February Can be Discouraging in College Ministry!

 I have always believed and FELT that college ministry was the hardest and most discouraging in February!  The weather is cold....and I do not like cold.  Students are sick.  They will come in to an event and hug you.  Then, they will tell you they have had fever or been throwing up all day.  Or, "I just got out of bed to come here."  Oh thanks!  Excuse me while I sneak off to wash my hands.

The thrill of being back from the long Christmas Break has worn off and Spring Break feels a long way off. Plus, you find that some of your financial contributors are not continuing in this new year.  Attendance is down at night because it gets dark so early

So, what do you do?

1.  Remember, God's movement is not determined by how you FEEL.

2.  A crowd does not determine whether God is at work or not.

3.  Winter is a time of preparation.  Be building into the lives of those who are giving you their time right now.  Who are those four or five super promising Freshmen?  What are you doing with them every week?

4.  Thinking needs time to be done.  If you have a little more you time, are you looking at your campus and evaluating your strategy, etc?  WARNING:  Don't make big changes in the middle of February when you FEEL a total failure.

5.  Call another College Minister friend and encourage him or her  One of the ways to face and handle our own discouragement is by encouraging someone else.  AND, you may find their current mess is worse than yours and you can be happy....just kidding!  Call and encourage and just laugh about some of it with somebody who gets it.

6.  If you are married, beware of talking about your frustration ALL THE TIME with your spouse.  Sure, they are one you need to talk to and process with....just do NOT do it ALL THE TIME.

I have a Masters Degree in Guidance Counseling.  Crazy, I know. Sometimes, people ask me to tell them what I learned.  Here it is and it was well worth getting that degree.

"It is easier to act your way into a better way of feeling than to feel your way into a better way acting."

Know that is is ok to be and feel frustrated but that you are normal and God has not forsaken you.  Be faithful.  Go do the things you know that God has called you to do and that need doing.  Your feelings will catch up much quicker than if you just sit there waiting for your attitude to change.

"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."  Isaiah 41:10

As you begin to reach out to high seniors seniors for this fall, what can you give them or use as a thank you for providing their contact info?  Check out Tips for College Freshmen:  124 Tips for Fun, Faith & Good Grades at Amazon.com/dp/B09QFB9DJ9.