Handing Over Control: The Journey of Fatherhood

I can remember the day I dropped my oldest daughter, Anna, off at her first day of kindergarten. She screamed and cried as I tried to walk out of the room. Her teacher had forewarned of this happening so I knew I just needed to keep walking out of the room. The sight of her reaching out for me and screaming tore at my heart. I tried to hide my tears as I walked out of the school. Thinking about it still brings tears to my eyes today.

Fatherhood is a series of moments where we give up control. For a control freak like myself this is tough. Especially when it involved my little girls.

Giving up control starts early on and continues throughout their life.

• Handing them over as babies to the nursery at church
• Dropping them off at preschool
• Their first day of school
• The first sleepover
• A week away from home at camp
• The first date
• Moving them into their dorm room at college
• And the ultimate: walking them down the aisle at their wedding

The only way I can imagine overcoming the worry and anxiety of these moments of handing over control of my little daughters to someone else is knowing that the Good Shepherd walks with my daughters wherever they go. He cares and loves my daughters more than I can ever imagine.

Giving up control of my daughters to Him makes the burden much easier.