One of the great joys in my life has been having my son and his family a part of our smallest church in Brandenburg. But recently that changed. My son received a promotion at work –and now they live in Texas.

It’s been an adjustment. I’ve grown accustomed to seeing him every week at church where he and his wife helped on our praise team. Josh is a kind and generous man. He’s been a joy to me his whole life.   They also have two precious daughters Zoe and Ella. Zoe, age 7, is smart and energetic. She loves to play games and show us what she has learned. I love her hugs and when she says she loves me. Her sister Ella, age 2, is at that age where new words are added to her vocabulary at an astounding rate. My heart melts when she says Papaw. She was just beginning to say “Mamaw bye-bye” when she wanted to go with my wife. Cheryl, my son’s wife, is literally an answer to prayer. I had asked God to bring someone into my son’s life –someone special. She has shown me much love and her passion for the things of God blesses me mightily. I miss them all.

I suppose I’ve always known he would be moving on to greater things—but it was so nice while it lasted having him so close.

A short time before I found out he may be moving I was at the church praying before Sunday morning service. God spoke to my heart that it is sometimes necessary to let go of the things we love  so we–and they– can follow after the things God has for us. That God is able to heal us from our losses and give us a shinny future. He asked me to give him Josh. That was harder than I expected, as the lump in my throat attested to, but I was able to do so because I trust him. I trust that he has good things in mind as far as my son was concerned. That morning I preached “Giving Up What We Love”. At the end I asked Josh to come forward and let me pray for him and as for me I placed my son and his future into God’s loving hands. This is the message I preached that morning.