When our daughters were very little, a wise friend told me that she enjoyed every season of her children’s lives. She didn’t long for yesterday or wish for tomorrow. She enjoyed every today.
As our children got closer to graduation, I prayed God would continue to make those words true in my heart. I fought to not long for yesterday. I wanted to enjoy every today, even with the realization that big changes were ahead.
Graduation is an exciting time for students. They need us to share in that excitement with them. They need us to talk through college and career options with them. They need us to remind them that leaving the nest is what we’ve been preparing them for over the last 18 years and that there’s a world of adventure waiting out there for them.
Jeremiah 29:11 says, “For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” That verse rings true for our graduating children and for us as parents. As we seek Him and teach our children to seek Him, we can rest assured that following God’s plans leads to hope and a future far beyond our wildest dreams.
Arianna Eckart
Director of NTS Camp