From High School to Campus: Stay Rooted in Christ and Guard Your Heart

Before heading to college, I wasn’t too concerned about preparing myself spiritually. Looking back, I wish I had been.

Imagine standing at a fork in the road: one path draws you closer to God, the other leads toward conformity to the world. The transition to living on your own brings excitement at newfound independence, freedom from parental oversight, and opportunities to make your own choices. But with that freedom comes a sobering reality—your decisions, both big and small, will shape the person you become.

No one suddenly wakes up and decides to walk away from Jesus. It happens gradually, through a series of small compromises. I had my wake-up call as a college freshman when I saw a photo of myself earlier in the year, standing outside my car with a bottle of vodka in one hand and a Bible in the other, about to walk into church. I stared at the picture, asking myself, How did I get here?

Guard Your Heart

By his grace, through a series of events and godly friendships, God pulled me off that path. He transformed my life and redeemed my story. As a sophomore, I was determined to live differently because of Christ. Moving into my sorority house, I knew I needed to establish firm convictions. I wanted to be influenced by God, not by the party scene. I found help in Proverbs 4:20–23 (NIV):

My son, pay attention to what I say; turn your ear to my words. Do not let them out of your sight, keep them within your heart; for they are life to those who find them and health to one’s whole body. Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.

This passage struck me: If I wanted to cling to God and avoid drifting, I needed to guard my heart—against worldly influences, against sin, and even against my own desires. How could I do that? By saturating my mind with Scripture: paying attention to God’s Word, keeping it before me, and storing it in my heart.

Ground Yourself in God’s Word

Here’s how I sought to stay grounded in God’s Word.

1. Identify key areas of struggle.

Recognizing the areas where I was most tempted helped me prepare for battle. I knew I needed clear convictions on these issues:

• Alcohol and authority
• People-pleasing
• Comparison
• Gossip
• Remembering my purpose

2. Find Scripture that speaks to those areas.

I searched for Bible verses that addressed my struggles, asking mentors for guidance. Here’s what I found:

• Alcohol and authority: “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and those who resist will incur judgment” (Rom. 13:1–2).
• People-pleasing: “For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ” (Gal. 1:10).
• Comparison: “I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well” (Ps. 139:14).
• Gossip: “Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear” (Eph. 4:29).
• Remembering my purpose: “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven” (Matt. 5:16).

3. Memorize Scripture.

To keep these truths close, I made flash cards and reviewed them regularly. I even set one of the verses as my phone’s lock screen so I’d see it often. Memorizing Scripture buried these truths deep into my heart and kept them at the forefront of my mind, so they were readily available in times of temptation.

4. Meditate on God’s Word.

Biblical meditation isn’t about emptying your mind—it’s about filling it with truth. I spent time reflecting on these verses, considering what they revealed about God, about my struggles, and about how I could live in a way that honors God. Transformation doesn’t often happen just by reading a verse or by rote memorization. We need the spiritual discipline of meditation by which the Holy Spirit applies the Word to our hearts and minds in transformative ways.

5. Return to Scripture often.

Whenever I faced temptation, I’d recall the verses I memorized. In a room full of gossip, I’d remember Ephesians 4:29 and choose to walk away. When I felt out of place, I’d return to Matthew 5:16, reminding myself I was there to shine for Christ.

As you prepare for college, let God’s Word strengthen and guide you. Don’t wait until you see a shocking picture of yourself to turn to the Lord for help. Take intentional steps to identify potential areas of struggle and be grounded in God’s Word before you move onto campus. Your faith isn’t something to leave behind in high school—it’s what will sustain you through every new challenge ahead.

Josie Harms serves as a campus ministry worker for Oaks International. She and her husband, Mason, live in Bozeman, Montana, where they attend Calvary Chapel Bozeman and labor at Montana State University to help college students know and choose Jesus.