Dear Freed-Hardeman
This coming Saturday, Leah and I will have a pretty major life change. Our daughter, Mary Carol, will be moving into a dorm at Freed-Hardeman University in Henderson, Tennessee. While she’s still our daughter (and always will be!), we all realize that things just will not be like they have been for the last almost-19 years.
We are entrusting our daughter to a university that we love. We know it is not a perfect place. We fully realize things could not go the way we (or she) might want. No place is perfect.
But we are blessed to know so many people at FHU, and we know that they have our daughter’s soul as their top priority. She will have every opportunity to grow intellectually. Mary Carol will have many chances to make friends and grow in her relationships. She will be challenged to mature in so many ways. And we are thankful that Freed-Hardeman offers all that.
But what makes us more grateful is that all those things are secondary. The eternal soul of our daughter is what matters, and we are carefully, prayerfully, and (yes) tearfully trusting that the faculty, staff, and student body our this great school will help our sweet girl grow, above anything else, more in love with Jesus.
This post is not meant to be a Freed-Hardeman “commercial” (although we do think it’s a wonderful school), but, instead, it meant to reflect the heart of a lot of parents. Coming to times like this in life are what you work for, but they are difficult when they come. The “letting go” of a child–even if slowly–is not easy, because things are not the same and because there is so much you wish you had done differently. Is she ready? Did I teach her enough? Did I show her the right things? Those questions are unending over these last few days and weeks.
But we are trusting that God, in His providence, will use Freed-Hardeman to help Mary Carol spread her wings in a soul-safe way. We are praying for godly friends. We are hoping for sweet ladies to encourage her in righteousness. And we are praying that Mary Carol will show herself to be a Christian example, too.
Freed-Hardeman, you are getting our sweet girl; our precious daughter. And we trust you will partner with us to continue to help her grow in her faith.
And, Mary Carol, daddy will always love you. With God on your side, you’ve got this!
AUTHOR: Adam Faughn
