Launching. The word suggests a rocket, carefully prepared over years, now beginning its voyage into the unknown. Yet, we use it to describe different projects. We launch businesses. We launch books. We launch children. And somehow I’m standing by the launch pad of several projects, all in one summer.
NASA says, “To launch, the rocket needs enough propellants so that the thrust pushing the rocket up is greater than the force of gravity pulling the rocket down.”
Hasn’t that been the concern all along? Will this business, this book, this child have enough propellants to help them rise above all that tries to pull them down? Planning, preparation, and practice only go so far. Engineers have checked off all the boxes only to find out that the launch failed to propel the rocket. Gravity is indeed a force with which to be reckoned.
The thing about gravity is we don’t think about it until we don’t have it. We also think gravity is a good thing. Until it becomes resistance to all those things we are trying to launch.
As I stand beside the launch pad, I realize that a lot of my preparations are woefully lacking. The longer I stand here, the more I am impressed by the deep knowledge that I have never really played much of a part at all.
My husband and I brought our oldest son to the altar of dedication. We sang Hannah’s song from 1 Samuel 1, “He is lent to the Lord, to walk in His Word, as long as our child shall live.” Earlier this year, we stood in Eli’s place as our son shared with us how God had been speaking to him, calling him. Not quite two weeks ago, we dropped him off at college with not just a little coat but most of his belongings. He is fulfilling God’s call by taking the next step. We stand by the launch pad, holding our breath.
My editor just sent me the e-mail. She just needs one more thing, and our story is finished. It’s on the launch pad, ready to enter the atmosphere of the internet within weeks. We stand by the launch pad, holding our breath.
With our business, we held our breath for so long that we could hold it no longer. It launched, gravity resisted, it wobbled and persisted. We stand with one eye on the atmosphere, always wondering when it may come crashing down around us. But, we decided that since it’s been more or less in the air for 7 years, we would write about it. If it does crash, we will at least have a record that it flew for 7 years. More importantly, we have recorded the miraculous faithfulness of God.
Ah yes! Back full circle to the faithfulness of God. The launch is not something we have done with our efforts. If we have any success, any good, it is all the work of our amazing Father! Way too often, our efforts have been the gravity of resistance. Yet, He patiently kept working. Despite our shortcomings as parents and entrepreneurs, he continues to work. We’re very new to the author scene, but we felt we had to chronicle what God has done. We also wrote about the gravity, the resistance. It’s part of every launch.
My mind goes back to the dedication altar. The pastor took our newborn son and prayed the dedicatory prayer. As he prayed, “Father, we give Him back to You.” we heard a sniffle. We looked down at his three-year-old sister standing next to her daddy. “What’s wrong?” Her daddy whispered. She sobbed, “I don’t want to give him back! I want to keep him!”
Yeah. There’s something about a project that is hard to let go. I’m feeling it with our book. And oh, how I feel it with my boy! Correction: God’s story and God’s man.
So will each of these launches be successful? They are out of our hands, out of our sight. They have always been in God’s hands and in His sight. The landing is up to Him.