seven things to pray for your children

So, here are seven helpful, specific things to pray for your children:

1. That Jesus will call them and no one will hinder them from coming.

Then children were brought to him that he might lay his hands on them and pray. The disciples rebuked the people, but Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me and do not hinder them, for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.” And he laid his hands on them and went away. (Matthew 19:13–15)

2. That they will respond in faith to Jesus’s faithful, persistent call.

The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. (2 Peter 3:9)

3. That they will experience sanctification through the transforming work of the Holy Spirit and will increasingly desire to fulfill the greatest commandments.

And he said to him, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the great and first commandment. And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” (Matthew 22:37-39)

4. That they will not be unequally yoked in intimate relationships, especially marriage.

Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? (2 Corinthians 6:14)

5. That their thoughts will be pure.

Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.(Philippians 4:8)

6. That their hearts will be stirred to give generously to the Lord’s work.

All the men and women, the people of Israel, whose heart moved them to bring anything for the work that the Lord had commanded by Moses to be done brought it as a freewill offering to the Lord. (Exodus 35:29)

7. That when the time is right, they will GO!

And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” (Matthew 28:18-20)

Motherhood

Once you are a mother, you will forever be a mother, young moms and grandmothers alike. Being a mother involves a lifetime of learning, through each "season" of motherhood. 

We go from having our hair mussed and our eyes worn with lines from dozens of sleepless nights to skin lined with dozens of hard-earned years and the laughter of a thousand evenings around our mouths. Hopefully we will all have calloused hands and soft hearts from the loving on our family and for our family, and grooved into our souls.

I'm learning to teach about Jesus in the midst of our lives, in the fun times, the hard times and the sad times. I've learned it is important to me, and I think to my family, to have at least supper together each night. I've learned that I'm not the only one who hates spanking yet does it anyway because sometimes it's the only thing that will teach an 18-month-old and that later on, when they can reason, you can ask them to help you think of punishments, and let them choose. I am big on saying I love you A L O T. We say "I love you to the moon and back" and "I love you a thousand times infinity" and Gavin says "I love you even after we die and go to heaven and get new bodies." :)

I pray daily for strength in motherhood and the ability to show my kids (and my husband) Jesus, the gospel, the bible, the truth, all of it.