It’s that time of year! It’s back to school time! Time for new, sharp, unbroken crayons, fresh lunch boxes void of smell, and new, clean, pristine shoes. But with new comes change.  I know it can be tough to let go of that sweet, little hand as your child starts kindergarten. It can be tough to watch your little one who is not so little anymore walk with attitude through the doors of middle school. And your heart fills with emotion as your high schooler moves one year closer to leaving the nest. Misty-eyed, you can’t even bear the thought of driving away and leaving your baby alone in that perfectly coordinated and appointed 6 x 6 dorm room.

I can remember the day we took our daughter back to college for her sophomore year. For some reason, the second year was harder for me than the first. As we traveled to Charlotte in three separate cars full to the brim with “stuff”, I sniffled and sobbed for the entire journey. But then God spoke very clearly to me in the car that day. Yes, God can speak in a gray Toyota Avalon! He told me I had to let our daughter go, that He had a work to do in her. And, He had work to do in me. As my earthly Daddy reminded me over and over through the years as I lamented how fast my sweet girl was growing,  “you’ve got to let the little birdie fly from the nest.”

In Isaiah 43:18 God says to “forget the former things, do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing!” In other words, quit looking back because I’ve got a new thing for you! Change can be hard and when it involves our children…even harder. It’s easy to want to stay right where we are and keep those babies right beside us. But you can’t move forward when you’re stuck in neutral. You’re going to miss the new thing God promises when you keep looking back. He promises the new thing and we’ve got to be ready to accept it and embrace it, knowing He is wise and good. We can trust him with our children because we know he is trustworthy. We can believe him because he never lies.

I can look back over the years following that journey back to college and see the work God has done in our daughter and in me. I am grateful for His faithfulness. In any season, He is faithful. In every season, He is good. In all seasons, He is gracious enough to carry us to the new thing He has for us and those we love.

Let go of their hand, and watch your child until they are out of sight. Then, let the little birdies fly, Moms, and Dads!

©2019 Robin R King