13 Year Old Preacher Boy

Today I witnessed a pretty amazing thing for a Mama.  My 13 year old son preached at Middle School chapel at his school.  This all came about because about a month ago he felt led to start a Bible study with the boys in his grade at lunch once a week.  He took the initiative and went to his principal and got permission to start this.  He worked out with one of his teachers a classroom to have it in and started spreading the word to all the guys.  Now, I have to admit, I know Jake is incredibly gifted with an amazing mind, especially about the things of God, but there's something in me as a mama that was afraid FOR him as his first day of trying this out approached. Kenny and I both asked him did he want to talk through any of it ahead of time, or did he need any guidance, help, etc.  "No, I'm good.  God's already shown me what to teach."  Well, 22 boys showed up the first week, and the word from the kids and the principal was that it couldn't have gone any better.  The kids were engaged, listening, asking questions, and didn't want to stop when the bell rang.  The following week every boy in his class came, and he's even gotten some girls to start a girls' Bible study, too!  Well, the middle school principal asked him a couple of weeks ago to do chapel today, so needless to say I was SO excited for the opportunity for him. However, as the day approached I was doing the same thing again, even though he knew exactly what the Lord had given him to speak about.  I was simply nervous for him!  This was the entire middle school.  Some of the kids are older than him.  Would he be able to hold their attention?  Would he be able to get his point across?  As smart as he is and as much as I know his heart's desire is to honor God and listen to Him, what if he says some things that aren't really lined up with scripture?  "Ok, enough," God said.  "How about you just trust me, Shannon?" The Lord reminded me of something He started teaching me the very first week I brought Jake home as a newborn from the hospital. 

I can remember just like any new mama, just holding him, feeding him, changing him and feeling so overwhelmed at this new little life God had breathed into existence....this little eternal soul that God had, in his miraculous ways, entrusted for a time to Kenny and me.  I literally can remember hovering over the bassinet just about to explode inside with joy looking at this tiny little creature God had so magnificently designed.  You hear new mama's say it all the time, but I really did stand over him making sure he was breathing so many times, especially that first few weeks. I was worried to death...butterflies in my stomach...about doing something wrong.  Messing up.  Not protecting him the way I should or training him just right.  I was flooded with emotions I had never experienced, and it was overwhelming in my spirit.  The Lord reminded me at that time of something Beth Moore had said in one of her Bible studies.  She had described similar feelings with her first child and how she would just stand over her, worry over her saying, "Lord, who needs angels to guard over her, you've got me!"  That's about where I was.  God began teaching me from that moment, "Shannon, I've got this.  It's not about you.  You're going to have to trust me."  You know, I'm no scholar, but I've been told that the Hebrew word picture for "trust" is a man lying at the feet of another, flat on his face, hands by his side, fully surrendered.  I don't know about you, but trust is a tough thing for me.

Well, today I was reminded by my Lord of that same truth again.  Trust.  I've heard it said, don't be afraid to leave someone alone with God.  Yes, we are to teach, to train, to pray over our children.  But we also have to learn how to leave them alone with God and trust that He doesn't always want us to be up in the middle of everything.  His Holy Spirit spoke through a 13 year old young man this morning.  Boldly, clearly, and beautifully, the entire middle school, including adults, completely mesmerized.  I sat there amazed.  I don't know why.  I know that's who this boy is.  It's him to the core.  Everything he does just reeks servanthood, sharing truth, and knowing not only the things of God, but truly KNOWING God.  Still, the Lord spoke to me and reminded me that He's got this.  Yes, I was reminded how important it is to keep doing the things the Lord has impressed upon us as parents in teaching and training our children, from Jake all the way down to our youngest, but more importantly I was reminded that God does His greatest works when we let go and simply trust Him.