PARENTING: From Fear To Faith

I’ve always had a problem with the public school system having our children more hours in a day than we did. I felt it was our responsibiltiy to shape and mold them into the adults they would one day become.

Today our family embarks on a new chapter in our lives. For the first time in 9 years both of our children are in school full time. Since Kait was in the third grade, we’ve had one or both of the kids homeschooling to some degree.

The key to change is to let go of fear…

Looking back, much of why I kept my children at home was out of fear. I definitely justified it that their education would be better, because our public school system is so jacked up. Yet, if I was honest, my motivating factor was always fear.

How can a seed grow if you never give it room to sprout?

Today I choose to stand in faith and not fear! It may be faith as a mustard seed; Nevertheless it is faith in all the sowing we’ve done in their lives since birth. To know me, is to understand what growth this is for me.

I’m the mom that gets sad when school is going to start, and I rejoices when summer is here. Anxiety is my best friend the week before school starts, and I’ve cried every first day of school since preschool!

Kaitlyn’s a junior this year, and she’s flapping and spreading her wings which is making living in this nest oh so challenging! Joshua is a freshman, and He’s just testing the edges to see if it is safe to even peek over the sides.

Over this summer, God has been doing a deep work in my heart of surrender. Over and over the question has been before me, Do you trust me with your children? My words speak yes, but to be honest, my actions don’t always reflect what I say. I’ve held my children so tight sometimes I’m surprised I haven’t broke them! 

Yet, TODAY, I stand in faith! I draw closer to the One in my life who gave those children to us. I will trust that even when it looks like He is no where near their lives, that His name is Faithful, and so He must be there!  

Releasing my teens feels unnatural to me! It goes against my desire to control. I’ve struggled where a good parent is supposed to let go and still parent… Yet, this summer, I’ve learned that if I don’t let go He won’t have room to grab on, and they won’t be free to reach out for Him. 

Kaitlyn’s longing to be free means she is getting ready to launch. Joshua’s walking near the edge signals that I must encourage him to walk even closer.

Our job as parents is to make sure they can do it on their own, which means to allow the world to teach them now, too. I’m standing in FAITH that my mustard seed will blossom this year, and the seeds we’ve sown in our children since birth will produce a harvest that will feed them and others for years to come. 

Train up a child in the way he should go,
And when he is old he will not depart from it.

Proverbs 22:6

NOW YOUR TURN: Does this school year bring a new chapter in your life? What has God shown you over the summer? Let’s Chat…