My youngest son, David, is graduating from High School next
month.
He’s enrolled at Biola University and has been accepted into
their Torrie Honors Program. He hopes to study music production.
We couldn’t be more proud of him.
Since Kindergarten, Wendy has been home-schooling him and now - once he graduates in a few short weeks - all of that ends.
It's been especially hard on Wendy to watch both her boys grow up so fast. Now our little boys have beards and drive cars and talk with deep voices.
Wendy has been David's teacher his whole life, and now that phase of her life is done. At least academically.
Along with this huge life change comes the departure of our dear sister in Christ, Marlys, who has been with our house church family from day one. We've known her longer than that, of course, so saying goodbye to her is going to be very difficult for us when she moves to Florida.
Another sister in our house church is also moving away - along with her whole family - to Georgia.
Wendy doesn't handle good-byes very well. Not that any of us enjoys them, but these are especially difficult for her.
Saying goodbye to this season of her life with David, and saying goodbye to her dear friend Marlys, and saying goodbye to this sister and her family...it's all coming down on us at once.
My struggle isn't so much with the good-bye portion - although it does hurt to let go of these wonderful people who have been so much apart of our personal family and our church family. No, my struggle is mostly with the unknown factors like, "How will we pay for David's tuition which is more than triple what Dylan pays for school?" and "Should we buy a new car and go deeper in debt so that David can have a way to get to class?" and now that Wendy has to find a job to help cover these additional expenses, "Where will Wendy work and how will she get there every morning?"
And a half-dozen other questions like this that I have no answers for right now.
It's been especially hard on Wendy to watch both her boys grow up so fast. Now our little boys have beards and drive cars and talk with deep voices.
Wendy has been David's teacher his whole life, and now that phase of her life is done. At least academically.
Along with this huge life change comes the departure of our dear sister in Christ, Marlys, who has been with our house church family from day one. We've known her longer than that, of course, so saying goodbye to her is going to be very difficult for us when she moves to Florida.
Another sister in our house church is also moving away - along with her whole family - to Georgia.
Wendy doesn't handle good-byes very well. Not that any of us enjoys them, but these are especially difficult for her.
Saying goodbye to this season of her life with David, and saying goodbye to her dear friend Marlys, and saying goodbye to this sister and her family...it's all coming down on us at once.
My struggle isn't so much with the good-bye portion - although it does hurt to let go of these wonderful people who have been so much apart of our personal family and our church family. No, my struggle is mostly with the unknown factors like, "How will we pay for David's tuition which is more than triple what Dylan pays for school?" and "Should we buy a new car and go deeper in debt so that David can have a way to get to class?" and now that Wendy has to find a job to help cover these additional expenses, "Where will Wendy work and how will she get there every morning?"
And a half-dozen other questions like this that I have no answers for right now.
You can probably relate, I'm guessing. I'm sure many of you are going through - or have already gone through - similar situations in your life.
Here's all I know: God loves me. He loves my family. He knows what we need before we ask. He has a plan. He is in control. I am not.
So, I do what I can, which is simply to let go of my fears and trust Him.
If I can count on Him to walk with me through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, I can certainly trust Him to be with me through the Valley of the Shadow of Uncertainty and Change.
Not only will He walk beside us, He has already gone ahead of us to prepare the way.
If you think of it, please hold us up in your prayers as we keep our eyes on Him.
Change is never easy, but it's how we learn to trust in our Abba.
Here's all I know: God loves me. He loves my family. He knows what we need before we ask. He has a plan. He is in control. I am not.
So, I do what I can, which is simply to let go of my fears and trust Him.
If I can count on Him to walk with me through the Valley of the Shadow of Death, I can certainly trust Him to be with me through the Valley of the Shadow of Uncertainty and Change.
Not only will He walk beside us, He has already gone ahead of us to prepare the way.
If you think of it, please hold us up in your prayers as we keep our eyes on Him.
Change is never easy, but it's how we learn to trust in our Abba.
Blessings,
Keith
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