My daughter Madi was very young when I started attending church regularly. I also started going to a bible study every Tuesday at noon held on the second floor of Great Lakes Naval Hospital. I consider this study to be where my Christian roots really began to grow. I’ll save details about it and the women who attended for another post, but let me just say they fed my soul well. One of many things I learned during my Tuesday lunch hour was how important it was to pray for my child.
As I started praying more and believing that the communication between God and I was real, I gravitated toward one, only one prayer for my little girl and it went like this,
“Lord, above all things may she always have a heart for you. Above sports, good grades, beauty, or anything else may she always look to you for provision and have a pure heart for you.”
Well… here we are so many years later, and she is graduating high school in a few days. The last couple of months we’ve had our only big argument and it was about her future and drive to succeed. After acceptance to NAU, declining NAU, me reminding her of how hard I worked for her to have a future and a college education, I am finally at peace with her decision to not go to college. She is pursuing a different path.
When I finally stopped to listen and not worry, understand rather than ridicule, I remembered something from long ago- my prayer. I never cared if she was the best in school or sports or the most popular. Of course I wanted her to have a balance in these areas but it was never a priority. Her heart was my priority. 
So…my baby girl will not graduate college with honors, she won’t attend a University and pledge for sisterhood in a popular sorority, and she will not take the path most traveled. But I support her because she has courage, integrity, and is a loyalist. She believes there are options in this world and that a degree will not save her from failing and prosperity is bestowed by God’s design and her hard work. With this being said, my prayer was answered. I would choose different but I’ve finally came to the truth that my will is not hers or His and my faith must be active and strong as I let her go little by little and pursue her own life.
Mindy ! This so beautiful ..I am at work with tears in my eyes.
Oh sweet Melissa. I didn’t anticipate this post to create tears but I’m glad you felt it. You are an amazing, selfless mother. I adore you