I have loved every stage our children have gone through. It might be partly because a wise older mother said that to me when mine were very little. I thought it was such a great perspective to have, and I wanted that perspective to drive my role as a mom.
Don’t mourn past stages, like the cute, cuddly baby stage, or long for the next one, like when they can drive themselves everywhere because you might just miss the beauty and purpose in the here and now.
Every stage unravels something more of who our children are. They reveal talents and confirm gifts. They expose passions and desires. As parents, we get a front-row seat to not only witness all of it but to encourage and validate what we see in them.
First and foremost, we are to love God with our whole heart, soul, strength, and mind. Second, we are to love our neighbors as we love ourselves. And then, I believe we must all find our God-given purpose on this earth. He has a plan and purpose for each of us. It is revealed in the gifts, talents, and passions that He has already wired within us.
As our children grow up and search for God’s plan for their lives, they need us praying for them and with them, asking God to help them see His will. We can help point out the things we have seen in them. We can verify the gifts and talents that we have witnessed. We can remind them of times we have seen them most passionate. And then we can pray they walk into a career or calling that they will love because they will have found their part in making the world a better place for God’s glory and His purposes.
Arianna Eckart
Director of NTS Camp
Photo by Rene Bernal on Unsplash