Do you have a college student this year or a high school senior? Maybe like me, you are praying your student is ready to face the temptations of college life and stand strong. You hope his or her faith is real and that you have taught them well. How can you help your college student keep Biblical values?

This week my oldest daughter moved in her college dorm. This transition was delayed a little because of Covid restrictions, but the time is now here! She drove to campus three days a week and worked online last semester, but her Culinary Arts program is returning to a five day schedule, and that is too much driving (especially for a mama’s heart trying not to worry after she had a minor accident last semester).

 Of course, we will all miss her greatly! I am thankful she will not be far from home and will be home on weekends, but it will not be the same with out her smile around the house.

 Yet, it is time. She needs to experience both the fun and independence of college dorm life. And, some time away from her family will help us all appreciate and enjoy each other more. 

 I hope and pray she has learned what she needs to stand strong in her faith and be a light for Jesus. We have tried to impress on her heart the Biblical values she needs and help her be confident in our love and her Heavenly Father’s love for her. 

 I do wish now that I had been more intentional in passing down our values. (That’s why I created the Remember Well Value System. Join my email list & be the first to know when it is available again.)  As she leaves, though, I am sending her with a journal of devotional letters reminding her of the things I want her to remember most.

These short messages are designed to help her keep in mind the things she (hopefully) has already learned. I am writing one devotional letter for each of our Remember Well Values, including personal words of encouragement, relevant scripture, and a my prayer for her.

I pray she reads, enjoys, and remembers well. 

How to Write Devotional Letters to Help Your College Student Keep Biblical Values

If you are thinking of writing devotional letters to help your college student remember your Biblical values, here are a few things you may want to include.

A personal note:

Remind your college student of your love and why you are writing these devotional letters.

A Biblical value to remember:

For each devotional letter, choose a particular value you want your child to remember well.

 A few I’ve written so far – I will always love you, & God’s love is eternal. You are blessed to be a blessing. Do all of your work for the Lord. You are created beautifully and wonderfully by God.

A related affirmation:

Remind your student regularly of who he or she is in Christ and affirm right actions and growth, even on areas in which your student needs work.

Scripture supporting this value:

Copy the relevant passage or include the reference for your student to look up for him or herself.

A personal story:

Share a short example of this value in action or ways to apply this value in life.

A scripture-based prayer:

Write a prayer specifically for your child related to the value. 

This is the prayer I sent with my daughter’s devotional letter for her first day in her college dorm. It is based on praying the Scriptures and personalizing God’s Word in our lives.

“Father, today, let Zoe bask in your love. Let her feel your Holy Spirit surrounding her with love and give her joy. I pray that your would grant, according to the riches of Your glory, for her to be strengthened with power through Your Spirit in her inner self, so that Christ may dwell in her heart through faith; and that Zoe, being rooted and grounded in love, may be able to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, that she may be filled up to all the fullness of God. Now to You, Who are able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within Zoe, to You be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.” (Based on Ephesians 3:16-21.)

More on Praying the Scriptures:

• Scriptures for Praying to Know God More
• Praying the Scriptures to Improve Family Relationships
• Scriptures to Pray for Widsom and Guidance
• Praying the Scriptures to Control Your Tongue

Create a keepsake:

You may choose to hand-write your devotional letters in a journal, making a lasting keepsake for years to come.

You may also choose to type the devotional letters to help your college student remember your biblical values and then send them regularly by text or email, but be sure to save them to your computer. You can compile and print them with a personal note for your student to keep and reread.

Send reminders:

Remind your college student to read the messages daily or weekly. Send a text or email to let your student know he or she is on your mind and you hope the day’s letter is encouraging.

If you have a high school senior, start today! Make a list of things you want him or her to remember or just start writing as they come to mind. The fall will be here before you know it!

If your child is already in college, it’s not too late! Write up to 5 devotional letters a week to send the following week. Right now, I am typing devotional letters for my college freshman while she is gone, and handwriting them in a journal for her when she brings it back home on the weekends.

I pray this idea helps continue to develop a close relationship between you and your college student even while you are apart. I also pray it helps him or her hold close the Biblical values you have taught in your home and grow in Christ. 

(See this post from Ministry to Parents for ideas on praying for your teenager.) 

As my children leave home, I want them to remember all they have learned from God’s Word, and that my love and prayers go with them.

How are you helping your college student keep Biblical values? I’d love to hear your suggestions in the comments.

See more in the series 30 Things I Want My Teens to Remember: