The Power of a Parent’s Prayers
Last week my husband and I went on a double-date with some friends.
Having a night away from the kids, at a grown-up restaurant, with friends, and no interruptions was memorable enough, but of all the things we talked about that night, there is ONE THING I will remember long after the memory of the evening fades.
When sharing about recent life changes, our friend mentioned a handful of times, “I believe that all of my success in life is due to my mom’s prayers.“
This is a guy in his 40s giving testimony of a mom who faithfully prayed for her boy, both as a child and now as a man with a family of his own.
I didn’t need my friend’s assertion to confirm my opinion, but it sure did encourage it.
While there is no secret to guarantee success in parenting, I believe the best thing we can do as parents is to pray for our kids.
I believe this so deeply, a main part of my ministry is focused on equipping and encouraging us as parents to pray for our kids. I even wrote a book to help us!
Prayer is not a magic formula that guarantees all of our hopes and dreams, but prayer is the way we surrender and realign our hearts, minds, and wills to the vision that God has for our kids.
Even more than the good plans and ideas I have for my kids, I want God to accomplish His purpose in and through them. Yet, how can we know those plans and know how to work with God to accomplish those plans if we are not communing with Him in prayer?
As David Hubbard has said, “Our prayer expresses our commitment to Christ. By talking to God we affirm our basic decision to depend on Him.”
Will we depend on God in our parenting? Will we depend on God on behalf of our kids? If so, we will make prayer a priority.
I realize prayer may not be the first thing on our minds. I understand our lives are busy. I agree that a million other things can take the place of time in prayer.
But friends, will we let them?
Will we let our phone guide our day, or will we let Jesus?
Will we submit to our to-do list or our Savior?
Will we give our attention to our distractions or our God?
Will we follow our feelings or our Father?
If you want to
- Be a better mom,
- Guide your kids in the paths God has for them,
- Trust GOD to do the work in your kids you cannot do,
get before the Lord in prayer.
I don’t just mean a say-it-just-to-say-it prayer or throwing up some haphazard prayers you pinned on pinterest. I mean gut-honest time with God — regularly.
Can you imagine the changes we’d see if we as parents were faithfully on our knees for our children and families, our kids’ friends and schools, and the community in which God has placed us?
Can you imagine if a whole generation of kids went back to school this fall covered by the prayers of their parents?
Can you imagine the difference we’d see in our communities and schools and families and homes?
Can you imagine the difference we’d see in our kids as we humbly, faithfully, and full of faith enter into conversation with our Heavenly Father on behalf of our kids?
This year, will you specifically, strategically, and steadfastly pray for your kids?
Will I?
Will we?
This is the Parent Prayers Movement, and you are invited to join us. Will you?
Your prayers don’t have to be perfect, but please let them be real.
Love,
Erika // faithfulmoms.org
“Our prayers may be awkward. Our attempts may be feeble. But since the power of prayer is in the One who hears it and not in the one who says it, our prayers do make a difference.”
(Max Lucado)
