Stories

Jon's Story

Once at university, it is very easy to fall into the trap of doing as those around you are doing and forget what really matters – God. To a certain extent, this is what happened to me in my first term at University.

There is plenty to think about in the first few weeks of University life. For me it was the first time I had left my family for any substantial length of time and there was the worry about how I would cope on my own. There were also the worries about how I would cope with the workload and even doubts about whether I had chosen the right course.

On top of this I had to try and make my way around a new city and try and make friends and fit in. With all this on my plate, I decided to prioritise - and God came last! I had a very difficult first term and was relieved to be going home at Christmas.

Over the Christmas break I began to think about things and decided that I had approached the first term in the wrong way. I decided to join a church and started attending the Christian Union meetings. The talk in the first meeting I went to was by Jonny Holman, so I decided to tag along with him to Holland Road.

From that moment on I decided to put Jesus first in my life and since I did that, I have felt much more secure in the fact that God has a plan for my life. A verse that has really helped me is Matthew chapter 6, verse 34:

“Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself, each day has enough trouble of its own.”

I have really enjoyed my time at University since I decided to follow Jesus, The one thing that I can learn from my first year is that if you put God first, everything else will fall into place.  

Lauren's Story

I am a student at Sussex university, I do a course that I really enjoy and I love being in Brighton. However, before arriving I was so nervous that I asked my parents to turn around and go back home.

I was worried about all the things most people worry about when they come to university for the first time, for example making good friends, what my house mates would be like and finding my way around the city. I prayed about these things and although my living situation in my first term wasn’t ideal, I am now hugely blessed with the best friends and I love being in the thick of the city.

Finding a church and being part of the CU have been massive parts in feeling at home at Sussex and in Brighton, it’s helped me to settle in and meet amazing people I otherwise wouldn’t have.  It’s meant I can now be involved and help in making other students feel welcome and at home in Brighton in the way that I was made to feel. 

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