May you have the privilege of raising sons and daughters who love God with passion and who love people on purpose, who set their hope on Jesus Christ, the solid rock. And may the kingdom of God come crashing down into your home and family, bringing His beauty and glory to every corner of the earth.

When it comes to building godly men and women, remember: your goal is not to raise perfect sons and daughters! Your goal is to raise passionate followers of Jesus who will then turn around and raise the next generation of passionate Jesus followers.

We wanted our grown children and their spouses to know that we get that, and that we respect their need to build their own houses, to have their own families apart from their parents.

Nothing and no one can come back to bless you like those children you call your own. All that disciplining and fixing, the trips to the E.R., the endless loads of laundry, the meals and bedtimes, scuffed walls and messes—every moment is worth it. There is no higher calling in this life. No greater privilege. This is the best possible use of your

memories. A monumental shift in your role must occur if you want to continue to have the incredible influence wise and godly parents can have on their adult children. If you miss this, your children will miss out on the rich treasures they need as they begin to build their own homes.

Jesus told His followers that they would suffer. He said, “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world” (John 16:33).

Once a man, woman, or child learns to love and recognize the voice of God, to lean in and listen to what He is saying to them individually, that’s when they become all-in, fully devoted followers of Jesus.

Do not destroy your relationship with your nearly adult kids by insisting they adhere to your particular values. If you push your children to adopt every one of your values as they grow into adulthood, you will alienate them. Sensing disapproval from you, they will back away.

As Bob Goff says, “God isn’t an editor, He’s a creator; He’s not looking for typos in our lives, He’s looking for the beauty in them.”3 May we be the kind of parents who see the beauty in our children’s lives!