My husband and I are empty-nesters.

The days of making little lunches, working through endless piles of laundry, and juggling a variety of extracurricular activities are over.

Our four children are all grown and living their own independent lives and I smile to see them happily settling into their own marriages, careers, and families.

As parents, though, that transition can be challenging, can’t it?

We spend decades providing for them, instructing them, and ultimately, preparing them to leave us and our homes.

Yet, when the time finally comes for them to vacate the nest, we sometimes struggle to understand what our new role is.

Many times, we try to continue to be a remote extension of what we once were when they lived in our house. As a result, we insert ourselves where we’re not invited; offer advice when it’s not solicited; and try to co-manage their decisions and jump in to offer damage control if we see things not going so well.

Speaking from experience, that generally doesn’t help.

The book of Job offers a wonderful example of how we, as parents, can continue to influence the lives of our children for good, even when they’re grown, out of our homes, and making their own decisions.

Job’s sons “used to take turns having banquets at their homes” and would invite their sisters to join them. (Job 1:4 CSB)

There’s no record of Job attending these house parties, however “whenever a round of banqueting was over, Job would send for his children and purify them, rising early in the morning to offer burnt offerings for all of them.”

“For Job thought, ‘Perhaps my children have sinned, having cursed God in their hearts.’ This was Job’s regular practice.” (vs. 5)

Even as an empty-nester, Job continued to spiritually cover his grown children in prayer! He continued to exercise his God-given parental authority to bring his kids before God’s throne regardless of their age or station in life.

Can you think of anything more influential than this?

Our children will grow up, move out, and embark on their own lives. Our days of in-home nurturing will come to a close.

But the truth that should comfort every parent’s heart is simply this – while your children will eventually be beyond your reach, they will never be beyond your prayers!

Until next time, Grace and Glory!

*Also, a big congratulations to Sylvie Roland, winner of the Amazon gift card!*  Sylvie wrote a review on Amazon for one of my books that entered her into the drawing. Thank you, Sylvie, for the kind review and congratulations on winning!