Praying for Your Wild ChildSample

Children are one of the most precious gifts that God gives us, and the pressure to steward that gift well can be overwhelming. Remember that God is our father, and with that, he has given us the best example of how to parent in how he parents us.

The days are long, but the years are short. One day, my little girls were twirling around in their favorite princess dresses, and my stepson was in his favorite hero costume. The next day, they were entering the adult world. And there aren’t many things that I have regrets over in life, but if I could go back, I would have surrendered my control to Jesus sooner.

What I’ve realized is that the choices that my kids make as they enter early adulthood are part of their own boundaries that God gives them. But the seeds of scripture and prayer that I planted for all those years and will continue to plant, are seeds that God can water and grow. Your children will make their own decisions. Encourage it, coach them through it, and lead the way.

Plant the seeds. Read scripture to them every day. Be the parent that always makes everything about Jesus. Point them to his goodness. Show them how to follow Christ through your actions, not just words. Talk about the goodness of God whenever you can. Let them see your Faith lived out each day. Focus on the legacy that God has called you to leave, and they will look to that as their guide.

And when you pray – believe that God will answer your prayers. He’s more than able. Throughout the Gospels, we see Jesus praying repeatedly in his own journey. Let that be our model. If God himself prayed in flesh form, then we should pray even more.

So, pray that your children see Christ through you. That’s a powerful prayer.