Last night I had the honor and privilege of watching my 17 year old daughter being inducted into the American Christian Honor Society of the American Association of Christian Schools! This is the highest and most recognized honor.

The ceremony did not last very long, but it was a truly moving experience. They opened the service with prayer followed by the Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag of the United States of America, then to the Christian Flag, and finally to the Bible.

The speakers were full of encouragement and praise for all recipients. They poured such love over these young people’s lives as they recognized them for their great achievements.

There was a special song prepared for the ceremony which talked of how God knows our names. He knows every step that we take, every move that we make, right down to every tear that we cry.

That song … that service … what we were gathered there to celebrate and how we were honoring these young people definitely opened the floodgates. I was so overcome with emotion as I watched my beautiful daughter walk to the front to receive her award. As her name was called, family and friends stood to honor her. She ever so graciously accepted her certificate from the presenter, then walked over to the principal and teachers who stood nearby waiting to hug her and whisper:

“Good job …”
“I knew you had it in you …” and
“I was hard on you because I care …”

Oh, the tears sting my eyes even still as I sit here and write these words. How precious this evening was as we celebrated my darling daughter.

I always knew she was so incredibly smart and talented. I knew she walked with God and displayed Christ-like character. This was no surprise to me that she was nominated and selected for such an award. My heart swelled with such pride and joy. If you are a parent, you know exactly what I speak of, and I am sure you will agree that there are just not enough words in the human language to express how we each feel about our children.

I just thank God for the path that my daughter has taken. I thank Him for keeping His Great and Mighty Hand upon her every step of the way. I thank Him for not only counting the tears that she has cried but kissing them softly as He wiped them away, turning sorrow and pain into peace and comfort. He has held her in His loving arms and has provided for her every need. He has sheltered her and protected her from the storms of life, carrying her through difficult days while dancing with her in the sunlight and running wildly free with her in meadows filled with wildflowers. He has been a steady force in her life, and this mother’s heart is so full of pride, of love … she IS my heart and soul.