You ready to jump...

"I do it myself!" says a toddler trying to put on his shoes for the first time.

"Daddy, catch me!" says a child as he jumps into the pool. He waits until daddy has his arms stretched out and then without hesitation jumps.

Who are we more like, the child who says "I do it myself!" or the child who says "Daddy, catch me?" Are we telling God to leave us alone or are we trusting Him with our lives. God did not design us to do it ourselves, yet too often we try to do it alone. Life is much more exciting when we trust God and take that leap of faith.

God wants us to trust Him, He has amazing plans in store for us! Sometimes we just have to jump. Putting our plans in God's hands is pretty exciting. The verse I have clung to since I became a Christian is Jeremiah 29:11: For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 

Lately God has been helping me to look at this verse in a new light. I am about a year away from two very significant events; my youngest child graduating and my oldest getting married. God is telling me this verse applies to their lives too! As our son goes off to college at a yet to be determined (but most likely far away) school, God has plans for him. As our daughter gets married, God has plans for her. God has plans for our middle daughter as well; mostly likely involving a foreign country! 

Am I able to let go? As my kids once again say "I do it myself!"; am I able to believe that they can do it themselves. Can I trust that as they leave my nest they will be jumping into God's arms saying, "Daddy, catch me!" Did I model my faith enough for them? Did they see me jumping into God's arms enough? And as my kids start the next phase of their lives will I be jumping into God's arms myself?

The answers to those questions has to be yes. Yes, because God is the center of my life and I have leaned on Him as these kids have grown up. I have seen my kids jump and land safely in God's will. God says He has plans to prosper and not harm them, so how can I not trust that? Will it always be easy for them, no. Life will throw them just enough trials to keep them on their knees. It is hard to watch one of your kids struggle, but awesome at the same time to watch God work in them through that struggle.

So, what is God telling you to let go of? Is He asking you to jump? I promise He will catch you and that is an exciting thing!