Don't you think?
What is your approach? Purposed or spontaneous?
Right now, I don't really have a lot of planned out,
intentional prayer life for my kids.
I want to work on developing that.
I want to write down things to pray for, for each child.
I want to specifically be petitioning for them, for what they need.
Right now, it is generally a spontaneous thing.
"Lord, please give me the right words for her..."
"Please calm her fears"
"Give him patience (Oh, & some patience for me, too!)"
Sometimes a spontaneous prayer is said inside,
sometimes it is aloud.
The other night, we had a sweet meal time prayer,
where Gillian just jumped right in,
praying aloud, right alongside her Daddy.
She had a lot to pray about. And was eager.
It was really beautiful.
Then Scott asked Peyton if he had anything
he wanted to pray about.
"Yes." And his prayer was for us to be kind.
I was thanking God for our little blessings.
What a special gift to hear a little one talk to Jesus.
Tell us about your prayer life for your kids.
Do you plan it & how?
Is it usually spontaneous?
This post is written in participation with Walk with Him Wednesday @ Holy Experience
9 comments:
ahhh, loved this fresh reminder! And yes, I agree with you. I think its definitely one of the most important things we can do for our kids and our spouse.
I pray purposefully for Ethan on Monday, purposefully for Rachel on Tuesday and purposefully for Kara on Wednesdays, though they each get prayed for during the difficult times each day :)
Those are my more random prayers; when I'm struggling with them in a specific area and God brings me to my knees in an instant (typically after I freak out a bit first).
Those are also the nights I write in their journals. I used to do it once a week (I miss those days) but I'm down to every other week, if I'm lucky, but more like once a month, which is fine as they get older.
Loved this reminder - thank you!
This is a great subject!
I've been trying to learn to incorporate more purposed prayers into my routine, on behalf of my husband as well as my children. I am very good at spontaneous prayer. ;) I like having little conversations with my God throughout the day! But I am trying to grow in the area of purposed prayer as well. I would love to hear suggestions of how to do this more diligently.
I used to keep a prayer journal, and am thinking that would be a really great way of having purposed prayer in this regard. Writing down the specific needs (updating as needs change), and being reminded of them by an almost list-format.
Every evening when I pray with Gabriel, we do have specific, purposed things we pray for. Now that I think about it, I find that my prayer time *with* him is more purposed than my prayer time *for* him.
I hope more people comment; I like this discussion.
I don't have any specific praying time for the kids... I too end up doing it throughout the day when things are tough. But then I use my time either when I am alone in the car (we have no radio!) to pray, or at night when I am in bed and it is all quiet. So it doesn't necessarily happen on set days or anything, just when I find myself plopped into the middle of a peaceful moment!
I'm much the same way you described. I pray spontaneously - often...but I'd like to be more purposeful about it.
Recently, I took a notebook and wrote down my girls' strengths & weaknesses. Next step: pray specifically for things on those lists.
stephanie@metropolitanmama.net
I would love to be a more purposed prayer when it comes to my children's lives.
It's funny...I was just thinking I should write my prayers for them down, and then I came across your post.
I really like Stephanie's idea of a notebook!
We pray at bed time and each kid prays before we sing our good night songs. We also sing the dinner blessing a lot. The kids really get the idea of praying and being thankful and asking for things from God. We pray for our friends who don't know Jesus a lot. I think modeling prayer for them is the best.
Recently my 2 year old came up to me with a hand hidden in her sleeve. I asked her where her hand was. Daddy asked her what we should do about it. She said "PRAY!" So we prayed for God to heal her hand. She poked it out of her sleeve with a big smile.
We have not really talked about healing directly, but have prayed and seen healing with our kids beside us. I was so blessed that Abigail made up this healing game. What a blessing to my heart!!
I would love to be a more purposed prayer when it comes to my children's lives.
It's funny...I was just thinking I should write my prayers for them down, and then I came across your post.
I really like Stephanie's idea of a notebook!
This is a great subject!
I've been trying to learn to incorporate more purposed prayers into my routine, on behalf of my husband as well as my children. I am very good at spontaneous prayer. ;) I like having little conversations with my God throughout the day! But I am trying to grow in the area of purposed prayer as well. I would love to hear suggestions of how to do this more diligently.
I used to keep a prayer journal, and am thinking that would be a really great way of having purposed prayer in this regard. Writing down the specific needs (updating as needs change), and being reminded of them by an almost list-format.
Every evening when I pray with Gabriel, we do have specific, purposed things we pray for. Now that I think about it, I find that my prayer time *with* him is more purposed than my prayer time *for* him.
I hope more people comment; I like this discussion.
ahhh, loved this fresh reminder! And yes, I agree with you. I think its definitely one of the most important things we can do for our kids and our spouse.
I pray purposefully for Ethan on Monday, purposefully for Rachel on Tuesday and purposefully for Kara on Wednesdays, though they each get prayed for during the difficult times each day :)
Those are my more random prayers; when I'm struggling with them in a specific area and God brings me to my knees in an instant (typically after I freak out a bit first).
Those are also the nights I write in their journals. I used to do it once a week (I miss those days) but I'm down to every other week, if I'm lucky, but more like once a month, which is fine as they get older.
Loved this reminder - thank you!
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