As parents we try to set good examples for our children. We teach them to honor God and lead fulfilling spiritual lives. However, in troubled times the heaviness of reality weighs upon us and obscures our vision. We wonder what could have gone wrong. We need to remember the words of Solomon in Proverbs 22:6, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not depart from it.” Truer words were never spoken nor so hard to accept.

My oldest son Joshua is the light of my life. As a single mother I support the family and raise him with Christian values. When Joshua entered his teen years, he was a great kid, but he also “wanted to find himself”. We would exchange angry words and at night I would cry myself to sleep. I felt alone, abandoned and not sure where we would end up. I chastised myself for not having more patience and not listening to my son better. Joshua was always respectful to his elders, but Joshua was hurting. The impact of coming out of a dysfunctional environment had left its impression on him. When pushed too far, Joshua would certainly express his opinion. I worried that he would move farther away from the Truth and from me. Still I stayed in the Word and tried to leave him in God’s hands. God’s word would soon be proven.

Joshua and a few of his classmates were chosen to go to England over spring break. It was going to be a wonderful time for all and the kids were so excited. They rallied together to raise funds for the trip. They were at the top of the world. However, from the start I began to have reservations with chaperone that was accompanying them. She was young, inexperienced, insensitive to the kids and rude to the parents. Things didn’t feel right and I felt that the entire group was headed for a perilous journey.

The day of the long journey to England finally arrived and I drove Joshua to the airport. Trepidation filled me as we settled in to wait for the flight. Most of the parents in the group were experiencing the extreme anxiety. They were sending their son or daughter off, some 6,000 miles away for the first time. When we formed a prayer circle to ask for a safe journey the atmosphere filled with tension as the teacher tapped her toe and waited impatiently for the flight to board. After the kids boarded the plane the moms just stood there and sobbed. We formed another prayer circle right there in the airport and prayed for the safety of everyone and the strength of the children to take care of each other. Little did we realize how much this was going to be put to the test.

Immediately upon arrival in London, the tour became disastrous. The little group was not met by anyone and they were stranded in the middle of Heathrow airport. They had no idea what to do and the teacher merely stood around, wringing her hands and crying. As Joshua later related that he just dug deep down in his spirit and asked God for some directions. It was obvious, he said, that they weren’t going to get any support from the teacher. He and his best friend Sam just took charge and tried to resolve the problem.

They quickly sprang into action. They organized the kids, gathered the luggage and found transportation to their hotel, which ended up being two hours away! The tour was a disaster and each day brought fresh challenges to the group. Unpredictable transportation, getting lost and missed meals all took a toll on the kids. There was no direction or guidance and with no input from the teacher they stood alone. However, Joshua and Sam stood strong and rallied the others to do the same. They encountered other university students who had joined the tour and only wanted to party. These older kids became intoxicated every night, banged on doors in the middle of the night and were completely rowdy at all of the tourist stops.and It was embarrassing and it was a nightmare. At dinner, when the kids sat down to eat, teacher did not take the lead at all in saying grace, but Joshua did. He would look everyone in the eye and say, “So, who is going to say grace tonight?” If no one volunteered then he or Sam would take the lead. Each night they prayed for guidance, wisdom, and most of all a safe return home.

Being a mom, I called several times to see how things were going. Once, when the teacher told me that she didn’t know where the kids were I panicked. I was astounded. What was the going on over there? Who was in charge and why was this happening? I didn’t really need to worry as later Joshua told me that he and Sam were handling things one day at a time and that they were just fine. How sad for such young shoulders to bear that burden. How wonderful that he had been raised with the spiritual values to get him through difficult times!

The kids finally arrived back home and Joshua got off the plane looking worn and ragged. He had just shouldered too much. His friends relayed to me that they were so grateful that Joshua had been strong and that if it hadn’t been for him they didn’t know what they would have done. He came down the ramp and collapsed into my hug and said, “Oh mom, it’s so good to be home!” Later he told me that although the time was stressful he was so glad that he had the spiritual foundation and deep roots to see him through. He said, “And mom, it’s all due to you!”

What greater compliment could he pay me? Suddenly, all the pain and anguish that we had experienced together was worth it. Suddenly the words “Train up a child” were crystal clear. Joshua and I were back on solid footing and God indeed had been true to his Word.

Renee Ripley Copyright 2001 renee.ripley@ndchealth.com

Renee Ripley, a single mom, has a Master’s in Literature and enjoys writing and homeschooling her youngest son Caleb. He is the subject of the story, “Just One More Year”, which is found in our archives. She continues to prepare her boys for life ahead and face whatever God has in the blueprints.