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Prayer From a Parent’s Heart
by Beth Scholes
 
As I sit down to write this article I am reminded of the awesome honour of being a parent. God has granted me the privilege of raising three of His special little ones, but with the privilege comes great responsibility and a lot of hard work. Perhaps more than any other area of life, parenting brings with it the capacity both for boundless joy and tremendous heartache. What can we do as parents to succeed at the task God has given us? Pray, Pray, Pray!

Parenting has not been an easy journey for me. I have had to face my own inadequacy and rely on God’s plan for my life and my children. Part of that process was God teaching me how to pray for my children.
 
 What is important to you as you raise your children in this difficult culture we live in?  Try to catch a glimpse of the future: what kind of adults do you want your kids to become?  Here are a few items on my prayer list:

Purity: I pray for purity both for my kids and for their future spouses. Their spouses are out there somewhere, growing up as children right now, and what happens in their lives will greatly affect the life of my children down the road.

Relationships: Above all, I pray that my kids will develop strong relationships with the Lord. I also pray for healthy relationships with their siblings, with friends, and with my husband and I as their parents.

Protection: The world is a dangerous place in many ways. I pray for physical, spiritual and emotional protection for each child.

Personal weaknesses: Every child has their own struggles, whether it’s lying, angry outbursts, disrespect, or any number of other issues. I pray that God will shape their character and turn their weaknesses to strengths.

Thanks: Each child also has unique strengths that are God’s gift to our family. For some it’s charm, for others leadership ability or a sense of humour. I thank God for these special qualities and ask Him to continue to develop these characteristics in our children.

I pray blessing and biblical qualities for my children. The Bible has a lot to say about how we speak and the power of the tongue to do damage, but also to bring healing. “The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit" (Proverbs 18:21).

I pray for wisdom as a parent regarding specific issues for this child. The Bible says whoever lacks wisdom should ask…so I ask a lot! “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him” (James 1:5).


I hope this glance into my heart as a mother will encourage you in your parenting journey. As I conclude this article I want to share that the first prayer I wrote was a turning point for our family. I wrote that prayer out of desperation because I had tried everything the world has to offer, and yet nothing had worked. Truly God wanted to begin a work in me, and it started with turning my eyes upon the Lord and looking to Him for answers. As I look back I see a faithful God working in our lives. The true changes began when I took my eyes off changing my child and started changing myself.

How to Teach Your Child to Pray

The greatest thing you can do for your children is to help them develop a relationship with God. Jesus said, "Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. . . And he took the children in his arms, put his hands on them and blessed them" (Mark 10:14-16, NIV).

Dr. James Dobson, psychologist and author says, "There is a brief period during childhood when youngsters are vulnerable to religious training. Their concepts of right and wrong . . . are formulated during this time, and their view of God begins to solidify."  Many psychologists believe that our brains are wired for prayer. Every culture discovered in the world has a belief and practice of some variety of religious faith and practice. We give our children piano lessons or teach them to play volleyball to enrich their lives. Why not teach them to pray! Let us fasten our children to Christ before Satan traps them.  "God loves our children. He has fought and won the greatest custody battle in history!"

Say, let's kneel here together and talk to God for a few moments. You may repeat after me: ". . . ." My very first memories of prayer were at my mother's knee. I would repeat after her but it wasn't long until I was formulating my own prayers. The work of education and training should commence with the babyhood of the child; for then the mind is most impressible, and the lessons given are remembered.

Adapt your instructions to the age of the child. Keep it simple and sincere. "Johnny, let's talk a moment about prayer. Prayer is like 'talking to a friend'. Remember you can talk with God any time, anywhere, about anything. Jesus loves to have children come to Him. When we make mistakes, we can tell Jesus we are sorry. He is always glad to forgive us and remember He loves us even when we don't do right."

Teach your children that prayer is like a key that unlocks doors to heaven's treasures. David said, "Since my youth, Oh God, You have taught me, and to this day I declare your marvelous deeds" (Ps. 71:17, NIV).

A praying family produces praying children. The most important fact for your children to learn about God is that His love is unconditional. And how do they learn this? It is by our unconditional love toward them. Be a prayer mentor. Teach prayer by your example. Allow them to see you in prayer. Many times when I was a boy, I would run into a bedroom to get something and discover my mother on her knees. That place suddenly seemed hallowed to me. Tell your children stories about answers to your prayers.

Teens and Prayers: I distinctly remember one time when I was a very wayward teen of hearing my mother crying and praying in the next room. I knew she was praying for me. This experience led me to do some very serious thinking about my life.  

We teach our children to pray by modeling God's grace. As children see us, as parents, struggling with our sinful natures, falling, repenting, and confessing to God and to children when necessary, they learn that God is a forgiving God and that we all learn by falling, confessing and trying again.

"The lesson to be taught the children is that their errors and mistakes are to be brought to Jesus. . . . Teach them to ask His forgiveness daily for any wrong that they have done . . . (and He will) pardon and receive them."

