This week, we hugged our firstborn son, Adam, in his new dorm room at Liberty University and then walked away. It was one of those moments you know is coming for eighteen years but still takes your breath away. As a dad, I have prayed for this day, prepared for this day, and if I am honest, dreaded this day.
I still feel like he will walk into my home office at any moment and ask why the Wi-Fi is so slow. Part of me longs for that. Yet at the same time, I could not be prouder to send him out into the world.
It’s a bit quieter now, but the silence is filled with peace.
I have been reflecting on what it means to raise children not simply to keep them safe at home, but to send them for the glory of Jesus and His work in the world. Here is what I am learning:
We Raise Them to Belong More to God Than to Us
From the moment Adam was born, my instinct was to protect, guide, and hold close. Yet, he has always belonged first to Jesus. Parenting is an act of stewardship, not ownership. Mary and Joseph knew this when they entrusted young Jesus to His Father’s mission, even when it took Him away from them. Letting go means trusting that the One who knit our children together will order their steps.
We Prepare Them for Mission, Not Just Success
It is easy to think our role is to prepare kids for academic achievement, career success, or financial stability. But if those things become the ultimate goal, we miss the point. Jesus did not send His disciples into the world to build resumes. He sent them to make disciples. Our parenting should prepare children to live out the Gospel in whatever context God calls them. Adam’s studies, friendships, and choices at Liberty are opportunities for him to herald good news with his story and work. I am confident he is pointed in the right – Jesus has already prepared a place for Him.
We Keep Releasing Them One Stage at a Time
Sending a child to college is not a single goodbye. It is part of a long series of releases. First steps, first day of school, first job, and eventually, first home of their own. Each release is a fresh opportunity to loosen our grip and trust Jesus more. It also reminds us that our own mission continues. If God is sending Adam, He is also sending me into new seasons of faithfulness.
Parenting for the glory of Jesus is not about raising perfect children. It is about raising children who know they are loved by Him, shaped by His Word, and ready to step into the part of His story that He has written just for them.
