365 Ways to PRAY for Your Children

“Dear God, please bless my kids and help us have a good day.

Keep everyone healthy. Give me strength and peace to get through the day.  Amen.”

Do you ever feel like you say the same prayer DAY after DAY?  Or, almost the same prayer?

WHAT WOULD HAPPEN IF YOU

PRAYED

A SPECIFIC & DIFFERENT PRAYER

FOR YOUR CHILDREN

EVERY DAY

CENTERED AROUND

GOD’s ATTRIBUTES?

Proverbs 18:10 says, “The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous runs into it and is safe.”

2 Corinthians 3:18 says that the way we are transformed is by looking at who Christ is. If we want to see positive changes in ourselves and our children, we need to steadily gaze at our Heavenly Father and Christ so we can be transformed into their image.

HERE’s HOW

1. We must KNOW God

I invite you join moms across the United States who are participating in 365 DAYS of PRAISE.

Each day in 2013, you can receive in your email  inbox an ATTRIBUTE of GOD by which YOU can increasingly KNOW HIM and present Him to your children.  To get the daily attribute, simple sign up HERE in the 365 DAYS of PRAISE free subscription box.

2 – P.R.A.Y. for yourself and kids on the basis of God’s Daily Attribute

Each morning, use one God’s attribute as the focus of your prayer time.

For instance, let’s take Abba Father.

 – Read the attribute and verse in which God is manifested.

 – If you’re doing this WIITH your children for a family devotional, talk about how wonderful it is that God is our daddy in heaven. He’s adopted us. He loves us very much. We’re important to Him. We can ask Him anything, talk to Him about anything. He has gifts for us, a rich inheritance in Christ. (The depth to which you go should depend on the age and maturity of the child.)** Then using the acronym P.R.A.Y., (Praise, Repent, Ask, Yield) pray:

• Praise.  God,we praise You for being our Abba Father.

• Repent.  Forgive us when we forget how much You love us and when we disobey.

• Ask.  Help us to act and talk like Your children today.

• Yield. Fill our minds and hearts with Your thoughts today.

Using God’s attributes as the basis for your daily prayers for your children will broaden and develop your prayer life.  You’ll pray 365 specific ways for your children in 2013, all centered around them being conformed to God’s image. You’ll be praying 365 ways for yourself so that you’ll better reflect Christ to your children.

3 – Journal God’s daily attributes and your specific prayers.

The prayer journal God led me to design when my children were young, Prayers of My Heart, is a user friendly mommy designed journal.  Instead of recording prayers in a long column, you write the name of each of your family member at the top of a “Week at a Glance” column.  Then, record specific prayer requests under each name.

4 – Thank God for His answers. 

Philippians 4:6 says we are to ask God for our needs but to also thank Him for His answers.

In Prayers of My Heart, you can easily go back and write PTL for “Praise the Lord” or use a yellow highlighter to mark answered prayers.  This brings joy to you, your kids, and God as you see and remember, “Yes, I prayed for that and God answered.” It brings confidence to you and your kids that God sees, hears, and remembers you.

To pray, “Dear God, bless my kids and help us have a good day. Keep everyone healthy. Give me strength and peace to get through the day.  Amen,” is not a bad prayer.  But imagine if you added to it a focus on God’s attributes each day.  I invite you to join me in 365 DAYS of PRAISE and prayer for our children in 2013.

by Debbie Taylor Williams

(**Excerpt from The Plan A MOM in a Plan B World: How to Raise Faithful Kids in a Flawed World, pg 218)