We are surrounded by amazing kids!

Here are just a few examples . . .

An adorable two and half year old at our Church Thanksgiving Banquet sitting beside his cousin. Picture two plates, two spoons, and two boys sharing equally off both plates. In another family, a four-year-old big brother spent some special time building a car with his mom while dad was at work. In another clan, a kindergarten aged girl at school has a big brother in an upper grade. When she sees him or he sees her, they hurry to one another for a quick hug. Obviously, that brief contact makes their days better.

A little girl who is sick, brave, strong, and courageous talked with her class about what it’s like to stay in a hospital for months at a time and how it feels to receive treatments for a serious disease. Then there is her big brother who takes amazing care of her.

Middle school girls and boys work so hard to find themselves and in the process, they try on all kinds of identities. Or, there was a “new” girl who tried hard to fit in. When she finally stopped trying to be like everyone else and was simply herself, she found amazing friends who liked her quirky humor and gentle spirit.

In a small school in one grade level, more than ten percent of the students had experienced the loss of a parent – diseases, accidents, over-doses, and suicides had all worked to steal too many children of a parent. One of those student’s father died from an illness during the school year. Knowing that Dad was dying, the student wrote an amazing, touching poem about the man and father he had been. Many of us wept as we read it. That student had dreams of going to Stanford – and was certainly bright enough to be successful there. In a conversation in which the student was encouraged to not give up on the dream, his brown eyes filled with tears as he said, “You know that kids from a single parent family never have the opportunities that other kids have, especially when they are raised by a single mom. I’ll have to settle for the University – if I can get a scholarship.”

Shattered dreams at the age of eleven.

A twelve-year-old who walked into her first hour class twenty minutes late most mornings broke down in tears when asked why she was late. She finally explained that her mom was sick and she often had to help her mom get out of bed and dressed before she could come to school. Adult responsibilities for a young girl. She took care of her care taker.

An elementary age boy mowed lawns and saved money to buy his own vehicle. He’ll drive it in a few years.

An 8^th grade girl was assigned a first-person book report. She read the book, prepared what she would say, found the perfect outfit to represent her character and headed to the front of the classroom. Panic set in; she started to shake and cry. She stopped and started again. Although performance anxiety was huge, she succeeded. A few years later, she performed in a school play in a lead role. She did it with confidence and grace. How far she had come.

If you aren’t inspired, I don’t know what else I can say.

These aren’t adults accomplishing and becoming their best – these are kids. You know, the ones we teach and train so that they can make the world better.

As a teacher in a public school, as a pastor, as a mother and a neighbor, as a human being walking through my day-to-day life and observing the world around me, I see children every day, everywhere. Children who are dealing with adult struggles and challenges.

I know…these kinds of challenges aren’t new to this generation. Struggles, unfair circumstances, and adult expectations became real in the lives of children years and years and years ago. Even though this has been the reality for decades, it does not diminish the struggle that children face today.

As parents, Mr. Gorgeous and I had to, at times, watch as our boys walked into difficult situations. We would have chosen a different path for them, but because it was their own journey, we stood by and worked to support them in-the-midst of the challenging path they chose.

And, isn’t that what parents do?

Instead of bailing them out, instead of changing their reality, we support them and help to guide them when they feel they can’t solve their own struggle. As they achieve success – or failure – they grow and thrive and become the adults that we want and need to see in this world: those who can take on and face a challenge with determination, thought, and grace. Even more than that though, we watch and support them with prayer as they walk not only in what they’ve learned and what we’ve taught, but in what God reveals to them.

Sometimes the lessons are not the ones we would choose for them. And that’s okay because there is one thing that we as parents, teachers, pastors, and friends should know with great assurance. As much as we love them and care for them, they have a Father in Heaven in who knows them, loves them, and cares for them more than we ever could.

In that, there is assurance. In that, there is peace. Rest in the fact that God is holding them in the palm of His hand.

Pray for the children.