“Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.    — Proverbs 22:6

There comes a point in every parent’s life when love must release what it once protected. We pour in wisdom, prayer, correction, and compassion. We teach right from wrong. We model faith, strength, and endurance. But children grow into adults who make their own choices beautiful ones, painful ones, and sometimes choices that break our hearts. When they stumble, the world is quick to point a finger at the parent. As if love guarantees control. As if guidance erases free will. As if a mother or father can override the human heart. But God Himself, perfect Father, has children who wander. That alone tells us the truth: A parent’s responsibility is faithfulness, not faultlessness. A child’s choices belong to the child, not to the parent. You have loved well. You have prayed hard. You have stood in the gap. And when others try to lay blame at your feet, you have every right to stand tall and say, “I make my own choices. They make theirs.” Your worth is not measured by someone else’s mistakes. Your identity is not tied to their detours. And your peace is not up for public debate. You are free.

Father God, lift the weight that was never mine to carry. Remind me that love does not equal control, and guidance does not guarantee outcomes. Heal the places where blame has pierced my heart. Strengthen me to walk in truth, not guilt. Bless my children on their own paths, draw them, teach them, and guide them in ways only You can. Let Your peace settle over my home like a gentle covering. Love You, thank You, praise You and give You all the honor and glory in Jesus Precious Name Amen.