Can You Keep Your Faith In College

Abbie Smith’s Can You Keep Your Faith In College? addresses the transition from high school to college life...and the issues such independence brings. The book is a collection of stories written by students from fifty campuses. Each of its twelve chapters (The Transition, The Classroom, The Dorm, The Pressures, The Greeks, Dating, Outside the Classroom, Sports, Going Abroad, Barriers, Small Moments, and A Faith Worth More Than Gold) has a short introduction to the topic from Smith and includes a Scripture verse. Each testimony within the chapter ranges from a single page to three pages in length. Some read like a blog, others like an intimate conversation, and still others like a devotional. With such a wide offering of stories, readers are bound to find an experience that resonates with them.

What I Like: Besides talking about the temptations, pitfalls, fears, and pressures faced by college students, most writers also shared what s/he learned about life and faith from those experiences. And while not every question is answered, many perspectives and approaches to finding the answers are offered. I think students about to enter college would greatly benefit from reading the book… if only to know that they are certainly not alone in their struggles… and that they can find help and hope from a God who is very much interested in their lives. It’s an inspirational book with a healthy does of gritty reality. And it’s the authenticity of those gritty voices that give it power.

What I Dislike: Although I appreciated the brief snippets contributed by each writer, I felt like some of the stories needed to provide more details so the reader could understand the full impact of the situation and resolution (or lack thereof).

Overall Rating: I'm torn between Excellent and Very Good, but given the fact that there are few books like this out there, I'm going with Excellent.

Age Appeal: None given, but I suggest ages 16-20.

Publisher Info: Multnomah Publishers, 2006; ISBN:978-1-59052-669-9; Paperback, 208 PGS., $12.99

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