Does everyone remember the challenge going around in June (I think) to pray for our husbands? Amy at Dandelion Seeds started the revolution. In case you don’t remember S.H.M.I.L.Y. is an acronym for “See How Much I Love You?” For the month of September, Amy is encouraging us to read one chapter a day of Stormie Omartian’s book THE POWER OF A PRAYING PARENT. There are prayers at the end of each chapter. (This is a picture of our Princess at 5 lbs 4 oz. So precious.)
I am very excited to participate in this prayer challenge again. As I shared with many of you before, I saw GREAT BREAKTHROUGH in my husband’s life during the June challenge.
I’ll be sharing some things that really stand out to me about this challenge. Tonight I read the first chapter and here are some points that I thought you might find interesting:
- We must cover every detail of our child’s life in prayer. Don’t ever under-estimate the power of a praying parent.
- God wants us to continue to give Him our children on a daily basis.
- We should do our job to discipline, teach, nurture, and “train up a child in the way he should go” so that “when he is old, he will not depart from it” (Proverbs 22:6).
- It is the POWER OF GOD that penetrates a child’s life when a parent prays.
Stormie states that prayer is acknowledging and experiencing the presence of God and inviting His presence into our lives and circumstances. It is seeking the presence of God and releasing the power of God which gives us the means to overcome any problem. Amen!
- Prayer not only affects us, it also reaches out and touches those for whom we pray. When we pray for our children, we are asking God to make His presence a part of their lives and work powerfully in their behalf.
- Our prayers are NEVER lost or meaningless.
Psalm 25:14 The secret of the Lord is with those who fear Him.
The battle for our children’s lives is waged on our knees. When we pray for our children, we are in the battle along side them, appropriating God’s power on their behalf.
- When we employ God’s Word in prayer, we are laying hold of the promises He gives us and appropriating them into the lives of our children.
- Whenever we pray for our children, do it as if you are interceding for their lives — because that is EXACTLY what you are doing!
Lamentations 2:19 Pour out your heart like water before the face of the Lord. Lift your hands toward Him for the life of your young children.
For those who have older children (this made me think of issues with teens): Remember that your fight IS NOT with your child. It is with the devil. HE is your enemy, not your child. Stand strong in prayer until you see a breakthrough in your child’s life.
Beth, when we pray for our children, I think it is our way of saying to the Father " I believe what you say about my children and I trust you to bring it all to pass." Great post.
I always share Proverbs 3:5,6 with my son and everyday he incorporates that in his prayer. I know that our day feels so good when we start with the Lord and end it with the Lord. Thank you for sharing all these wonderful reminders of how important it is to always be prayerful for our children. They do need our prayer covering for the enemy is active, whatever he can destroy, that's his only purpose to begin with. But thanks be to God for giving us life [to the full!]…Blessings to you sister.
In my daily morning devotionals I use Prayers That Availeth Much to pray for my family. I have been praying for years now for even my childrens future spouses!!
What a beautiful idea!!
Such a wonderful idea.
I am joining in and will be posting my thoughts at the end of each week. Probably sundays. I am excited to start this.
I didn't get the book so I'm not participating but at some point, I do plan to get it and read it cover to cover. Sounds wonderful!! Princess is very lucky to have you as her mommy.
Thanks for sharing this.
I am one of those that have teens. Some days I think, "What am I doing, I do not like being a mom to teens. It is not fun at all. It is hard. What in the world was I thinking?" But the truth of the matter is, that is not the majority of the time. I love them and I can not imagine not having them. But, I have to remember that it is my job to love them and direct them but it is God's job to change their heart. He does the work in them. I do not. If I do not try to take on that, then I seem to be able to rest more, knowing that God cannot and will not fail to fulfill His promise toward me concerning my children. It brings me such peace! 🙂