I turned and saw her in a cloud of white lace, and my heart stumbled. Smiling, confidant, and clutching her daddy’s arm. Playing dress-up.

But, no, this wasn’t my four-year-old pretending to be a princess, or cowgirl, or race-car driver—this was the grown-up version of my daughter—ready to pledge her life and love to her beloved.

I blinked. And in that moment, I realized: It mattered—all of it.

The folding of little hands, the wiping of messy chins. Steadiness during a toddler tantrum and patience in a tween-age meltdown. A firm anchor of love for the pushing-for-independence teenager. The sharing of tears over a broken heart. The giggles and out-of-control laughter.

The endless turning to God’s Word for comfort and guidance. The questions, the doubts, the heart-pouring before God—Oh, Father, am I doing this right? Will my heart survive this?

The sacrifices of time and money. The constant dying to self and begging forgiveness from a grace-showering God.

Every joy-filled, heart-breaking, storming-the-gates-of-heaven moment mattered and was part of God’s unique plan for this child and our family.

Dear parents of little ones—your days seem endless, but it will happen to you, also. He will leave for college, or she will begin her career in another city. Your heart will squeeze as you attempt to grasp how time passed in such a blur.

But know that each moment on this journey is eternal. Every cuddle, listening ear, and time of discipline is God’s hand in the life of your child. On the difficult days—of which there are many—ask Him for the strength to view every circumstance against the backdrop of the cross. That Christ-perspective will be your anchor.

Lay your doubts, worries, and exhaustion at the feet of Jesus because you have a royal calling—training future sons and daughters of the King.

And for all time and eternity, it matters.

In March of 2017, I had the privilege of working with SonRise Devotionals to release a book titled, Ribbons, Lace, and Moments of Grace—Inspiration for the Mother of the Bride. This devotional includes my journey as well as the stories of ten other precious moms as they walked with their daughters on the wedding path.

From chapters like Spanx and the Sausage Keeper to The Connection, I hope readers will laugh and cry with me and say, thank goodness I’m not alone!

My greatest hope is that this devotional will continue to provide biblical encouragement to moms during an emotional and exciting time.

Do you know a recent or upcoming mother of the bride? Let her know there are moments of grace in this most volatile of seasons!