Hold On

By Sarah Hogue, Director of Children’s Ministry

Last weekend, I went out to dinner with friends.  We were seated by a young couple and their six-week-old baby.  She was adorable, and I watched as the parents took turns holding her and feeding her while the other one ate.  It’s a routine I remember as if it was yesterday. 

But, in fact, it’s actually been 18 years since I was that new mom.

I am writing these words on the same day I dropped off my firstborn, Sam, at college.  I’ve been preparing for the emotions of this day for the past few years as I have seen other friends go through the transition. Sam is ready to embark on this next chapter of his life’s journey. While I feel sad for the change in our family’s life, I am overjoyed and excited to see him thrive in college life!  I can’t wait to see where God takes him on his journey!

As I reflect on the emotions of this day, I can’t help but wonder what I would have said to that younger version of me, 18 years ago. As a full-time children’s minister, it’s an apt question—I have the privilege of working with brand-new moms and their kids every day. What advice would I give to that new mom holding her newborn baby for the first time?

In short, my advice is this: hold on.

Last spring, I heard the song “Oceans,” and the bridge captured me.  I heard the words as a prayer God was calling me to pray over Sam: “Spirit lead [him] where [his] trust is without borders. Let [him] walk upon the waters wherever you will call [him.]”

That’s a scary prayer for any mom to pray over her child. What if God calls him to a faraway place? What if it’s dangerous? What if it’s different from all the things I dreamed for my child?

At first, I fought against praying this over my son, but it would not let me go.  Then God reminded me that Sam is only mine for a little while.  Just like Hannah prayed to the Lord to give her a child (another Samuel!), so also God called her to let him go, dedicating his life to the Lord. Ultimately, my son belongs to the Lord, and while God has given me the privilege of holding onto him and nurturing him for these 18 years, God has also given me the call to let him walk upon the waters wherever God leads him. 

I have no words of wisdom for how to make that transition of letting your child go into adulthood any easier.  I can say with certainty that if you sit in his empty bedroom flooding your thoughts with memories you will bawl your eyes out (not that I would have done that!).

What I can tell you is that when the day comes where you are sending your child off into the future you won’t want to let go during that “goodbye hug.”  But, if we are to be faithful to God’s purpose for our children, the moment comes when we have to.

So my advice is this:  Hold on now, while you can. 

Being a mom brings with it some long days.  I remember those well.  You fall into bed at night exhausted, wondering how in the world you can keep doing this every day.  Remember all those people who tell you it “goes so fast?”  They aren’t kidding!  Savor the time.  God has entrusted us with these little lives to help them understand His purpose for them. And then, at the right time, we have to let them walk on the waters into God’s beautiful yet scary future.

But until that time, hold on to them. Hold on.