College Parenting

College Parenting Tip of the Month

Take your student’s college journey a couple of steps at a time, aiming for the end goal, but willing to be nimble as the Lord equips their talents, interests, and skills.

 Quote of the Month

“In the pandemic, when we had to shut down quite a bit of our business, I became more focused on just trying to figure out how to respond to this week. Not this month or this year. I focused on what trends right now were affecting the next day or two. It was one of the most effective exercises in anticipation I’d done in a long time. Now I’m looking at anticipation as something that I have to practice, focus on, and develop. Not by looking way into the future but by seeing what’s right in front of me” (“Be the Unicorn: 12 Data-Driven Habits that Separate the Best Leaders from the Rest” by William Vanderbloemen, p. 75). 

Resource of the Month

“Preparing our children for life often feels at odds with protecting them.” We can do both! Strategies for Growth and Learning: Help for Helicopter Parents by Danielle Pitzer, Director of Sanctity of Human Life, Focus on the Family.

This Month’s Theme: Trust

“The LORD is my strength and shield. I trust him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy. I burst out in songs of thanksgiving” (Psalm 28:7).

Dear Lord, we know You promise to provide every need according to Your riches in Christ Jesus. Your eye is on the sparrow, You gloriously clothe the lilies of the field, and we know You will also care for our students and their families as they prepare for this upcoming school year. Help them to trust You, in Your timing and Your ways, as they look at this new chapter in their lives. Thank You, God, that You already have put all preparations in place to meet every need this coming school year.

In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

From Vision to Action: Embracing God’s Plan Through Preparation

Erin Mills, Associate Director, Center for Financial Literacy (CFL), School of Business

Let’s face it! July is probably a month where some vision is beginning to take root, and everyone is thinking about what they need to do to prepare for the next season. Young children are home from school on summer break, not thinking too much about schoolwork, but possibly attending camps to prepare for the next sports season, theater program, or music program. College freshmen are preparing to transition to more independence while their parents are cheering them on with a twinge of anxiety wondering how it will all go and if they are prepared enough to make it out there on their own. College seniors are preparing for that last year and seeking internships and resume building opportunities to score that new job. Professors and educators are preparing for the upcoming school year hoping to update and improve their instructional practices.

The word prepare dates to the 13th century from the Old French preparacion and the Latic praeparationem defined as “a making ready.” In the late 14th century, the word praparcioun came about to mean “act of preparing or making ready, preliminary act or operation, a previous setting in order,” and by the mid-15th century it began to mean “set in order or readiness for a particular end.” By the 1520’s, the word began to be used to mean “bring into a particular mental state with reference to the future” and then to “make ready to eat.” It developed again in the 1530’s, to “provide or procure for future use” (“Etymology of preparation,” Online Etymology Dictionary).

No matter how the definition has expanded, the idea of preparing, making ready, or setting things in order for the future, is important and often helps create provision for our future. It sets the tone for a God-honoring work ethic. Preparation usually does not start on its own. It comes from vision. We must give careful thought to our vision. As Nicky Gumbel writes in his Bible in One Year 2021 plan, “Vision starts with thinking — grasping our minds around a picture of what could be.” Gumbel reminds his readers that priorities must be sorted out, and careful thought must be given to our vision with a primary concern set towards God’s name being honored. Psalms 25:4-5 shows us to ask God to show us, teach us, and guide us while we put our hope in Him. Psalms 32:8 wisely reminds us that God is who gives wise counsel and instruction. As we seek vision to lead to preparation, let’s remember to first check that we are seeking God’s vision and not a self-promotion or things that will not bring glory to God.

While vision helps set preparation in motion, many are unable to put vision into action. Nicky Gumbel states that Haggai points out several times (Haggai 1:5 and 7; 2:15 and 18) that there is a balance between vision and action. We have to get to work, work hard, have courage, and as our CFL Executive Director Stacie Rhodes often says, “invite God into the conversation” in order for our vison to lead to preparation and preparation lead to future gain.

During any season of hard work and focus, people can sometimes lose heart or get frustrated when things go wrong. This is when our faith must kick in. We can prepare all we want, but ultimately God is the owner of our life. He is in ultimate control. We give control over to him. If we plan, work hard, and follow Psalm 40:4 to “Trust in the Lord and seek counsel from the right people (not the proud or deceitful)” and things still do not go as we thought we had prepared, we have to know God is bringing about a different turn in our story and is in control. We must trust that as Psalm 144:15 says, “God will provide blessing and provision.”

It is not wrong to ask God to help our everyday affairs to prosper through our preparation. In 3 John 1: 1-14, it points to the fact that the Lord reigns over every area of our life. John prayed this over his friend Gaius: “I pray for…everything you do, and for your good health that your everyday affairs prosper, as well as your soul!” (v.2, MSG). Just remember that there is a balance between asking for this and putting a vision into action through hard work, courage, and preparation.

As you read this, be in prayer for all our college students and their families this summer and upcoming new school year. Ask God to give vision, to have their plans and preparation prosper, to let their soul rest in what God has in store even if it differs from that which they prepared. Ask God to help parents rest in the truth that God is ultimately in charge of their children’s lives and He will do what is best for them. Our main prayer is that they are seeking God first – He will handle what He calls them to – whether it is sports, art, music, science, engineering, missions, etc. God is ultimately there already, and we can rest in His design and plan that is greater than any of our own preparation.

Specifically, pray for our Center for Financial Literacy as our team of 31 academic coaches and seven administrators work toward planning and preparation pursuing our mission to ignite generational change with practical application of biblical financial wisdom.

On a more practical note, our coaching team from last spring has four students prepping to take the CFP to become a Certified Financial Planner. Pray for God to give them wisdom and peace and ability to use what they have been preparing for over the last four years.

PFC’s Mission for Families | From the First Day of Class to Commencement

At Liberty University, you can rest assured that the values you instilled in your children will not be undermined. We take pride in creating an environment where your student feels they have a home away from home. Whether you are a parent, grandparent, or guardian, we are committed to collaborating with you in guiding your student through the challenges and triumphs of the next few years.

Our goal is to support student success and promote an appropriate role for parents and families within the campus community. We hope to encourage you through your transition as a college family. As you move away from the daily monitoring of your child’s decisions and into the role of a coach who listens, prays, guides, and promotes their resiliency, some days may feel like a struggle. The challenges and struggles – and prayers – are all parts of growth. 

The First Days

The first semester in particular will give rise to new experiences, new questions, and many opportunities for your student to practice becoming an advocate of their own – housing, food, time management, friendships, classes, the pace of communication with you, and more.

• For Your First Year – interprets the key dates and activities on the university’s schedule (i.e., the academic calendar)
• Parent & Family Guide 2024-25 – equips LU families with an easy reference to the college schedule and offices
• Frequently Asked Questions  – recommends the departments that support your student’s success on campus

Every Semester

Most importantly, pray. Cover the highs and lows your student may experience during their academic journey using our Timeline as a guide. We have monthly College Parenting news, and just for you, there are regular Blogs for encouragement on your faith journey as a college parent.

May you be blessed and transition smoothly into this next stage of your family’s life.

We exist to support the mission of Liberty University Training Champions for Christ by sharing information with students’ family members about the resources, programs, and activities available on campus. Our purpose is to build relationships between parents and the university, promote student success, and support parents through the transition of their students being at college – all the while praying for their highest calling in Jesus Christ.

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