My daughter Allison graduated from Spartanburg Christian Academy. The time has flown. It seems that only yesterday, she was just a baby and now she is preparing to go off to college. I have to admit that while I am very proud of her, it was also a time of emotion and some sadness. Life will certainly change some now. Over the years I have been involved in every type of emotional experience, but this one was certainly different. When your little girl graduates, it hits home. All of the family was here and we had a great time.

The graduation exercises on Friday night were terrific. We had a great crowd and people were very impressed. Each kid did a video testimony thanking their parents and it was thrilling to hear our kids talk about the impact that a Christian school has had on their lives. All of our graduates have been accepted to colleges and plan to attend in the fall. They are receiving over 500,000 dollars in scholarship money. They have done a great job and all of us should be proud of them.

The school is a ministry of the church and while it runs on a separate budget, it could not be what it is without the support of our church. You can be proud of the part that you are playing in this effort.

Jay Strack was our graduation speaker and he did a terrific job. He shared a great challenge from Jeremiah 29:11. It went right to the heart of the matter. They clearly understood what was expected when Jay finished. I then had the privilege of handing out the diplomas. Not many guys get to give the diploma to their own child. It was a very memorable moment for me.

All of us as parents were reminded of how blessed we have been with these kids. They are not perfect by any means but like all parents, they are special to us.

This is not the end, it is only the beginning. We must increase our prayer efforts for all of our young people as they take the next step. Not only should we pray for them, we need to be role models. They are looking for the right kind of leadership. You may be the one that they look to.