-  Charles H. Betz, Family Life Consultant

Now isn't that the truth.

Shylynne, wise words to a parent that sometimes wonders what to do. Even though I have been greatly blessed with excellent children, it is good to hear these words of wisdom to help remind me of the things I need to do.

A PARENT'S PRAYER

Heavenly Father, make me a better parent. Teach me to understand my Children, to listen patiently to what they have to say, and to answer all their questions kindly. Keep me from interrupting them or contradicting them. Make me as courteous to them as I would have them be to me. Forbid that I should ever laugh at their mistakes or resort to shame or ridicule when they displease me. May I never punish them for my own selfish satisfaction or to show my power. Let me not tempt my Children to lie or steal.

Guide me hour by hour that I may demonstrate by all that I say and do that honesty produces happiness. When I'm out of sorts, help me O Lord, to hold my tongue. May I ever be mindful that my Children are Children and I should not expect of them the judgment of adults. Let me not rob them of the opportunity to wait on themselves and to make decisions.

Bless me with the bigness to grant them all their reasonable requests and the courage to deny them privileges I know will do them harm. Make me fair and just and kind and fit, O Lord, to be loved and respected and imitated by my Children.

amen

Don't forget that it's also important to pray for the stength to raise your children god's way.  Pray for yourself as well as your children.

"Parents often feel that much of what happens in their children's lives is beyond their control. But a child's life shouldn't be left up to chance when parents can turn to the expert parent of all time--the heavenly Father--for help. As Stormie explains, it's not being a "perfect parent" that matters, it's being a praying parent that makes the difference."

-  by Stormie Omartians book, The Power Of A Praying Parent

At every stage of your child's life, your child needs and will benefit from your prayers. You are not alone in the task of parenting. You can turn to the expert Parent, your heavenly Father, for strength and guidance. As a parent, you face a formidable and challenging task. You anxiously pace the floors at night. You gnaw your knuckles. You wonder if you are doing a good job of raising your child. Yet, you have Someone who paces the floor with you. You have Someone who hears your cries, feels your sighs, and knows your heart. Your heavenly Father is with you and for you in the task of raising your child. And, when you pray, He is with your child. Your heavenly Father will strengthen and guide you in the task of parenting. .
.
....There are no perfect parents. You will never be a perfect parent. But, you can be a praying parent. As a praying parent, you can make a difference in your child's life. Prayer can affect your child's life. It has the power to transform everything that touches and influences your child. As E.M. Bounds writes, "Prayer blesses all things, brings all things, relieves all things, and prevents all things. Every thing as well as every place and every hour is to be ordered by prayer. Prayer has the power to affect everything that affects us." There is nothing too small or too great to be subject of your prayers concerning your child. He will provide you with the wisdom and power that you need to pray your child through every stage of his or her life.

The Prayer Closet Ministries, Inc.

http://www.prayerclosetministries.org/PraParentPGs.html

Wonderful reminders! Thank you!  :D

sincereheart, you avoided posts I made to you after you accused me of bad theology. Why don't you defend your stance? Do you have a husband? If so, could you let him attack me instead of you? If not, could you please reply to the posts where you mocked me?

ut oh, sincereheart, you in beeeeeeg twouble now.


  (http://drudgereport.com/siren.gif)


(http://www.feebleminds-gifs.com/bigeye.gif)

 :-X

Nope. I checked with the ones who matter and I'm in no trouble at all.  ;)

Sorry to bust your oversized ego but I haven't avoided you. ... And yes I'm married - very happily so. Sorry to bust that bubble, too! All of your snideness reeks of the paranoia of disappearing posts.....


Don't pay any attn to her, TimV; she ignores me all the time, too.   I'll post a statement and, it's like, HeLLOOOoo.  It's like talking to your teenagers.  

But, she's a good ole soul.  You just have to let the big baby have her way, that's all.   ;D

Nor have I ever accused you of bad theology - I haven't seen any theology in your posts.

Whewwwww we, sincereheart.  Kitty has claws.   :)


    ???

*sigh* I got up this morning with this post on my mind.   :-[

My apologies to all who read it!  :-X

And now to those who may check it out because of this statement.... :-X

Proverbs 15:1
A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.
 :-X

Yes, that's a good verse.  Thank you, sincereheart.


That's always a very critical one to keep in mind.  Always plenty of NT verses to back it up, too.

   :)

Why Parent with Prayer?

Because:

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Yes Symphony, it's a good verse. One that I forgot.  :-X

Me too - when the fur is flying.  :-[  I forget.   :-\   And then it's too late.   :-X   To call those words back.   :'(



This is such a good thread, or idea -- "Parenting with Prayer".

Now there's  a novel idea.   :)

Too late to call 'em back - especially when someone has snagged them as a quote.  :P

LOL  ...and when you`re bein your very wisest someone  will just make faces instead of quoting you!  ;D  

ROFL! Course I wouldn't know about the being wise part! :-X
Sounds kinda like a Murphy's law addition!  ;D

I  think its the  Symphony Syndrome  ;D