A couple of days ago, I reached out to a couple of parents and asked them to help with a blog idea. The idea would be for parents to write a letter to the students. My thought was that it would be good for all of us to hear how a couple of parents are responding to our current events. What I wasn’t prepared for was the response from the parents that participated. One parent responded with “Thanks for asking me to do this! It actually helped bring a lot of healing to my heart as well.”

Below is the first of three “letters to seniors from parents” that we will share. Feel free to take the time to read these blogs from other experienced parents. Glean from their “voices” some advice and peace. Then, maybe, write one of your own. Perhaps this is a way for you to process the healing that your heart needs as well.

– Krista

Seniors,

Moving out, cleaning, dorm room inspection, turning in keys, using ALL your points in the bookstore on sweatshirts, blankets & coffee mugs, saying goodbyes to friends and professors, keeping up with online classes & papers, settling back in at home, adjusting to mom & dad, social distancing limitations, loss of your college jobs, trying to figure out how to replace that income, creating your resume, searching for jobs … whew!  The list is big and it goes on and on.

Never did you think after returning from Spring Break, that your final weeks of your Senior year would end so quickly.  Life has a funny way of bringing on disappointments, at least that’s how Satan would like us to view this.  He wants us to focus on the negative, the lack, the missing out of, or the what could have beens …

But God, who saw Hagar in her misery, is the same God who sees you today!  He is present in the disappointments.  He feels your sadness.  His heart is breaking over the grief you’re experiencing.  He’s waiting for you to cry out to Him and run to Him with open arms.  No, it doesn’t seem fair… so much of life isn’t.

As you feel every emotion, every disappointment, every loss, I encourage you to lean into Christ.  Start by ASKING … petitioning God, in a sense of utter dependence, as with empty hands. Tell Him your feelings and your needs and lay them at the feet of Jesus.  Then keep on SEEKING … searching with urgency God’s heart and His will in all of this.  It’s a maturing process, a sifting process, if we continue and don’t give up.  Finally, continue KNOCKING … a mixture of dependence and effort, showing progressive perseverance.  So many doors may seem closed to you right now, but it’s through the knocking that we persevere to see which doors He will open next.  So keep on asking, keep on seeking, keep on knocking!

As you finish your final 5 weeks at IWU (online) …

Stay strong.

Hold on.

Trust God.

Shine your light for Jesus (as IWU has thoroughly prepared you to do).

You’ve probably seen the humorous meme that says, “Your grandparents were called to war.  You’re being called to sit on your couch.  You can do this!” And snuggle with mom & dad or brother & sister while you’re there too!  It’s our blessing to have you home for this short while before you enter the “real world.”

A Senior’s mom,

Linda Gates (mom to Tyler Gates)