Isaiah 40:29-31

[The LORD] gives strength to the weary

and increases the power of the weak.

Even youths grow tired and weary,

and young men stumble and fall;

but those who hope in the LORD

will renew their strength.

They will soar on wings like eagles;

they will run and not grow weary,

they will walk and not be faint. (NIV)

It's that time again—time for the school year to end. The start of the summer break can lead to a variety of emotions in parents of children with extraordinary challenges:

• Thankfulness that the schedule is lighter and the pressure to get the child ready and out the door each morning is lessened
• Joy at the thought of being able to spend more time with the child 
• Nervousness about helping the child adjust to a different schedule and routine, such as a summer school or sports schedule
• Discouragement about whether a vacation will be possible this year because the child might not be able to handle it or have their needs met during a vacation
• Overwhelm at the thought of having to meet the child’s complex needs all day, every day, without the break that school can provide
• Concern that the child’s skills will regress over the summer months
• Fear that the lack of structure in the summer will lead the child to have even more challenging and even aggressive behaviors
• Panic about how summer will go and how the family will get through it

As a parent, you may feel several or even all of the above emotions, among others. Just thinking about the coming summer can feel exhausting!

Let’s face it: We parents often don’t feel strong enough to deal with the challenges of summer breaks. As the Bible passage above says, even youths (including young parents) can get tired and weary, and we can all stumble and fall. But we are not alone. There is someone who renews our strength. That someone is the Lord, our God.

God gives strength to the weary. We parents are often weary! Isn’t it amazing to know that God will give us the strength we need to care for the children whom he has entrusted to us?

I don’t know about you, but I often also feel weak. Sometimes, while raising my children, I wondered, “What ever made me think I would be able to do this?” It was only through the grace of God that I could—because he “increases the power of the weak.”

God promises to help us “soar on wings like eagles,” “run and not grow weary,” and “walk and not be faint.” When we are relying on our own strength, these promises seem completely impossible. But when we rely on God, the impossible becomes possible.

Now that my children are grown, I sometimes look back at everything that happened and all the tasks that needed to be done at the time, and humanly speaking, I don’t know how my husband and I got through it all. But as Christians, we know the answer is clear: anything and everything that was accomplished was because of God and the strength he gave. Even when we stumbled (as all parents do), he lifted us up and renewed our strength.

Dear Christian Parent, God will do the same for you. He will lift you up and renew your strength. You have his promise on that!

Lord God, as I approach the challenges of the summer break, I can feel concerned, nervous, or even overwhelmed. When I experience these emotions, remind me through the work of your Holy Spirit of the promises you made in Isaiah 40. Help me remember that I do not need to rely on my own strength, because my strength comes from you. I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

By Jane Mose