Luke Schumacher - Free to Be

Have you ever lost something and spent an excessive amount of time trying to find it?

It may be a piece of jewelry that holds more than a monetary value. It could be a sentimental letter or note from a loved one. Maybe its a personal journal. Regardless, you lost something important and desperately wanted to find it.

Eventually, after spending hours searching, you tell yourself, I bet its (insert some other place not close to your location).

So you wait until you next go there, but by that time, you have forgotten about the lost item. This has happened to me while I was in college. For a while, I had no idea where my ring was. It was a James Avery ring inscribed with the Greek letters Alpha and Omega. I got it after I graduated high school to symbolize the ending of one period of life and the start of a new one. I looked all over my house for an entire weekend and, eventually, I thought, It must be at my parents house. Ill look for it there next time Imhome.

But the next time I was home, I didnt even think to look for it.

I completely forgot about it.

I experienced something similar during my time as a university student. I, along with many other peers, lost something that once was very importantour faith. Once I moved out of my parents house, I knew my faith as a Christian would be shaken. I didnt have that crutch. I wasnt forced to go to church, youth group, etc. (I used to work at my church, and I wanted to go to youth group; I was never forced to go to church.) I know many of my peers were forced to attend their parents church growing up, and when the opportunity came for them to make their own choice about attending a church, they did not want to. They may have been super involved or even a super Christian, but when given the choice, they decided to stay in their dorm on Sunday mornings.

For a short time, I would say I lost sight of my faith. I eventually found it, and Ill talk more about that later, but some of my friends never found it. In conversations, I remember hearing some say,

Once I start doing better in my classes, then Ill start going to Bible study.

Once I finish rushing and am initiated into (fraternity/sorority), then Ill come to church with you.

Once my job calms down, then Ill have time to read my Bible.

However, once they were in a better spot in their classes, guess what? They had another class to improve on. Once they were initiated, they had new obligations. They did well at their job and got promoted, so they had more responsibilities. They had forgotten about that original promise. Im not trying to bash them; we go to college to learn, so you should do well in classes. Im just sharing what happened. They arent the only ones this happened to either.

The Pew Research Center published a study in 2017 that illustrates a connection between an individuals education and how religious they are, if at all. There are many dimensions to this. In short, US adults, as a whole, who have higher levels of education are linked with lower levels of religious commitment.

However, Americans who have college degrees attend religious services as often as Americans with less education. Of college graduates,

45 percent say religion is very important.

55 percent believe in God with absolute certainty.

50 percent say they pray daily.

Among those who have a high school diploma or less, those numbers are:

58 percent for religions importance

66 percent for the certainty of God

57 percent say they pray daily

Interestingly, 36 percent of college grads, 34 percent of those who have some college education, and 37 percent of those with a high school education or less say they attend a religious service at least once a week.

Well, the percentages are similar between Christians who are college graduates and Christians who are not. Of Christian college graduates and Christians who have a high school education or less, 67 percent say they pray daily. Of Christians who have some college, 70 percent say they pray every day, and Id like to think that is because of all the exams and course work they have to do.

Among college graduates:

74 percent say they believe in God with absolute certainty.

79 percent of Christians have some college.

75 percent have a high school or less education.

Im sure youre wondering now, Why does this matter to me? You shared a bunch of numbers, and its confusing. Thats the point. As you try to figure out why you believe something, you will be confused! Well, if youre a Christian (or any faith-driven person), life as a young adult will be very different from life with your parents. After graduating from high school, your faith will have to become your own, and its going to change. You will be free to figure out what you believe.

This book is about that freedom.

This book is about things you can expect to challenge your faith as a young adult.

This book is not instructions or a guide for How to do college.

This book is not meant to tell you what you can and cant do as a college/young adult Christian.

The Bible is clear about many things. However, it doesnt directly talk about what the twenty-first century, millennial/Gen-Z, college-aged Christian can expect when they graduate from high school and move away from home for the first time. But it does give incredible insights into how we can be free to do such things.

I had no idea what to expect in college. I started journaling just before I graduated high school. In fact, my very first entry goes something like this:

05/18/15

I am so terrified of college. I feel its because of the pain I feel right now. It is unbearable. The thought of leaving everyone I love Those who I outwardly show it to, and those who I dont. Im so depressed. Im leaving a system and people who I have been with all my life. I know I havent experienced a lot, but it is terrifying. I feel like I am about to break down and cry all thetime.

As I wrote this book, I had just wrapped up my undergrad career. As I looked back on my journals to write this book, my May 18, 2019, journal entry starts with, Its only been one week since graduation. Wild. I dont think its really crossed my mind how different things will be.