Va. Pastors Pen College Transition Guide
A Manassas, Virginia pastor and his wife recently published a book that deals with the trauma that often occurs as students make a transition from high school to college.
D. Tony Willis, senior pastor at Soul’s Harbor Church of God, and his wife, Kathy, are the authors of the book “Campus Voices and Students Choices.”
“The book was written especially for freshmen, providing a valuable resource for surviving the transition from high school to college. It also deals with spiritual issues that impact the lives of students. It is a daily devotional journal. There are 112 devotions, one for every day of a student’s first semester,” said Willis.
There is a daily devotion composed of a scriptural insight, devotional focus and journal.
“About 150 students, college faculty and others were interviewed for the book. Their insights and advice is given in a weekly chapter introduction called, “Voices and Choices.” There are more than 50 colleges and universities represented in the book,” said Willis.
He said the book offers practical and relevant insight into issues that students may face and provides valuable devo-tions to strengthen, encourage and help them be successful.
“The transition from high school to college stands as one of the most difficult transitions for young people. Just as a child may have cried upon entering kindergarten, he or she may will cry upon entering college. The collegiate journey is filled with many challenges. We wrote the book primarily to help freshmen deal with the alarm they may feel, as well as to help upperclassmen focus on the goal of finishing school,” said Willis.
He said writing the book was a four year project, with it being dedicated to daughter Stephanie and son Jonathan who went off to college.
Out for six weeks, the book has already been very successful. It is offered through Barnes and Noble and amazon.com, several Christian bookstores and through Spring Arbor. Several national campus ministries, which include Liberty University, Lee University, Alpha Omega Campus Ministry and Chi Alpha Campus Ministries are reviewing it. Holmes Bible College has adopted it as an incoming freshman orientation book.
The two have served as pastors at Soul’s Harbor, 8900 Portner Ave. in Manassas for 12 years. They met at Lee University in Cleveland, Tenn., and were married in 1983.
“With so many voices swaying students negatively, we felt a strong voice was needed influence student posi-tively. We hope that this book will strengthen, encourage and instruct them during their collegiate journey,” Willis concluded.
