Prayer Prompt #44: Because He Lives

“ . . . because I live, ye shall live also.”

John 14:9

How sweet to hold a newborn baby,

And feel the pride and joy he gives;

But greater still the calm assurance

This child can face uncertain days because He lives!

(Because He Lives by Bill & Gloria Gaither)

Dear LORD, thank you for making me a mother and giving life to another soul.  In the name of Jesus, we set him apart and claim him for Your eternal kingdom. How wonderful to know that no matter what his ‘tomorrows’ bring, You are there and You are victorious. We thank you in Jesus name, amen.

Prayer Prompt #43: Crankiness - It's Not Just the Kids

“You're cranky a lot.”

It wasn't a complaint but an observation, and I had to laugh a little at the sheer honesty of my child's assessment of me.

But then I realized -- he’s right!  How could it be that I was often cranky with these little people that I loved so dearly? That's not what I want them to remember about their mama!

How often I let the pressures and stresses of life rob me of just enjoying my children!

But if I’m being robbed of that blessing, I know who’s behind it - and I know the remedy too: the devil comes to steal, kill and destroy. But Jesus triumphed over him and gives us a rich, satisfying and abundant life.  (John 10:10.)

Dear Lord, you gave me a precious gift when you gave me my children.  Fill me with joy and grace. Let their memories of me be that I loved and delighted in them, not that I was frequently cross and cranky. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Prayer Prompt #42: Better

We will not hide these truths from our children; we will tell the next generation about the glorious deeds of the Lord, about his power and his mighty wonders. For he issued his laws to Jacob; he gave his instructions to Israel. He commanded our ancestors to teach them to their children, so the next generation might know them— even the children not yet born— and they in turn will teach their own children. So each generation should set its hope anew on God, not forgetting his glorious miracles and obeying his commands.

Psalms 78:4‭-7 NLT

Our country has a history of foreigners immigrating here in search of a better life for their children.  I have the same desire for my children spiritually. I want them to do better than me and have even more of Christ than I attained.  Not because I've attained too little, but because I know in Him there's always more.

Have I walked with Jesus? May they walk with Him closer.

Have I learned to hear the whisper of His voice? May they hear it even clearer.

Have I obeyed joyfully? May they do so even more.

Have I given myself to prayer? May they pray with even greater fervor.

Have I loved Jesus with all my heart? May they love Him even more.

Dear LORD, we are but strangers and sojourners on earth - foreigners seeking a city whose builder and maker is God - a better city.  May my children be drawn to that celestial city by my example, but may they far exceed me in their knowledge and enjoyment of You. In Jesus’ name, amen.

Prayer Prompt #41: The Ultimate Countdown

So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.

Psalm 90:12 (KJV)

“The days are long, but the years are short” is a common and accurate description of motherhood. My oldest is only four but my memory of the first time he looked into my eyes is as vivid as if it happened an hour ago.  Where did all that time go? Slipped away like mist in the morning despite my efforts to cling to those precious moments.

When he was still a baby I decided to view time in reverse as a way of constantly reminding myself that every day is a gift.  I don’t only view him as 4 years old; I also remind myself that, if he goes to college at 18, I have 14 more years to pour into him before he enters that new season in which he has much greater independence.  Next year there will be only 13 years, then twelve . . . the ultimate motherhood countdown.

The countdown helps me remember that the time I’ve been given with my children is precious and I ought to be conscious of how I use it. It helps me remember to love intensely and display Christ bountifully. It helps me be grateful for every moment I have with them, knowing that they are not mine but God’s, and I cannot hang onto them forever because one day they will step into the future to which He calls them.

Dear LORD, Your Word reminds me to make the most of every opportunity (Ephesians 5:16) and to number my days (Psalm 90:12). Give me the grace to apply this to my parenting by enjoying my children, loving them well and helping them become established in a lifelong journey walking alongside You. Make me truly conscious that each day You give me with them is a gift.  In Jesus’ name, amen.

Prayer Prompt #40: The Blessed Mess

My house is not worthy of HGTV and my life is not worth viewing on any social media feed.  Both are messy, imperfect, raw.

But I’m not ashamed of that. In fact, I embrace it.

This mess . . . this beautiful, blessed mess . . . this is life. It’s an embracing of imperfection for the sake of living in each moment and loving in each moment.

Helping mommy clean means there will be excessive vinegar spray on the bathroom tile that we’ll need to wipe up.  Letting them flip the pancakes for the first time means I’ll be cleaning batter off the stovetop. “Yes, sweetie, you may dig for worms . . . it’s okay, we can wash those muddy pants when we get home.”  It means more laundry. And more. And more. But they love it.

And I love watching them explore all the nooks and crannies of the world God made. I love when they live and embrace that experience isn’t always neat and tidy and life means getting your hands (and your floors) dirty.  In allowing them to live in these messy moments, God gives me new eyes to see how utterly amazing it is to experience the gift of living! When did I lose that childlike wonder? But thank God -- He is regenerating it in me through the witness of my children.

Dear LORD, what a beautiful, amazing world You have created - for us! “The way of an eagle in the sky, the way of a snake on a rock” (Proverbs 30:18-19) . . . Your world is full of wonder; thank you for showing me again through my children. As we live in this blessed messy life, help me to keep seeing the exuberance of living rather than just the clean-up involved. Help me to embrace new experiences like my children embrace them. In Jesus’ name, amen.