Two Inspirational Graduation Books
by Joey O'Connor

Congratulations! You did it!

You’ve just completed and celebrated one of your most important accomplishments in your life to date: Your high school graduation!

By now, you’ve probably signed plenty of yearbooks, writing down hilarious moments and cherished memories shared with your friends. There’ve been parties, all-night celebrations — lots of photos and video moments recorded. You’ve promised lifelong friendships and made summer plans. You are now ready to venture out and start a bold journey into your future.

And so, I humbly offer you this guidebook in the hope that you’ll make the single most important decision to graduate with God. The best piece of guidance I can offer you is to graduate with God by making him your Guide for the rest of your life. 

In the pages that follow, we’ll explore topics and ideas that relate to your important transition into adulthood. You can read these short chapters by yourself or with a group of friends as a discussion starter for the best ways to step into a thriving relationship with God after high school. My hope is that this book guides you to make great decisions in the days ahead and to avoid unnecessary heartaches. 

Life after high school can be exciting and thrilling, marked by all kinds of positive changes and new experiences. You may be moving away to a university, taking on a new job, enrolling in a trade school, signing up for classes at the local junior college, or even joining the military. Whatever your plans are in discovering your place in this world, I certainly hope God’s best for you. Why? Because God has bigger and better plans than you or I can even hope for ourselves. 

That’s why I wrote this book.

Graduating with God is not a comprehensive, detailed road map to tell you how to live your life. It’s a guidebook, like the ones you’ll buy or use online if you ever go backpacking through Europe or Asia. It is designed to help point you in the right direction in your relationship with God, your family, and friends. I’ll share with you the adventures of other young people, friends of mine, and how graduating with God was one of the most important decisions in their lives. This guidebook will point you in the right direction for the many choices you will face, as well as help you steer clear of the many hazards. Above all else, it will provide you with the best guidebook available. That guidebook is God’s Word, the Bible, written for your stay here on planet Earth. It’s far more reliable the Google Maps!

After all, if you really want to be all that God has designed you to be, make sure that Jesus Christ is your ultimate Guide. You see, your ultimate destination is heaven. This earth has so many beautiful, wonderful places for you to explore, but don’t go it all alone. God goes before you, behind you, and with you.

Graduating with God means being all God has designed you to be here on earth while keeping your eyes on heaven. It means remembering that God is always with you and no matter how hard life may get, nothing can separate you from his infinite love for you. Graduating with God means pressing on toward the beautiful, abundant life God has called you to. There’s so much more for you after graduation day. There is no higher calling for your life. Press on... go for the prize—the ultimate prize in Christ Jesus.

When you graduate with God, you will walk and live into your future with greater freedom and confidence than you’ve ever imagined. I am rooting and cheering for you in the days ahead. Go for it!