Lighting the Path for Your Child’s Dreams
By Michelle Axton Kelly
Tuesday, April 18, 2017
Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it. >Proverbs 22:6 NIV
My husband and I are amongst a group of siblings who have hearts for adventure and world travel. My sister and her husband paved the way as engineers who put careers on hold to backpack around the world.
They committed to reading the Bible together while they made their way through each country which truly enriched their newlywed experience.
My sister-in-law worked fearlessly and with much compassion in a part of war-torn Africa for a relief organization that welcomed refugees. My “baby” brother is a fighter pilot and instructor for the US Air Force. I couldn’t be more proud of his courage and efforts to protect freedom within our country and beyond.
Together, our sisters and brothers have gained serious travel miles due to work trips within Europe and Asia. And several of us have lived and traveled in foreign countries for the joy of the experience.
You would never guess that our parents grew up in tiny towns within Texas, Oklahoma and County Galway, Ireland. Towns they rarely ventured from until their children’s dreams began pulling them toward the nearest airport.
Now, as a parent, I think about some of the “adventures” we’ve shared amongst ourselves during late night chats. In addition to all the wonderful blessings, we had close calls with nature, scary people, and the failings of outdated technology.
Our experiences contain narratives that are better left unshared with parents. But I know mom and dad were wise to the potential dangers our travels contained.
In a dark world that seems to embrace sin, the beauty in our adventures lies within our parent’s ability to bless it. They placed their trust in our Heavenly Father to watch over us and our dreams.
You see, our dads and moms had already done the hard part in the years they dedicated toward praying for us and planting God’s Word in our hearts.
Sleepy Sunday mornings had been replaced by busy chaos in a commitment to attend church. Church camps followed. Christian boarding schools, countless prayers at mealtimes, bedtimes and the moments in between, all served to nurture a relationship with Christ that has changed with time but will be with us continuously.
As we prepare our babies for this world, let us be brave. Turn them over to the protection of Christ. And focus not on our fears, but on showing them the joy of a truly personal relationship with the Greatest Rescuer the world has ever known.
Let’s be bold in our prayers for our children’s dreams.
Keep God central within our families’ lives as we nurture our children’s gifts, showing them how they can honor Christ in all that they do. Allow their fearless pursuits to fulfill the special path God has in store for them.
God, it is tough… tougher than tough, to release our babies into this world as they follow their dreams. Yet we know these are Your precious children too. Help us to leave behind our worry and anxiety in exchange for Your tender care and protection. We pray for determination as we fill our role in planting the seed of Your love and truth deep within their hearts. Let our daily moments provide opportunities to foster an intimate relationship with You throughout their lives. May they be blessed and always feel the comfort and presence of Your eternal love. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
© 2017 by Michelle Axton Kelly. All rights reserved.
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Originally published Tuesday, 18 April 2017.
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