The Secret Thoughts of an Unlikely Convert

by Rosaria Champagne Butterfield

These students were smart and devout in their faith. They also were sheltered. They imparted to me in a firsthand way the serious dangers of isolating our children from real life. Adult children can appear obedient when they are tuning out instead of acting out. College life tends to bring out all the fears and doubts and perceptions of contradictions and hypocrisies. Between this hyper-sensitivity to authority and rules, and a growing sexual awareness, we met students who were struggling with real moral issues. Their unsuspecting parents had no idea how their over-protection had dangerously ill-prepared their beloved, overly protected children from all of this. Sin—especially sexual sin—has a sneaky way of triumphing in an environment of secrecy and shame. Kent and I had our ministry cut out for us.