Letters Between Sundays

As a twenty-one-year-old in college, what do you think I should be doing on a Saturday night? Going to football games or campus parties? Playing beer pong at a frat house during the day, better known as “darties”? College is supposed to be about “fun,” and by that, the world means drinking, drugs, and “finding who you are.” You’re 18 and free—what do you have to lose?

“Walk with the wise and become wise; associate with fools and get in trouble.” – Proverbs 13:20

When you get to college, you feel pressure to try everything you’ve never done before. Staying out all night. Hooking up. Sneaking into bars with a fake ID. Experimenting with that one drug. That’s the “normal” way—if you’ve never opened a Bible.

“My child, fear the Lord and the king. Don’t associate with rebels.” – Proverbs 24:21

I’m thankful my story looks different. My party days ended in high school, and the best thing I’ve gained in college is giving my life to the Lord. He’s shown me the world can’t satisfy me. The world lies, but Jesus tells the truth. Yes, college is about finding out who you are—but it’s even more about finding out who Jesus is. Once you know Him, you want to leave behind the old ways. You want to deny your flesh, because He died for you.

I’m in my last year of college, and I’ve never been to a college party. Instead, I’ve been to devotionals, church events, girls’ nights, bonfires, retreats, dinner parties, and game nights in church basements. No drugs, no alcohol—and I can honestly say those are the funniest, most joy-filled memories I’ve ever made. I was with people who cared for me, who wanted to see me grow. My brother says, “If there’s no drugs or alcohol, you won’t have fun.” Maybe that’s true in the world’s eyes, but in God’s kingdom, He shows you what real fun looks like.

The Lord is not boring. He made mountains to climb, oceans to swim in, snow to play in, and sunsets to capture. He gave us animals to love, music to dance to, and friends to laugh with until our stomachs hurt. Reading the Bible isn’t boring. Praying isn’t boring. Talking about the Lord isn’t boring.

What’s boring? Doing the same thing as everyone else—falling into the rabbit hole of what the world says life “should” be. That’s boring.

So tonight, my new roommate and I are watching love movies. We danced in the living room with Patrick Swayze. We laughed so hard we fell to the floor. It’s a Saturday night and we aren’t drinking, we aren’t at a party, and we are certainly not following the world. I am a child of God, and I’m proud to be one.

I wouldn’t trade this Saturday night for anything.

“Nobody puts Baby in a corner.”