My baby‚Äôs going to college‚Ä¶this is foreign turf.

There are still untouched parts of the Houston area‚Äîunscathed or disturbed by human hands or bulldozers. I‚Äôve seen pictures from decades ago and it‚Äôs unrecognizable. Even if you haven‚Äôt seen these pictures, more than likely you‚Äôve seen a lawn or two that are in desperate need of tempering. The grass grows rapidly in our climate and walking through unkempt grounds isn‚Äôt recommended without tall boots and some sort of snake-whacking device.

Forging through new territory must feel a bit like trying to make it through knee-high grasses. It‚Äôs a foreign experience until it‚Äôs been tamed and bent our way‚Ä¶or we must adapt.

As Christ followers, we must bend to His ways. It‚Äôs not some power trip that He lords over us. God‚Äôs character is good, and He is love; such ‚Äúways‚Äù that He asks us to either forge or rest in are for ultimate good and are set in love.

Our child is growing up and college is around the corner. We are in new territory.

He‚Äôs a man in body and spirit, but will always be our baby.

Allowing our children the room to stretch their legs in THEIR OWN ‚Äúnew territory‚Äù isn‚Äôt easy.

I promised some tips for helping us cope.

We must release our babies to the Lord as they are figuring it out, hopefully, investing in His wisdom.

1. If our children have said "Yes" to Jesus, than trust that the same Jesus who has helped us "landscape" our own territory is present

within our children. Trust in the Lord for this and don't lean on your own ideals--He's got it! (Proverbs 3:5-6)

2. Talk about it with folks who are going through the same thing! We were made for "community" and God has given us one another to

to encourage one another and build each other up in Him (I Thessalonians 5:11). Small groups at church are a wonderful way to

connect!

3. Pray without ceasing (1 Thess. 5:17). Talk to God about it! If prayer were a landline, don't hang up the phone. Like breathing, we can

re-visit Jesus in thought, in words, and in song...

Lord God, Daddy, help us all adapt and bend to Your ways of ultimate good and love. Help us, release our babies to You--again and again, if necessary, as many times as I pick it back up, Lord help me release (1 Peter 5:7). Your ways are higher than ours (Isaiah 55:8-9). You "so loved" us and You "so love" them (John 3:16). Protect them, Father, and help us to keep focused on You...all these things will be added, Lord (Matt. 6:33). We love you!

Matthew West Wrote the Perfect Graduation Song