Parenting On PurposeSample

Pray for Your Children. If You're Not, Who is?

Jalene:

Prayer is powerful. But life has a way of distracting us, doesn’t it? And prayer sometimes goes to the backburner. In 1 Thessalonians chapter 5, scripture tells us to pray without ceasing. The Greek word used for “without ceasing” is actually adialeiptōs, which means regularly, yet intermittent, like a persistent cough. We have so many opportunities as parents to pray for our children when we begin to look for them. Are they worried about a test? Pray with them. Do they have a concern? Pray with them. Keep leading them back to Him—the very One who created them. I learned that it’s okay to tell them we don’t have all the answers (they figure that out soon enough), but we know the One who does. 

Many times I asked God for clarity on how to respond to certain situations. I asked Him to show me how to reach their heart of hearts.  I asked Him to intervene, convict, and draw them to Him. Often after praying I would take some time to be quiet and just listen for His response. Asking, petitioning, listening. He will show you what to do. 

Pray. Pray for them, pray over them, pray with them.

Macy:

Growing up, my parents would often pray with us, and the one thing I’m most thankful for is that they didn’t water down their prayers just because we were young. They prayed from their hearts and they let us be part of it. They would sit on the edge of our beds and pray that we would grow up to be kingdom warriors, that our hearts would long for Him, that we would have faith that resembled a mighty oak tree that would not bend with the winds. And as we lay in bed, we prayed those things right alongside of them. I never felt uncomfortable hearing them pray, and I’ve never felt uncomfortable praying in front of them. It is just what we did. It is just who we are. 

Action Step: As you read through this plan, take some time each day to pray over/with your children. It may seem uncomfortable at first, but the more you do it, the more comfortable it will become. If you have a teenager, try texting them a prayer that you are praying for them.