Friday, March 1, 2013

The Intentional Prayers


For several months Noah has been praying every night this very sweet and simple prayer.......

 "Thank you God for everything. Amen." 

Prayer. I am a product of a rich legacy of prayer. My grandmothers were prayer warriors. My mother spends hours a week in conversation with the Lord. On my behalf and the behalf of my family, our leaders, her church....


My prayer life is definitely an area for improvement. Prayers are prayed quickly as I get out of bed, shower, apply makeup, drive, bite my tongue  rock my babies, kiss goodnight. These are the moments I have. I want to make them count.

There is a great blog I read called Inspired To Action that has a great prayer calendars for husbands and children that give a theme for each calendar day and a verse to go with it. I have found this helpful in my short ramblings throughout the day. I use this theme  in my utterances  Even if it is "Lord grant Noah and Miller a heart for missions" (yesterdays) a couple of times a day.

Recently I have been listening to Noah's simple prayer and realized that (duh) it is my responsibility to teach him to pray! And Miller too. I began using ACTS a outline that I was taught in grade school. Adoration. Confession. Thanksgiving. Supplication. So in Noah's prayers I have been modeling and having him offer up things here and there. The other night he asked God to help a friend of his not get on yellow light at school. With Miller we have just started with Thanksgiving part of his nightly prayers. So far he has been thankfully for Nana. Mimi. Mimi's house. Nana's keys. Daddy. Noah. Charlie. And one night when I said Amen! He looked at me and said "No momma. Tank chew God for mommy. Amen." Melt.

I may not get to spend the same amount of time on my knees as my prayer warriors but hopefully I will still pass my kids a legacy of prayer.

What are ways you teach your children to pray? Or make your own prayer life intentional? Ideas? Thoughts?

1 comment:

Mom said...

I agree with Miller. "Tank Chew for my Carrie!"
I have been learning more and more this year about praying "on the go".....about practicing the Presence of Jesus in the moment, all day long. ....which is just what you are talking about. I am thankful that you are learning that at a much younger age.