Freshman Reflections From Belmont UniversitySample

Day 40 – Transition “The LORD is good, a refuge in times of trouble. He cares for those who trust in Him.” Nahum 1:7 (NIV) The realities of college life are setting in right about now—you have settled into a routine of classes, made some great friends, found interesting activities and organizations—you know what college life is all about. Well, almost. You know a lot, you have experienced a lot, but there will still be more to come. You will almost certainly encounter classes that are harder than anything you have ever taken before, relationships that don’t turn out the way you hoped or thought they would. There will be challenging days and people that you could never have anticipated. There will be situations that cause you to question what you have thought and ask you to reconsider who you are and how you will be in the world. This can be a bit overwhelming to think about and even more so to experience, but don’t let that stop you from taking chances on new friends, new adventures, new ideas. Continue to seek answers to life’s difficult and challenging questions. Continue to ask yourself how you can best love God and your neighbor. Continue to take risks that will help you live out the call that God has placed on your life. It may sound too good to be true, but you can do these things not with doubts and fear, but with confidence, because you are a part of a community here at Belmont. A community that will walk with you through good seasons and bad ones. A community that will stand beside you through thick and thin. But perhaps more importantly you can step out into new things because there is a God who journeys with us. A God who is good, a stronghold in a day of trouble (Isaiah 62:2). So don’t be intimidated by what may lie ahead—continue on knowing that you are surrounded by the love, and grace, and peace, and mercy of a God in whom you can take refuge. REV. HEATHER GERBSCH DAUGHERTY University Minister, Office of University Ministries