I knew it was coming but it still hit me like a sledgehammer—today was the airport goodbye with my youngest heading back to University. It seems like 5 minutes ago I was ecstatic with a full heart picking him up from that airport ready for a l-o-n-g summer at home. But in a flash, it’s over and I failed miserably at holding it all together as we bid him farewell until Christmas. So I’m here to pass a Kleenex and grab hands with whoever needs a little mom-encouragement today…
“Motherhood is a million little moments that God weaves together with grace, redemption, laughter, tears and most of all, love.” -Lysa Terkeurst
This is, in fact, my TENTH year saying goodbye to a child as they head to Uni and it simply does not get any easier. Sigh. The airport is my own personal emotional roller coaster. It sees me at my best and at my worst. It delivers my joy to me fresh off the plane and then pulls it away again in a backward glance and a wave en route to security.
Can you tell I literally just arrived home? It’s a painfully quiet house right now with just the English bulldog and a bar of chocolate for company. So now I have a choice: wallow in my grief and search out extra chocolate, or turn to the One who knows EVERYTHING about loving my children and loving me…
“We soon discover that just as God is using us to grow our children — God is using motherhood to grow us.” Ruth Schwenk
Motherhood is a constant learning curve, no matter what age your children are. I wrote recently HERE about being a mom forever and how we need God’s wisdom and strength in every season. But I realize that in order to encourage others—encourage you—I need to put my money where my mouth is, so to speak…
On my early-morning walk (before the airport meltdown) as I was listening to Annie F Downs’ “That Sounds Fun” podcast, she interviewed the amazing Jennifer Rothschild. The whole thing was encouraging and inspirational but the end hit me hard when Jennifer spoke of the importance of “living the reality of what you teach—and experiencing it.”
As I was walking, fretting about the upcoming airport goodbye, and listening to this part of the conversation, I felt convicted. You see, a couple of weeks ago, my husband and I shared at church about God’s faithfulness through the seasons of life (you can check it out HERE if you feel so inclined.) I absolutely believe God is faithful always. I really do. He’s shown it over and over in my own life.
But those poignant words Jennifer said in the podcast are now playing on repeat in my mind. I know He is faithful, I believe He is faithful, and now I get to experience it in the present. I get to drink deeply from the well of His faithfulness in this moment of mom-heartache knowing He goes before my boy and will be with Him every step of the way. And that He will soothe my soul in the process. What a gift!
And you get to drink from that well of faithfulness, too, friend. Whether you have a child who has just left for college, is getting married, is starting high school, or skipping into kindergarten. Know that His love is all-encompassing:
“How enduring is God’s loyal love; the Eternal has inexhaustible compassion.
Here they are, every morning, new! Your faithfulness, God, is as broad as the day.”
God sees us and He knows our hearts and feels our pain.
God is very present in our heartache.
He’s with our kids and He’s with us… even in the airport goodbyes.
I’m preaching to myself when I say—let’s take Him at His Word and experience His inexhaustible compassion and His unchanging faithfulness by bringing it all before Him today!
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Linking up with some fabulous encouragers! Check them out:
