Good and Gracious Father,

As we blunder our way through the early stages parenthood, we find that doubt clings to us like sandspurs on our shoes. But even our uncertainty cannot keep Jude from growing brighter every day. We see a raw, unfiltered joy in him that could only come from You.

So we thank you for helping us to see that his growth into the character of Christ is not entirely dependent on our parenting methods, but mostly on Your grace and Your joy at work in him.

Remind us of this as we strive to be the kind of parents who show Jude what You look like in the moments that seem ordinary and bland. We want to know that those moments belong to you just as the big ones do.

Amen.