Prayer and Your Child(ren)

I have been a prayerful person for the majority of my life. I would wake up, utter a few words, and proceed with my day. Preventative prayers, asking prayers, praising prayers- all throughout my day. They were fine, nothing wrong with them, but they were lacking depth that my soul so deeply longed for.

I would hear of these great Men and Women of God that would spend all this time in prayer, and I would just think, I want that- but what on earth happens during that lengthy amount of time!

I am very much still in the process of learning, growing, and falling in love more with this time I am spending in prayer. I tell you what though, You make a list and get started and it's hard to end. Your heart swells, your fears ease, your mind rests. It's a beautiful connection and we were designed to commune with the One who created us.

Through this journey, I'm learning to pray for my children. Not simple child-like prayers, but deep going-into-battle type prayers. My husband and I work with teenagers, and I see what they face. I was a teenager, and I know what I faced. I am called to fight for my children. Their whole being, safety, mind, body, and spirit.

Each generation has a new set of statistics, each one worse. than. the. last. There has to be hope. There has to be a firm, loving hand of guidance. I am willing to fight for the generations below me, and to not let my children become another statistic. Where can we battle the most effectively? Where can we change the trajectory of these ever-falling generations? In prayer.

I already can't believe what my kindergartener has brought home in thoughts, ideas, and speech. I am thankful he shares these new "findings" with me, so I can help him navigate through these waters. My job is to raise kind, loving, leading, God-fearing men. I can't do that on my own. I am far from qualified. I need the wisdom, the strength, the compassion, the grace, and the knowledge I can only receive from God. Who knows and loves my children better than their creator?

A couple years ago, my mom had given these prayer cards to me. She told me it was the greatest gift she could give me. They were the cards she prayed over me, and now I would have them for my own children. I placed them on my bookshelf, out of sight, out of mind... and forgotten. We moved just a few months ago, and these cards resurfaced, and were placed with my devotional material. I decided to give them a go.

Day one. Tears.

Tears, because my mother prayed these over me during a dark period of my life. Tears, because I saw God's hand answer these prayer in my life. Tears, because they were prayers I wanted spoken over my children. Timely. Powerful.

I read and prayed in agreement with these cards, one at a time, one a day. I started noticing a change in my oldest. Some issues we were dealing with, seemed to dissolve.

From time-to-time, I feel like there is a disconnect in my relationship with my oldest. He is an extrovert on steroids; I am an introverted homebody. He has more energy than the energizer bunny; I am wondering when I can take a nap next. He is a natural-born leader; and I have a tendency to be the passive follower. We regularly have a battle of the wills. It drains me, it exhausts me, and my worse tends to burst forth. I have to apologize to him more than I wish I had to. I started a prayer journal a little while back, and one day, wrote down "My relationship with Hudson". I wanted to create such a bond of love and respect while he was still young. I didn't want to lose these precious years being tired, and frustrated. I didn't want to only yell. I needed help, because I, Sara, am once again completely unqualified.

Daily I prayed, I petitioned, and God showed up. I noticed a huge change. My patience grew. My understanding grew. My attitude switched. Hudson responded beautifully to my changes. He became sweeter, more respectful, and more obedient. I came back to my prayer journal and wrote a report of praise.

Now this isn't something that sits in a state of perfection every single day. I daily need to ask for this supernatural help. I really, really, am not able to do this on my own. I am so thankful I humbled myself to ask for it.

My husband let me know that, he too, was praying. We were in agreement, and God moved.

I have had discussions with worried parents of teenagers. I've told them to pray over their belongings; play worship music in their room while they are at school. Set an atmosphere of praise; it can affect their behavior, their thoughts, their actions. Never cease in prayer. You could be the only one praying for them and battling for them in their struggles.

Parents of teenagers, I urge you to pray in urgency and consistency; for the opposition they are facing in their daily life is great.

I also have heard of so many young people that do not know how to pray. So please, don't water-down your prayers in front of your children. I have changed to speaking aloud more heart-felt prayers in front my son; my husband or I will pray before school and before bed. It is inspiring to hear, and even brought me to tears how his prayers have changed when it's his turn to pray.

God honors prayers prayed in accordance to His will. Pray scripture over them, they are His inspired words being repeated. He loves your children. He loves my children. He loves the lost, He loves the found. Pray His will over them, and you will see results. It may not be today, or tomorrow, but He will answer.

A couple of resources:

These prayer cards were written by Stormie Omartian, and were originally able to be torn out. I found what I think is the equivalent here.

Another book I love is, Praying Circles Around Your Children, by Mark Batterson. It's been a while since I've read it and I am ready for a refresher! It's a quick read, but has excellent points. You can find it here.