Throughout life we encounter times when our faith and routine are challenged. Whether you are transitioning from high school to college, college to post-college life, or to brand-new parenthood, our faith gives us hope for the future. Three women share their stories about transition. What transitions in your life had the biggest impact on you?


by Laura Johnson
When I graduated from high school I did not cry. This was surprising because I cry over everything, from the dumbest of chick flicks to absolutely nothing at all. I think everyone else was doing enough crying for me. I was ready to move on.

Fear of the unknown
Stuffing the family car  to the ceiling with all my belongings, my parents and I drove from Washington state to southern California to my small Christian college. I had decided not to visit the school beforehand, so I was nervous about what to expect.

College is not for everyone. But for those who do make the lofty jump from high school to a four-year university, the transition does not always go as hoped. For the first time you might actually have to discipline yourself to study, feed yourself, and wash your own clothes. The ultimate battle of college however, is finding out who you are—not who your parents want you to be.

Some parents are wary of the college experience. They watched  the movie “Animal House” and expect college to be like that. College is the first time when kids (sorry, young adults) are on their own and—depending on which school you attend—will no longer have a strict set of rules to follow.

Yes, college is about finding yourself. This does not mean you have to chug a keg of beer to do so. It is about figuring out what you want to do when you grow up and finding some life-long friends along the way. The surest way to accomplish this is to never lose sight of God and what God wants for your life.

Did I find myself in college? Yes, I would like to think so, but so far it has been an amazing and laborious process. Here are some things I learned.

Laura's freshmen survival guide:

1. “This too shall pass.” This phrase is particularly poignant in the college setting, because even if you’re ridiculously smart, college is hard. You will pull all-nighters or at least attempt to. You will most likely be addicted to caffeine and there will be days you’ll want to give up and go home. Remember that in the long run, nothing is that important. No one will ask you in a job interview what grade you made on your calculus final if you are an English major. Tell yourself that this too will pass. Because it has to. Because it will.

2. Newsflash: Church is not required. No longer will you have to go to church because your mom wants you too. She won’t be there. It will be tempting to catch up on sleep or that big religion class project because you put off all weekend, but you have to remember what keeps you most grounded—your faith in Jesus. Even if church is not do-able some weeks, there are Bible study groups, Christian clubs and campus ministries. There is nothing like a good worship service or Bible study to rejuvenate the spirit and put things back into perspective—especially when nothing else in your life makes sense.

3. As God loves you, you must love yourself. There are days you will not feel good enough for anything. Maybe you failed a huge mid-term, picked a fight with your boyfriend or roommate, or did something much worse. You will make mistakes because that is what human beings do. No matter what, no sin is unforgivable for God. Nothing. Don't be tempted to believe you are not worthy of being loved. By far, this is the most challenging thing you will learn in college—and you won’t find it in any textbook.

When I graduated from college I didn’t cry either. I was just in such shock that I had made it. This time I was not really ready to move on. But move on I must. This next transition into the real world may be even more of a struggle than from high school to college. Yet, with the help of God this too shall pass.

Laura Johnson recently graduated from Pepperdine University with a B.A. in journalism and a minor in music. Her next big transition will be moving into the real world.

Read two other stories about transition to global service and parenthood.