It’s now mid-July, which means that, for most people, school will be starting back very soon. From kindergarten to college, a lot of us young people (and maybe even some old people…. you’re really never too old to get an education!) will be sharpening our pencils and tying up the laces on their brand new back-to-school shoes, anxiously awaiting the ever important "First Day of School." When you’re young, you have your parents to help you prepare for your first day, physically, emotionally, and mentally. However, if you’re anything like I was when I first started my journey as a freshman last year at Lindsey Wilson College, you’re probably a nervous wreck. When I started college, it was my first real taste of the real world, and to say that I was overwhelmed is one heck of an understatement. But even in my darkest moments of misery and despair, as usual, the good Lord came in for me and saved me from having any more nervous breakdowns than what was absolutely necessary. Verses all throughout the Bible helped me tremendously, and if you’re nervous about starting school again, or trying anything new for that matter, then I encourage you to read further; they may help you, just like how they helped me.

1. Try Your Best

Colossians 3:17: “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him.” Whether it be in school, in the workplace, or anywhere you find yourself at in your life, its so important to always try your best! It is impossible to be perfect, no one needs to ever put that kind of pressure on themselves; it only leads to unnecessary stress, heartache, and depression. But if you always make it a point to put God first in everything you do, and give all of the credit for your successes in life to Him, you will always come out ahead in life. John 14:13-14 tells us that “Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. "If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.” If we really, truly want to do something in life, we need to ask for God’s help, and if He sees fit for us to have what we want, then He will allow it. Matthew 19:26 says that “with God, all things are possible”, and I feel that to be true. If we try our hardest, trust that God will help us with whatever we ask him to, and to give Him the glory for our successes in life, we can accomplish anything we want!

2. Be Courageous and Strong

Joshua 1:9: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." When entering a new school, or a new job, or a new way of life, things can sometimes become complicated, scary, or even downright disheartening. We become nervous, and there are days where it seems that nothing will ever go right again. But when we get in these overwhelming states of mind, it’s important to know that God is already on top of things. He is always with us, by our sides, directing our paths for us. With Him by our sides, how can we ever be afraid of what the future holds for us? How can we ever doubt our own strength? A favorite saying of mine that I use often is, “I don’t fear tomorrow, for I know that my God is already there.” Sure, I still have my occasional weak moments, and I still tend to have fear of what lies ahead for me as I continue my journey as a college student. But I have comfort in the knowledge that God already has my whole future planned out for me, as said in Jeremiah 29:11, and that I have no need to have fear or to doubt my own strength. God is always with us, whether we realize it or not, through both the best of times and the worst of times. And the best part is, no matter what we are going through, no matter how difficult times may get for us, God will never abandon us. So what reason do we have to be afraid of anything? If we keep our faith in Him, we will always have strength and courage. Isaiah 41:10: “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

3. Be a Friend

Whether it be at school, at work, or wherever you are, you will always have encounters with new people of whom you have never met before. And, if you’re anything like myself, it might take you a little while before you are comfortable enough to come up to them and start a conversation yourself. But I feel that it’s important to do so! Making friends when you are in a new environment can be very refreshing; everyone is most likely in the same boat as you are when it comes to being nervous about starting over at a new place, and it’s comforting to know that someone else shares the same feelings as you do. It’s a great opportunity to make new acquaintances that you already have at least something in common with. But the best thing of all is that meeting new people gives you a chance to share God’s word with others, and that is a Christian’s biggest duty while on earth. And who knows? By sharing God’s word with the new people that you meet, you can potentially help strengthen someone’s relationship with Christ, or better yet, help a lost soul find Christ and get saved! I don’t know about you guys, but knowing that I helped someone find the love and peace that only God can bring would bring me so much joy and satisfaction. It’s important to be a friend to everyone, even if they don’t share the same beliefs as you. You must respect the beliefs of other people, all while standing firm in your own. Romans 12:2: “And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.” How we act as Christians should be a guiding light to others that proves that we don’t all fit most people’s stereotypes of Christians (hypocrites, being stuck-up, etc.) Even if the people we come in contact with are not Christians themselves, that doesn’t mean that we can’t be their friends and show the Christian love to them. On a second note, making friends in new environments can be a great help to us; we have opportunities to not only befriend people, but to make connections with others that can help us out in the long run. However way you look at it, it’s important to have friends in your environments, and it’s even more important to be a friend to others.

So there you have it — my three biggest pieces of advice when starting something new in life: always try your best in all you do, be strong and courageous, and to be a friend to everyone. Everyone is nervous when they are starting something new, including myself. But I believe that if you follow the advice that I have shared, as well as hold God’s word near and dear to your heart and are always loyal to Him, I think you’ll be alright in whatever you do.