Back in January I asked Molly, a first-year student at MSU, to write an article for the monthly CtK newsletter about her Bible Study/small group experience.
The College Girl’s Guide to: Bible
Study
To say that
college is overwhelming would be an understatement.
Before
coming to MSU, I thought I had it all figured out. I had no fears about
tackling schoolwork, making new friends, or getting involved with every club on
campus. But boy, was I wrong. It’s pretty scary to go from a class of 300 kids
to a school of 15,000 undergrads. You feel as if you have the word “freshman”
stamped on your forehead, and you have no idea how to handle this unfamiliar
territory.
Feeling
disconnected and lost, I turned to my mom for help. (It’s true... She really
does know best.) She told me to try attending Christ the King, where Lindean,
the former pastor of my home congregation at Bethlehem Lutheran Church, and her
husband led worship. The warmth, energy, and inviting atmosphere of the church
was immediately apparent. I felt like I was home.
Soon after,
we arranged to meet Wednesday nights for a small group bible study at
International Coffee, a small coffee shop right next to campus. I had
reservations about going. What
if I don’t know enough about the Bible? What if I say something that sounds
dumb, or I disagree with someone else? I don’t even know Annie and Pastor
Lindean that well... Will I be comfortable speaking up? Maybe I should just
stay home and do homework. But by the end of the first meeting,
those thoughts has disappeared. Over a steaming mug of tea, we talked, laughed,
prayed, and explored God’s word. I was already looking forward to next week’s
meeting, and ventured home feeling a bit better inside knowing that I had found
somewhere I could fit in.
Being part
of a small group within the church, especially a Bible study, is so incredibly
rewarding. Sharing thoughts, emotions, and ideas with others allows us to open
up in ways we don’t normally do in casual conversation. And, exploring the
different stories in the Bible and how they relate to our lives reminds us of
God’s unfailing love for us, a comforting thought for a lonely 18 year old. I
guarantee you’ll learn something new, or at least have some preconceived notion
busted. It happens every time for me.
Sometimes,
we get too caught up in ourselves and our own worries, and lose sight of the
bigger picture. Luckily, we have wonderful people in our lives who are there
for support, love, and growth. We need to lean on them so that we can all grow
stronger in our faith and our friendships with each other. In attending this
Bible study, my feelings of loneliness have subsided. They’ve given way to
feelings of desire to continue learning and growing in faith, and have left
room to develop friendships with women who are as excited about Christ’s love
as I am.
Making time
on a busy Wednesday evening is a small sacrifice to pay for the benefits we
reap by simply coming together over God’s word. While I still struggle with
finding my place on campus, I know I have found my place within the church.
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