Hey there! I’m Stephanie.

Graduation invitations. Yearbooks. Senior photos. Open houses. All signs point to graduation season—a busy and joyful time. And while motherhood is an emotional endeavor all the time, for many moms, graduation ceremonies feel like a sacred threshold where the intensity of pride and joy walk hand in hand with letting go and releasing control.

There’s an old adage about a frog in a pot of water who doesn’t realize it’s slowly coming to a boil. By the time the water is dangerously hot, it’s too late for the frog to jump out. Nadya Williams, in “Mothers, Children, and the Body Politic” (IVP Academic, 2024), suggests that our culture is much like that pot, and the church may not realize just how high the heat is rising.

April showers might bring May flowers, but the month of April also ushers in unique busyness. Between Easter celebrations, graduations, end-of-the-year school trips, filing taxes, open houses, baby showers, final exams and projects, bridal showers, sports tournaments, and summer planning, April fills up fast.

Christmas is a season of light. We have lights on our houses, lights wrapped around our trees, candles in our windows, and fires in the hearth. It makes sense when we consider how the days are short and the nights are long and cold during winter (at least in the Northern Hemisphere).

Back to school is here. Parents and students are gearing up for a new year: buying supplies, arranging carpools, and stocking the pantry with lunchbox-worthy snacks. The start of school sends many households into preparation mode. Churches, it’s time to do the same.

There is excitement in the air. Soon, I will join the rest of my colleagues in welcoming new students to campus as they begin their college career. It’s a celebratory day for faculty and staff—after all, these new students are the reason we are here. It’s an exciting season of life for college students.