A Leap of Faith

What is holding you back?

Sit and relish some silence for a moment.
Close your eyes and breathe deeply.
Wait a minute.

Now think...
What is it you are really, really, I mean REALLY wanting to do?
Something bold.  And daring.
Maybe even scary.

Now:
Why aren't you doing it?
Sit and ponder that thought a moment.

For me, and probably many of us, several things hold me back from those steps of faith:
Comfort.
I don't always enjoy getting pushed outside of my comfort zone. I like my neat and tidy world.
Fear.
Of the unknown.  Of how my leap will be received.  Of rejection.  Of ridicule.
Of
Failure.

But, most of the time what holds me back is worry over my children.
I want so desperately to make the best possible decisions for them while at the same time not giving into the world's and the church's acceptance of status quo.
"It is what it is" - my most hated phrase ever.
I've made bad decisions that did affect my children. 
Decisions that created regret that I fight every day of my life.
I don't want to do that again.
I want my children happy.
Joyful.
Peaceful.
I want them to enjoy what's left of their childhood while assimilating into the world around them with ease....
*screech*
Wait, what?

Really?
 That's how I act.  That's what I am telling them each time I choose the safe route over the faith walk out of the boat.
My boat of comfort.
My boat of familiarity.

Truth:  I do NOT want my children assimiliting into their culture with ease.
I want my children to be counter the culture in which they are growing.
And simply taking them to church and immersing them into youth group will not accomplish that.

I worry about my children. 
I worry about their future.
I worry about their hearts.
And their souls.
Because they are already living a life they did not choose and, no matter how you try to spin it, they are struggling with it and I will not deny them their struggle.

But I do them no favors by leading only along safe paths.
And by doing that, I teach them that faith is a concept we talk about at church but don't live in our everyday lives.

As parents, often the biggest challenge to our faith is our children.
Are we trusting the Almighty God, their true Father and the Father of all, with our children?
Because, let's face it, they're not ours anyway.
They are simply on loan to us for a short time.

And when I stand before the Father, will I be able to tell Him that I provided my children a safe and happy life? 

Or will I be able to stand, side by side with children turned Faith-Warriors, and hear the words, "Well done"?

It's scary.  But I have them only for a while.
And it's time to take some bigger leaps of faith.
And trust...
Their Father.