My wife’s dad is 90. He’s slowing down and takes a very long time to recover after a mishap. We don’t know how long he will be with us.

My sons both graduated with their master’s degrees in May. Both know what’s ahead – a job for one and a PhD program for the other (another kind of job). But until they get fully into those next chapters, they won’t know what life will look like.

My daughter will be married by the time you read this. My wife and she have spent countless hours preparing for fun events around this exciting beginning.

Endings always are followed by beginnings. Known is on the ending side and unknown is on the beginning side.

My father-in-law knows he is going to heaven. That provides him with a lot of peace in facing the unknown – because at least a little of the journey ahead is known.

My daughter has seen a lot of what marriage can be like, having observed her parents love and argue – or shall we say, discuss. But she won’t know what it’s really like until she gets deep into living 24/7 with her spouse. (They chose to wait until marriage for that experience.)

As we face the unknown, let’s trust in God to hold our lives in His hands.

“But I am trusting you, O Lord, saying, ‘You are my God!’ My future is in your hands” (Psalm 31:14-15a).

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Paul Merrill writes here every First Friday.