On His Own

It's official. My baby is leaving. In a few hours he will walk out the door to a new phase in his life. All day school. No more lazy mornings watching Little Einsteins. No more morning trips to Winco together. No more "Can we just have a pajama day?" He'll be gone. He is very excited. I am not.
Of course, I don't show that to him, but he knows. Yesterday he asked me, "Mommy will you be sad when you only have Ellie and Shiloh to play with?" I said a very sincere, "Yes".
I know this step is going to open up whole new worlds of wonder for him. Playground friends, field trips, a library with more books than he could ever read, new knowledge, adventures and fun. But in the back of my mommy mind I know there are also other worlds that will be there. Worlds filled with things that are not so fun or wondrous. Insecurities. Temptations. Pain. As he steps further and further from the nest, I have to admit that the world is full of those things. And there is no way to stop him from encountering them. He will have decisions to make. He will have obstacles to overcome. And I won't be able to be there with him, gently guiding him down the right path or comforting him when his feelings get hurt. I can't tell the kids on the playground how fun he is or stand up for him when someone is playing unfairly.
As I sat in sadness and resignation this morning I realized that I need to bring this before the Lord. Not just for today, but every day forward. He needs that guidance even when I'm not there, and that's where the power of the Holy Spirit will shine bright in his life. I may not be able to walk with him, but the Spirit of the Living God does not leave his side.

Lord God, I want to lay my son before you this morning. He is walking out the door and leaving a part of his childhood behind. He will be out of my reach for so many hours of the day. And I have no idea what he will encounter. It feels like having a part of my heart walk away into that first grade classroom. I so desperately want to be there, but I know I must loosen my grip and let go. He is your son and you are with him.
I pray that you will be his comforter. When his is lonely, scared or hurting, scoop him up in your arms and give him comfort. Hold him close, so that he can feel and know your presence. Whisper truth in his heart when he is tempted to believe a hurtful lie. Calm his fears when he feels like he cannot take another step. Give him the confidence that comes from walking in your presence. Be the arms around him that I cannot. May his heart say "May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant." (Psalm 119:76)
I pray that you would be his protector. When he is in danger, either physical, emotional or spiritual, please stand guard for him. Keep him safe from physical harm, accidents and injury. Protect his heart from Satan's lies that are intended to wound and scar him. And please protect his spirit from temptations that threaten to draw him away from your loving embrace. Please, Lord, be his guard and sentinel. Fight for him. Cover him. Save him from the plans of the enemy as you did David when he said, "He reached down from heaven and rescued me; he drew me out of deep waters." (Psalm 18:16)
I pray that you would be his friend. Let him know that you are beside him, walking with him throughout his day. Hold his hand. Be his constant companion. Give him the confidence that comes from being a friend of God. I pray that as he walks into that school he would be ready and excited to make friends, that he would have the wisdom to choose them carefully and that he would be comfortable in his own skin because you have made him perfectly and walk with him daily.
In all the ways he will need you that I have not mentioned (or do not even know about), I pray that you would be with him, caring for him and watching over him. Lord, your son is about to step further out into the world, and I know you have a path marked out for him. Please give this mamma peace that her boy is your boy, and he is in your hands.
In the name of Jesus, who died for my son, Amen

Psalm 121
¹ I look up to the mountains—
does my help come from there?
² My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth!

³ He will not let you stumble;
the one who watches over you will not slumber.
⁴ Indeed, he who watches over Israel
never slumbers or sleeps.

⁵ The Lord himself watches over you!
The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade.
⁶ The sun will not harm you by day,
nor the moon at night.

⁷ The Lord keeps you from all harm
and watches over your life.
⁸ The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go,
both now and forever.

Giving Them Back

As loving and caring parents, I think our biggest mistake can be made by holding on too tightly to our children. We love them. We want to care for them. We want to protect them. But, I know for me, holding on tightly often leads to not trusting God to take care of them. I worry about so many things that I find myself micromanaging, over planning or trying to solve problems with my own ingenuity. I have found that when I do this, all it brings me is fear (that my plans for my kids will fail) and guilt (when they do).
However, the Lord tells us clearly to let go of these things. He says, "Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you." 1 Peter 5:7 NLT. It is clear that we cannot be everywhere. We cannot fix everything. We cannot prevent our kids from being exposed to the curses and sins of Adam and Eve. So God says, "Trust me. I love them. I want to be their Father." No matter what our kids are going through or what stage in life they are, releasing them into the hands of God is the first step in making a difference. Stormie Omartian, in Power of a Praying Parent, says, "We don't want to limit what God can do in our children by clutching them to ourselves and trying to parent them alone." The first step is realeasing them. Giving them up. Handing them back. And trusting God, who loves our babies more than we could ever imagine.

Lord,
I want to release my children to you. You made them. You love them. You are waiting for us to trust you. You can take care of them better than I ever could, and I cannot do my job well without you. I trust you with my children. Teach me how to pray for them, how to teach them and how to care for them. Hold them in your hands and watch over their every step. Release my heart from the fear and worry that Satan tries to bind me with, and give me peace.
Thank you, Father, that you walk this journey with us. Thank you that I do not have to do this alone. Thank you that my children are your children, and you want to raise, lead, guide and teach them. And thank you that I can trust you for eveything, and I do not need to rely on the wisdom and methods of the world. Let the wisdom of your word and the whispers of your Spirit lead me. Show me what I worry about, things I try to control and places I have yet to surrender - and help me to lay them in your hands. I trust you with my children and surrener them to you.

Scripture To Cling To:

I look up to the mountains—does my help come from there? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth! He will not let you stumble; the one who watches over you will not slumber. Indeed, he who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps. The Lord himself watches over you! The Lord stands beside you as your protective shade. The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon at night. The Lord keeps you from all harm and watches over your life. The Lord keeps watch over you as you come and go, both now and forever.
Psalm 121

I tell you the truth, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name.
John 16:23

I prayed for this child, and the Lord has granted me what I asked of him. So now I give him to the Lord. For his whole life he will be given over to the Lord.
1 Samuel 1:27,28