With 3 kids in college, 1 in high school, and 1 in middle school, I’ve been wondering lately if I’ve given my children all the tools and resources they need to stand on their own against the unrelenting world. As the world has grown stranger and colder with each passing day of 2020, I’ve become more burdened than ever to up my prayer strategy. I thought I might not be alone in this desire so I created something that will help each of us as we are praying over our children.
The Blessing
I love reading historical fiction novels from “long ago and far away”. One of my favorite eras to escape to while reading is Medieval England. I’m fascinated by the stories of King Edward IV, his wife – Elizabeth Woodville, their missing boys, and fight for Edward’s throne.
While recently reading a beautiful book about their lives, something stood out to me. Every time Elizabeth’s children entered her presence, they bowed before her for a blessing. And every time they left home, they bowed before her for a blessing.
I began thinking about my own children and how much they’d laugh at me if I told them they needed to bow down on their knees in front of me so I could bless them. Or would they?
Honestly, I wish I had read this book 20 years ago so I could have raised them with this practice of coming to me for a blessing. It’s awkward and uncomfortable to try to create new norms within the family when most of your kids are already grown. Yet, God hasn’t allowed me to let go of this idea yet, so with time and more prayer, I’m waiting with anticipation to see how He let’s this unfold for our family.
If you have small children, I want to encourage you to adapt this practice in your own home. Not to be legalistic. Not to get caught up in a ritual like I’m sure it was back in the 15th century. But instead, to instill in your children that your prayers over them matter and that you are always going to the throne of God on their behalf.
What is a Blessing?
As I read about Elizabeth Woodville, I wondered what exactly a blessing over our children might look like. Is it a Scripture? Is there a list of blessings somewhere that we should be memorizing? Are there different blessings for different occasions?
The answer to all three questions is YES!
Yes, praying a blessing over our children is as simple as praying a Scripture over them. Yes, these short verses are easy to memorize and if you’d like help searching for suitable scriptures, the internet has many lists readily available. (I’m including a list of blessings you can pray with my free printable.) And yes, you can absolutely pray different verses over your children as they pertain to their circumstances.
Praying WITH Our Children
Another great practice to get into while your children are young is praying together – and not just bedtime prayers. When your child has a problem – stop and pray about it with them. When they are afraid, pray for protection. When they’re sick, pray for healing. When someone has hurt their feelings, pray for forgiveness.
As mothers, we have such an enormous responsibility to raise up our children in the ways of the Lord. It’s difficult to find time and opportunities to teach them everything we want them to learn, but praying with our children is one of the greatest ways we can influence their hearts for Christ. As we model how to pray before them and they see at a young age that God hears their prayers and answers them, we are paving their paths with the greatest foundation they could possibly have – faith.
I will admit that I failed in this area when my children were younger. I didn’t pray with them often at all, even though I prayed to God about them. Yet, God redeems our mistakes and I’ve found it easier to stop and say, “Hey, can we pray about that together?”
I think when we confess our shortcomings and weaknesses to our children, it helps them realize that we are all growing in our walks with Christ and that it’s never too late to start good habits and healthy practices that help us draw closer to God.
Praying FOR Our Children
“Father God, be with my kids. Protect them. Help them be who you’ve called them to be.”
That used to be the extent of my prayers for my kids. I didn’t know what else to pray. I wanted them safe. And I wanted them to be all God wanted them to be.
But over the years, as I’ve grown in my own understanding of God, I’ve grown in the desires I have for my children and their relationships with Him. I want my children to know Him intimately. I want them to seek Him with their whole hearts.
I want God to protect them. I want Him to bless them. I want Him to send them friends who will encourage them and bolster their faith. I want Him to send them people who will challenge their beliefs and make them truly own what they’ve been taught.
I want God to use my children to bless others. I want Him to help them succeed in all that they feel called to do. I want them to marry like-minded believers who love them as much as I do. I want them to choose joy even during difficult circumstances. I want them to use the talents God has given them.
I want God’s greatest blessings for them.
That’s why I created a monthly prayer sheet for each child. At the beginning of the month I print one out for each child (including the kids my children are dating). Then every Monday morning I text each kid and ask them how I can pray for them this week.
On Monday evenings, I sit down with my prayer sheets and add more to it. There’s enough space that I can keep adding things for about a month, then I start a new sheet.
There’s a space for writing down a Scripture (or a blessing!) that I want to pray over them for that month. There’s a box for writing down any words that God brings to mind when I think of my kids. There’s no right or wrong way to do this. I just write down whatever comes to mind – silly, striving, integrity, young, broken, pure… these are all words that I’ve used in the past.
Then there’s a box for writing down any events that are coming up in their lives that month. I add to it as the month goes on when things pop up. It’s just nice to have that reminder of events to pray about.
And then the biggest box at the bottom is for prayer requests. I write down the requests they send me each week and I add my own.
The Download
To download your own Prayer Strategy & Blessings List printable, enter your email address below and they will be sent directly to you for FREE.
I’m including a few different designs, so print off the one that best meets your needs or share the others with a friend!
And please know that I’m praying for you as you start this new journey of upping your prayer strategy over your children. As the t-shirts say, “Mommin’ ain’t easy!” but I’m thankful God’s given us each other so that we can learn, grow, cry, cheer, and face this life… together.
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