We all know we should pray for our kids.
But do we pray for our kids?
We were standing at a funeral, talking to an older lady that we have known for years.
In fact, her family – kids and grand kids – are a huge part of our monthly support team.
Her family is serving the Lord and following hard after God.
She was sharing with us about her first great grandson and how deeply she has prayed for this baby.
She said she felt led to pray specifically for God to mold his heart into a heart after God.
Before he was born and now that he is a toddler… she continues to pray for this baby’s heart to be set for the things of God.
She was tearing up as she told us her desperation to pray.
She said, “I only wish I’d prayed like this for my children when they were young.” She stopped and thought. Then she said, “Oh, I prayed, but not like this. I didn’t take the time to actually stop and watch them and pray.”
Pray for our kids.
An incredibly powerful tool we have as parents to guide, protect, teach, bless and mold our children for God.
I found these two posts that I’ve read about how to pray for our kids.
Two posts that have me thinking and praying for my kids in new ways.
Embracing Biblical Values and Completely Missing Jesus
Both of these posts are incredibly practical and even slightly convicting about how we should be praying for our kids.
Pray for our kids
If you’ve read our parenting posts here on the blog, you now I’m a HUGE advocate for family devotion time.
And that time should include prayer. Letting your kids hear you pray for them.
You should also be praying prayers they don’t hear. Prayers from your heart to God… many times those prayers are in a journal for me.
You should also pray outside of devotion time. Spontaneous prayer, out loud or quietly for your kids, teaches an attitude of prayer all day long.
Pray for your kids.
Make it a part of your day.
Don’t forget the power we have as we pray for our kids.
I want to share my favorite prayer to pray… a prayer I pray every morning with my girls before school.
It is the prayer of St. Patrick…
As I arise today,
may the strength of God pilot me,
the power of God uphold me,
the wisdom of God guide me.
May the eye of God look before me,
the ear of God hear me,
the word of God speak for me.
May the hand of God protect me,
the way of God lie before me,
the shield of God defend me,
the host of God save me.
May Christ shield me today.
Christ with me, Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me, Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right, Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down, Christ when I sit,
Christ when I stand,
Christ in the heart of everyone who thinks of me,
Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me,
Christ in every eye that sees me,
Christ in every ear that hears me.
Amen
I pray it in my own words or sometimes recite this so they can hear it.
I love that this prayer reminds us to desire the presence of God all around us.
I want my girls to have him before them, behind them and all around them.
Have you prayed for your kids today?
What are your favorite prayers or scriptures to pray for your kids?
I would love to hear them! Please share!
The REAL Solution for Finding Alone Time
I needed to be reminded/convicted on this subject!
I enjoyed the Embracing Biblical Values and Completely Missing Jesus. I’ve been reading Thomas A’ Kempis and he speaks about those who want to follow Jesus but don’t want his cross. However, he calls us to share in his sufferings and if that is true following then, I need to see the sufferings that my children go through as tools of his refining process in their lives. As moms, we just want to rescue them through pain rather than walk it with them and see how God can use it in their lives to depend on him. Praying that I will see more clearly…so that I can train them more accurately. Prayer is the best place to begin to make that happen.