Being a parent is a tough job …

“Train up a child in the way he should go,
Even when he is old he will not depart from it. “ - Proverbs 22:6

We have worked hard to bring up our daughter in the ways of the Lord.  We’ve taken her to Sunday school and church.  She did AWANA when she was younger.  She’s been in Christian school since kindergarten. 

She accepted Christ when she was five years old. She’s been an easy child.  She has always wanted to do the right thing.  We’ve never really struggled with her breaking rules or being defiant.  She is now 18 and a half years old.  She is a senior in high school and struggling to be independent.  She wants to make her own decisions and we are trying to allow her to do that.

She has been going to Passion City Church on Sunday nights with some of her friends from school.  We’ve encouraged this.  We were excited she was choosing to be in church.  She loves this church.  She said she gets a lot more out of the message and the worship than she does from our “home” church.

Now here comes the hard part, she has asked permission to go to Passion on Sunday mornings.  There is a part of us that wants to tell her that she needs to be in church with her family. You know, lay down the law.  As long as you live under our roof you will be in church with us.  Then there is the other part of us that is so excited that she has found a church that preaches the Word and meets her needs.  She loves the Lord.  She’s been on two mission trips and is going on her third one this spring.  Should we allow her to choose a church that she wants to attend?  She will be getting ready to go off to college soon and making all of her own decisions.  Is this a decision that we should allow her to make now? She has a peer group there. Our home church is small and there isn’t anyone else her age.

She has done everything right.  She respectful asked our permission to go.  She was honest and upfront with us.  She gave her reasons and they were good ones.  I desperately want her to be with us but I know I should encourage her to go where she feels the Lord is leading her.  Anyone have any thoughts?