A few weeks ago, I wrote about parenting in the middle, that unique space where our kids are no longer little, but not quite grown. They do not need us to tie their shoes or brush their teeth anymore. Well, except for my youngest who still needs all the reminders. But they still need us deeply, in different, shifting, and sometimes surprising ways.
As I have sat with this season, I have realized that parenting in any season is not just about navigating logistics or balancing independence and guidance. It is about being intentional in the way I live as a Christ-centered parent. Because more than my words, my children are watching my life.
They need to see me in my Bible, not just verses hanging on our walls. They need to hear me pray, not rehearsed, but honest, humble, and often raw. They need to watch me love others by being present in our community. They need to see me honor my marriage, not as a temporary arrangement, but as a daily covenant before God.
They need to learn that obedience matters, not because I am perfect or always right, but because God calls us to walk in His ways even when rebellion feels easier. They need to see that independence is more than moving into adulthood. It is building their own walk with Jesus, learning to trust Him, and knowing and loving God while also being known and loved by Him.
In a culture that often sidelines faith, our children need to know that following Jesus is not something to be ashamed of. It is worth standing for, worth holding onto, and worth building their lives upon.
And when I look at them, whether they are making wise choices or stumbling through mistakes, I want them to know this: their future is so much brighter, richer, and more beautiful than they can imagine if they will submit to God’s calling on their lives. And no matter what, I will forever and always be their biggest cheerleader.
Parenting is refining. It asks us to live what we believe in front of our children. Not perfectly, but faithfully.
My greatest hope is not that they will remember all my words, but that they will see Christ alive in me.
These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. — Deuteronomy 6:6-7
Grace in the Disarray 