Releasing and Relinquishing

 This will be another very tough week of releasing for me.  My middle son is moving to college Thursday.   In a few short days I will be standing on the porch letting him go and releasing him to God to care for and protect.

Today I am also struggling through the releasing of the nine girls that I just spent a week with at camp.  

So what does it mean to release?

 

Many online dictionaries state, "to let go of one's grip."  To release. 

Release. "To relinquish (a right or claim)." To release our rights and our claims.  Releasing is relinquishing our rights and our claim. 

Today and everyday it is up to me to intentionally and conscientiously relinquish my rights and claims.

To release any claims on their lives I've made, however small that may be. 

Stormie Omartian, in her powerful book, The Power of a Praying Parent, states the following.

“We don’t want to limit what God can do in our children by clutching them to ourselves and trying to parent them alone. If we’re not positive that God is in control of our children’s lives, we’ll be ruled by fear.  And the only way to be sure that God is in control is to surrender our hold and allow Him full access to their lives.”

Lord,

I come to you in Jesus’ name  and give (name of child) to You. I’m convinced that You alone know what is best for him (her). You alone know what he (she) needs. I release him (her) to You to care for and protect, and I commit myself to pray for everything concerning him (her) that I can think of or that You put upon my heart. Teach me how to pray and guide me in what to pray about. Help me not to imposed my own will when I’m praying for him (her), but rather enable me to pray that Your will be done in his (her) life.

Thank You that I can partner with You in raising him (her) and that I don’t have to do it alone, I’m grateful that I don’t have to rely on the world’s unreliable and ever-changing methods for child rearing, but that I can have clear directions from Your Word and wisdom as I pray to You for answers.

Thank You, Lord, for the precious gift of this child. Because Your Word says that every good gift comes from You, I know that You have given him (her) to me to care for and raise. Help me to do that. Show me places where I continue to hang on to him (her) and enable me to release him (her) to Your protection, guidance, and counsel. Help me not to live in fear of possible dangers, but in the joy and peace of knowing that You are in control. I rely on You for everything, and this day I trust my child to You and release him (her) into Your hands.

Amen