A Word with Alumni
Cindra Stackhouse Taetzsch ’82 Senior Director for Vocation and Alumni Engagement Executive Director, Wheaton College Alumni Association
Jesus said, “Do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.” (Matt. 6:34 NIV). I’m not usually a worrier, but this passage is hard for me right now. One of my daughters has COVID-19, so I struggle with not worrying about tomorrow, next week, next month, and next year. Worry bubbles up when I talk with alumni and friends serving on the front lines of healthcare or suffering from insidious racism and sexism. After reading the news, instead of feeling empowered and energized, I usually just feel sad and tired. And worried.
In The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey postulates that ineffective people focus energy on their circle of concern, or things they can do nothing about (sounds a lot like worrying about tomorrow!). Effective people, according to Covey, focus on their circle of influence and on things they can do something about.
What are some practical ways we can be more effective, and more faithfully heed Jesus's invitation not to worry?
Most of us could use a little encouragement right now. Try scouring Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn for your classmates. Send a note, pick up the phone, or shoot your fellow Wheaties an email or text. Pray for your fellow alumni who have been hit hard by the pandemic, or are on the front lines of healthcare or public policy, or are using their voices to strive for racial justice.
As Dr. Ryken said in the President’s Perspective, we are committed to sustaining and defending Wheaton’s mission. Gifted faculty and staff worked tirelessly all summer on a plan to welcome students back this fall. The challenges of this school year won’t be easy, so I invite you, our alumni family, to pray for us and give as generously as you can so that our beloved alma mater stays strong.
We want to support you, too: how can the Alumni team and Alumni Association Board of Directors pray for you today? Send your prayer requests to alumni@wheaton.edu and we will pray for you by name. Friends, it would be our privilege to come alongside you in this way.
