’s Word and the desire to know Christ.

5. Those committed to Christ and His ways are often ridiculed, marginalized, ostracized, stereotyped, and left to feel alone.

6. The freedom you have while pursuing a degree exposes you to choices that you have never considered.

You may survive as a student, complete your courses, and graduate, but will your faith survive, and will your Christian witness remain intact?

This guide is designed for college students of all ages. It will aid the commuter student as well as those living on campus. It provides insight and encouragement for undergraduate and graduate students who are committed to Jesus Christ and for those seeking to know Christ.

As a devotional, this book can be used along with your regular Bible reading. It is not intended to be a substitute for your daily time in God’s Word. The chapters are short in order to accommodate a student’s busy schedule. Take your time as you read through this book and ask God to help you to apply His truth to every situation in your college experience. Unlike your college courses, there is no deadline required to complete this text! Ideally this is best read even before going to college.

This book contains short lists of information that can be examined quickly. Chapters can be covered in minutes when your time is limited. Study questions and Bible references can be scrutinized when you have more time.

May God continually bless you as you journey with Him through this exciting season of life!

PART I:

WHERE DO YOU STAND?

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CHAPTER 1

DO YOU BELIEVE?

But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. (Hebrews 11:6

Stop to ask yourself, "What do I believe?" Before you can survive as a Christian in any setting, you have to be confident that you are a Christian according to God’s definition. Dr. Voodie Bachman states in his book, The Ever-loving Truth, Currently, much of what we believe is shaped by our culture, and unfortunately, much of what our culture believes on a fundamental level is diametrically opposed to biblical truth.¹

To help to determine where you stand, take this brief faith quiz:

1. Do I believe that there is a God?

2. Am I am seeking to know God?

3. Have I read/heard parts of the Bible?

4. Do I believe that God is good?

5. Am I sure that I have a relationship with God?

6. Do I want to know God on a personal level?

7. Do I understand God’s plan of salvation?

8. Do I believe that Jesus Christ was:

a. just a man?

b. a great individual?

c. a spiritual person?

d. God’s Son?

9. Do I want to know God’s plan of salvation?

10. Do I know that I am going to heaven when I die?

If you answered yes to questions 1–4, 6, and 9, you are seeking God. God has a wonderful plan for your life that exceeds your plans and expectations. This plan, designed for you before your birth, was disrupted by our congenital, sinful nature that separates us from God. Sin (behavior produced from a fallen nature that does not embrace God) has left each of us in a broken condition, knowing that something is missing but not knowing how to find it (Romans 3:23; Psalm 42:1–2). God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to die in our place. He took our sins upon Himself, thereby removing