It’s that time of year where so many moms are being stretched in their faith. We’re loading our children up on buses, packing them out for college, or letting them drive themselves to school for the first time. It’s scary days. It’s days where moms doubt, question, and fret. Yes, we do!
This year has been different for me. I just put my baby girl on a plane for Africa. Africa — here she comes! She is on her way and I’m tracking her clear across the world. (Y’all thank God and the heavens above for technology!!!)
This whole boarding the plane, not seeing my daughter for months, and not knowing where she’ll be has me thinking a lot. A LOT!
Roots.
I believe in roots. I believe our roots guide us and protect us. And I wholeheartedly believe that if your roots aren’t deep you will eventually bend and break. So teaching my baby children as they grew up about Jesus, His word and faith was a no-brainer.
I’ve been the proud mom who has said over and over, “I will always strive to raise my children to have more faith than myself.”
I mean every word of it. I want my children to dream big dreams, have huge visions of serving others for Jesus, and have a solid foundation to do that upon. Faith! Faith in Jesus.
But don’t you just love it when you think you know stuff about parenting and then something happens to make you really examine your words. Then you’re like “Oh snap — what was I thinking?!” So yes, that would be me about now. OH SNAP!!!
Wings.
I encourage my children to soar beyond mine and their wildest imaginations. I don’t want to hold them back. But I’m telling you as a mom that is just hard. I remembered a moment today through my TimeHop app.
I remember the emotions of letting her drive away in that car to High School. 20 miles away. That was hard! And the emotions at the airport seemed just as overwhelming. But in the end I didn’t grab her heels and claw to keep her here. (I really wanted to but I thought security might come) No, I let go to let her soar 8,600 miles. It’s her time to fly and serve with Uniquely Woven the perfect place God has called her for the moment.
8,600 miles.
We moms have to surrender and let go — it’s hard. But each time we do, we grow our faith. We become stronger. But. it. never. gets. easy!
Moms, yea we know all about wings. We want our children to fly after their passions, so we relinquish our control so they can soar. Then we run cry-our-eyes-out in the quiet spaces we can find while we pretend we’re brave. But really I do think we are brave — surrendering takes a brave soul. Right?
Having more faith.
Each milestone with our children seems to grow upon the last. Thank goodness God gives us growing stones to step upon along the way.
We send them to Kindergarten questioning and doubting what the crazy world will do to them. Then Middle school freaks us out and, well, High School just paralyzes us. But we pray and release and breathe and God protects. Then college breaks our heart and then their wedding days approach. Goodness, I have no words for that surrender. But each step we are the ones growing our faith.
Oh snap!! This week I stepped on a new stone and learned that I wasn’t raising my children to have more faith than I, I was increasing my faith.
I had to live by faith that my daughter would be kept safe driving to school. And now I will live by faith that she’s safe and following Jesus in Africa.
I have to live by faith.
Today I’m still stretching my faith. I know I’ve done my part raising amazing children. And that’s all I can influence. I can’t give them more faith. They have to find and seize that on their own. I can pray for their faith to increase and I will.
Oh snap!! What this weary-from-worry mom knows now is that I need to take my knees on the floor and beg the Lord to “increase my faith.”
Lord, as our children take big steps with grounded roots and wings ready to soar, give us moms extra measures of faith. Amen.
Friends, this I know from a few days of senseless worry — worry only erodes faith, so instead let’s choose to worship.
Let’s worship the One in whom we have faith, who brought us our children and who watches after them diligently. Yes, let’s worship.
Roots. Wings. Faith. Jesus!