Praying through the Bumps in the Road

I am eating lots of chocolate these days for in five shorts days our family dynamic will change once again.  On November 11 our youngest son, Bryan, will marry his high school sweetheart, Shannon.  Everyone knows that with every wedding comes a few bumps in the planning.  For example, our son, Stephen, who is an Air Force Security Force officer, was told he could not attend his brother's wedding so Bryan had to enlist another best man.  My college freshman niece, who was to assist Robyn, our daughter-in-law and a professional photographer, learned that her quarter ends and finals begin so she will not be able to attend.  Then, last Wednesday after wedding programs have been printed, the bride-to-be learned that the soloist would not be able to attend because her employer decided not to let her take time off.  Thankfully, Shannon has another friend who has agreed to step in and learn the song in last than a week.  However, in the midst of these few bumps, my husband and I are two very blessed parents because God has given our sons, Stephen and Bryan, godly young ladies, Robyn and Shannon, to share their lives with.


I share all this with you because I have many friends who are still raising younger children.  I watch them struggle with homework stress, dating issues, peer and social pressure, and much more.  I remember just trying to survive one day at a time with our boys.  Of course, your children, like mine, probably suffer through taunts of being a "minister's kid" or "PK."  When my friends ask for advice in dealing with these issues or on how my husband and I raised our sons, I simply tell them to "pray through the bumps in the road."


From the day we learned we were expecting, my husband and I prayed for our sons.  We prayed for their health, protection, for both to come to salvation in Jesus, and also that God would lead each son to that special girl created epecially for them.  Also, although we did not know the names of those two girls, we prayed the same prayers over them and for their families.  Although we are not perfect parents and have made lots of mistakes, I firmly believe that praying for our children was the right parenting choice.


Over the years we have watched our sons grow into godly young men.  They definately have had their share for personal bumps in the road but God has been good to lead our sons along His chosen path for them.  What is more amazing is that God has lead both of our sons to the two women He designed just for them. 


So girlfriends, pray your children through the present and future bumps in the road and while you are at it, please pray our familiy through this next weeks.  We sure do not need anymore bumps before the wedding.  But just in case, I will have my emergency stash of Peanut M & Ms close by.