As I attended a high school graduation party I looked at these parents and their daughter and thought, “What must it be like to have a child graduate from high school?” Later I kissed my own two children goodnight and paused on how fast 19 months have gone. I’ve been told this ride of parenting will only get faster. Soon I will be attending a graduation for my daughter and then my son. What will that be like? What do I want for them? How do I want them to remember our family? What will “successful” parenting look like in the lives of my kids?
Is it all about a good education? They should be able to get the education they desire. Is it all about good jobs? They should be self-sufficient and not in want.
But what I really want, more than anything, is that after living in a minister’s house for over eighteen years that they would love ministry and the church as much as I do. If they do, then they’ll love God and his people (the church) who his son died to redeem. It’s a tall order, but a goal that is always before me. Let our first priority to have our children love the church as much as we do. I think that as ministers we need to refuse to disqualify our ministries and life’s work, by failing at what we’ve worked for our whole lives – our families.
Just think, not only are you the authoritative influence on your own children’s lives. But also you have an impact on all of our, your youth group’s people’s, lives.