Day One: Becoming a Praying Parent

I'm going to mention more points from the chapter of the book today than I will normally mention, because this might be our most important chapter.

I got this little pair of boxing gloves a few years ago at a Women of Faith Conference. They remind me that it's my responsibility to fight for my family in prayer.

Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven,

and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.

- Matthew 18:18

Stormie reminds us how important it is for us to pray God's will for our children, not just what we want. Rather than praying that my son marries my best friend's daughter, I need to start with this simple prayer, "Lord, show me how to pray for this child. Help me to raise him Your way, and may Your will be done." And that can be a hard prayer to get started.

Becoming a praying parent will affect our lives as well as our children's lives. We are depending upon and inviting God's power to move in our family.

He has blessed your children within you.

- Psalm 147:13

Scripture will also play an important role in our prayers. It is a powerful tool and never returns void. (Isaiah 55:11)

If anyone else is reading along with me this month, I invite you to leave any special requests you may have in my comments/discussions section. Moms (and Dads too) joining in prayer is a powerful thing.

If two of you agree on earth concerning anything that they ask,

it will be done for them by My Father in heaven.

- Matthew 18:19

And now on to the prayer. I will be using the prayer that is in the book each day, but inserting my children's names. When you read it, use your children's names. Here we go...

Lord, I submit myself to You. I realize that parenting a child in the way You would have me to is beyond my human abilities. I know I need You to help me. I want to partner with You and partake of Your gifts of wisdom, discernment, revelation and guidance. I also need Your strength and patience, along with a generous portion of Your love flowing through me. Teach me how to love the way You love. Where I need to be healed, delivered, changed, matured, or made whole, I invite You to do that in me.

Help me to walk in righteousness and integrity before You. Teach me Your ways, enable me to obey Your commandments and do only what is pleasing in Your sight. May the beauty of Your Spirit be so evident in me that I will be a godly role model. Give me the communication, teaching, and nurturing skills that I must have. Make me the parent You want me to be and teach me how to pray and truly intercede for the lives of my children.

Lord, You said in Your Word, "Whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive" (Matthew 21:22). In Jesus' name I ask that You will increase my faith to believe for all the things You've put on my heart to pray for David & Elizabeth.