School Survival for the Christian Teen

A Back-to-School Teen Spiritual Checklist

As much as I enjoyed the summertime as a kid, going back to school was very exciting for me. Not necessarily because I was looking forward to learning, but because I was looking forward to a brand new year—making new friends, being a grade older, having the opportunity to start over and try to make better grades, etc.

However, each school year also came with a whole new set of challenges. Especially in high school.

For the next nine months, you’ll be entering the same territory every day, surrounded by people who may or may not be Christian. There will come days when you’re tempted to give up, days when you just don’t feel like doing your homework or even going to school.

Why not go ahead and prepare yourself for times like these? Of course, there’s already a lot of preparation to do before entering your new school year. However—there’s one check-list that most people fail to go over, and that’s the most important one of all.

It’s vital to go over your spiritual check-list before going back to school, in order to be ready for all the challenges and temptations this new school year will have to offer.

I’ve decided to make it easy for you by creating a “school survival guide for the Christian teen”. This free PDF includes:

• A spiritual check-list, which is based on Ephesians 6:10-18 and Colossians 3:12-14.
• A “reverse” check-list—items you should take off your list, based on Colossians 3:8-9.
• School survival scriptures, which includes verses you can read during desperate times.
• Useful ways to spend your free time: what to do on the weekends when most people your age are probably out partying.
• Must-haves for the school year, such as books, music, etc.
• Scriptures for you to print and cut out to stick in places such as on your mirror, in your car, or inside your locker.

If you would like to download a free PDF copy of “Back to School Check-Lists for the Christian Teen”, click here. Feel free to print—that way you can have the lists handy throughout the school year. You could also print out a few more copies for your friends, family members, youth group, etc.

Nine months is a long time. And whether you realize it or not, there is a spiritual battle on your school grounds every day. That means you must stay in prayer. You must stay focused. Remember, these teen years are important, so make the most of every day. Stay mature in Christ and continue growing in Him. Trust me, it’ll be very worth it in the long run.

“Stay alert. The Devil is poised to pounce, and would like nothing better than to catch you napping. Keep your guard up…keep a firm grip on the faith. The suffering won’t last forever.”~1 Peter 5:8 (MSG)

Tessa E. Hall is a 19-year-old author of Purple Moon, her YA Christian fiction novel to be published September 2013 by Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas. She has a passion for youth ministry, especially in the area of the written word. She also loves acting, music, Starbucks, and her imperial Shih Tzu—who is named Brewer after a character in her book, as well as her love for coffee. Tessa owns an award-winning blog, www.ChristisWrite.blogspot.com, where she posts weekly with teen devotions, writing tips, book reviews, and more.