Prayer is a Privilege

“Guess what, mom?  I found my toy!  I found my toy!” my daughter exclaimed.  “I lost my toy this morning, so I asked Jesus to help me find it, and he did, he did!”  Earlier in the day, me and my preschool-age girls were having a conversation about prayer, and about how we can talk to God about anything.  We can ask him to help us when we need help.  I told them how I talk to God about things going on in my life too, like helping me find my cars keys when I misplace them, deciding what to make for dinner, how to help the neighbor, etc.  God was so good to hear Sarah’s prayer and answer her right away!  I can envision him being so happy to please her. 

What a rich heritage we can give our children by sharing our prayer life with them.  They catch a glimpse (or a long, hard look) at what it’s like to have a living relationship with the God of the universe, who loves us more than anyone else in the world.  It is through our prayers for them that God is moved to act on their behalf.  As we pray for them, with them, and over them, they experience God’s blessing upon their life. 

You know your child more than anyone else.  Pray for them—their needs, character, will, mind, emotions, gifts and talents, everyday stuff in their life, and especially for their heart to long passionately for God.  Pray specific verses from scripture for their situations.  God will hear you, and them, and will answer.

One of the great honors of being a mom is to pray with your child.  When they pray out loud, you hear the cry of their heart, (or what they’re really thinking about).  When you pray out loud, keep it simple and short, to the point, but let them hear your heart.  Don’t pray general prayers, or “slogan” prayers.  Pray specifically.  Pray often.  Philippians 4:6-7 ^“Don’t fret or worry. Instead of worrying, pray. Let petitions and praises shape your worries into prayers, letting God know your concerns. Before you know it, a sense of God’s wholeness, everything coming together for good, will come and settle you down. It’s wonderful what happens when Christ displaces worry at the center of your life.”

God tells us to pray over our children.  We are to pray blessings over them, and upon their lives.  Even when they are babies, pray over them at night when they are asleep (and it’s quiet!).  Pray over your child when they need special guidance or courage.

Mark 10:16 “Then, gathering the children up in his arms, he laid his hands of blessing on them.”

Eph. 3:20  ^“God can do anything, you know—far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us.”

Pray for your child.  Pray with your child.  Pray over your child.

Raising Great Kids

Raising great kids is not just trying to help our child make good choices and become a good adult.  It’s also about being the parent I need to be.  Children learn by what is “caught”, not necessarily what is taught.  How many times do we catch ourselves telling them, “Do what I say, not what I do!” 

Successful parenting begins with me, the parent.  Am I following and obeying God?  That’s what we want our child to mirror.  Am I enjoying my life? Praising God in everything?  When I wake up each day, do I think of the problems and the work of parenting, and get discouraged? Or feel stuck?  There’s something I can do about it, to be the parent I need to be.  Take a quarter and hold it in your hand, tails side up.   This side represents the problems you see.  Now, turn it over so the heads side is up.  This represents God. 

“Cast all your anxiety upon Him, for He cares for you.”  I Peter 5:7

“Take My yoke upon you, and learn of Me.”   Matthew 11:29  Jesus’ yoke is light.  It is rest.  It’s not a burden, but a joy.   

“Rejoice always.  Pray without ceasing.  In everything give thanks.”  I Thess. 5:16-18    As we “act out” praising God (in spite of, or because of, how we feel) our spirits will lift.   Knowing that He is God and that He is in control gives us peace and confidence.  Now take that quarter and hold it close to your eye.  When it’s that close, all you can see is the coin, right?  Sometimes, all we can see is our problem, because it’s right in front of us.  Now, extend your arm all the way and hold the coin towards the sun.  If you could look at your coin now, the sun would surround the coin.  Jesus surrounds us with His love and light (wisdom).

As we live out our faith, there will be times we stumble and fall.  But when we allow Jesus to hold our hand, we get back up again and walk with Him.  We can do it!  And if we do it, they will too! 

The Power of Touch

How different our world is today than the previous generation.  Can we even remember what life was like before the digital and electronic era? Before Facebook and text messaging?  Even before television?  People would sit on the porch and talk with their neighbor.   They would eat together at each other’s homes.  Kids would ride bikes and play games together.   There’s one thing that happens during these times of being together: touch—a hug, a pat on the back, a stroke on the arm, holding a hand, even a “holy kiss”.  It brings connection in a powerful way.

I believe God designed us to need the physical touch of others.  And we have the gift of giving an appropriate touch to others.  Recently, I was watching some parents interact with their young children.  The kids were climbing on their parent’s lap, using them like a jungle gym, or sometimes just sitting there, leaning on their dad or mom’s chest.  Or, they would look up in their parent’s face to talk with them.   I realized how much I miss those times of touch when my children were young. 

I remember making a decision as a mom when my kids were little...to hug them as much as possible, and to make sure I told them at least once a day, “I LOVE YOU”.  The times that I didn’t feel like giving them a hug (but I did anyway), reminded me of how much I love them, and put life back in proper perspective.  There were times when just my loving touch with my restless child would calm them (and me) down. 

There are so many stories of Jesus touching people, especially when he was healing them.  His hands and arms brought comfort and security, even to the outcast.  Our loving touches can bring healing and comfort as well.

Take advantage of the time you have with your kids, and dole out the hugs as much as possible!  It’s a commodity like no other!