Welcome to Day 10 of 31 Days of Making Small Changes! Each day I’m talking about little things we can do that can affect big change in our lives.
Since I’ve got four of them, they way I think about/treat/care for my children is something that’s always on my mind. I think the most important thing you can do for your children is to pray for them. I am definitely guilty of going days without doing this, but I am finding ways to incorporate prayer into my daily routine. Just as with any other practice you want to add to your life, you may need to set up reminders until it becomes a habit. This is definitely a habit worth developing!
5 ways to remember to pray for your children:
1.) When you see them first thing in the morning
It doesn’t have to be elaborate, just say a prayer that they will follow Christ that day and make wise decisions. If your child is a baby, pray for his or her future decisions. It’s also a good time to pray for patience during the day. 🙂
2.) When you take them to the doctor
Thank God for their health, and if they are not healthy, intercede on their behalf. I have definitely learned that nothing sends parents to their knees like a sick child. But remember to thank God for the healthy times as well!
3.) When they are away from you
When you have a little break from the little ones, by all means enjoy, but spend some time in prayer thanking God for his gift(s) to you. Pray specifically for problems they may be encountering, or attitudes in their lives that need changing.
Just had to add this of my youngest. Love him!
4.) While you’re driving
Driving in Houston traffic makes me want to pray anyway, but looking back at their sweet little faces in the rearview mirror reminds me of how precious those three lives are. Sometimes I pray for something noble like their future careers, sometimes I pray for something selfish like, “God, please make them stop fighting!”
5.) When you least feel like praying for them
Yes, sometimes when all we want to do is send them to their rooms for a thousand years for whining for the umpteenth time about what’s for dinner, say a little prayer. Sometimes when I do this, I realize something in my life they might be emulating. Ouch.
These are simple times of prayer but God hears our prayers no matter where we are.
How do you remember to pray for your children?
About Kelli Hays
