Joel and I are in the midst of emptying our nest – launching the arrows from the quiver that God has given us. It is a season filled with emotions stirred by the looking back and traveling in the present. Emotions that I never expected…grief, joy, sadness, excitement, helplessness, regret, amazement, awe and so many more. Unless I am purposeful about remembering his faithfulness, I find myself parking in the emotions of regret in parenting – what if, why didn’t I, I sure blew it there. It’s in these moments that I am grateful for the tape recorder (yes this dates me) of His faithfulness to His nest and the quiver He is launching, the quiver that Joel and I have had the great privilege of stewarding. I am here to tell you that God is answering the prayers of this mom’s heart even when this mom didn’t know how to ask or the Scripture to pray. The spirit uttered and groaned on my behalf.
I came to a saving knowledge of God at 32… I knew facts about God, I knew key Bible stories, I knew God with my head. It was one night in January of 1994 that God removed the scales from my eyes, my heart clearly saw the gift on the cross. In my mind’s eye I saw Jesus, hanging on the cross, hanging there for me. I accepted the gift of forgiveness bought by my Savior. It was at that moment that I was indwelt with the Holy Spirit and became a new creature. Anyone who has been born again knows this moment. Marriage and motherhood soon followed.
As a new creature I needed discipling, I didn’t know this but God did. He plugged Joel and I into a great church family and in short order godly women were speaking truth into me and leading me in the faith. It is because of them I knew I should pray for my children even before they were born. I prayed for their faith, lives, spouses and much more. I asked that at a young age they would desire a personal relationship with God through Jesus. I asked that they would grow up to be mighty warriors for the Kingdom – recently I have used a Seal Team Six analogy for their great purpose in this life. I asked that they would own their faith, that they would love their God with all of their hearts, with all of their souls and with all of their might. I asked that they would have wisdom beyond their years and that they would know that He is the only source of true wisdom and truth.
Jacob our first left home for college August 2016. Because of others God placed in his life, his BSF teaching leaders, Jacob searched out the Navigators on the Colorado State campus and was quickly taken into a great community of discipleship and leadership development for the Kingdom. I had never heard of this amazing community. College has been the vehicle that God used to grow Jacob deeply in the faith.
As Joshua neared senior year a restlessness about what was beyond graduation was evident in his heart… At the same time Jacob up at college met a new Navigator, Fisher, who had returned from The World Race just a few months earlier. Jacob introduced Joshua to the idea of a special gap year. Fisher shared a meal in our home – a meal that peppered him with question after question. God made it clear to Joshua that this was His path. God made it clear to Joel and I that this was His plan for our son. Although the World Race for Joshua is coming to a close, Joshua’s life race for God is in the first few miles of the marathon and God has equipped him in amazing ways during these 9 months. The World Race is the vehicle that God used to grow Joshua in his faith.
God has done mighty works in our sons’ lives, beyond anything I could have imagined to pray. The last arrow will launch next year and it is with great confidence and excitement that I wait for my faithful God to reveal His plan in Justin’s life. What will be the vehicle that God uses to grow Justin in his faith? His fingerprints of faithfulness are all over this closing season of parenting. His grace and kindness have covered a multitude of sin. His faithfulness swallows all regret. I am grateful and give Him all the praise and glory.
Thank you Father God.
