Coming across this article by Kim Butts
prompted me not only to be intentional in implementing the advice given, but to
also share with anyone who has interest in knowing practical ways of making
prayer part of everyday life in their family. We might look at our parents and
think to ourselves, "I will never be like them", but we deceive
ourselves when we are not intentional in educating ourselves on how to raise
Godly children. And again, pride comes before a fall: Though we label our
parents as bad examples chances are great that we might fall into the same
parenting pattern. As a result, those from broken families continue the legacy
from generation to generation. It is only by the grace of God that are we able
to break free from the power of bad parenting.
So here they are...
1. Help your children to become aware of
answered prayer. Tell them about the times in your life when God has answered
your prayers. Encourage them to share when God answers their prayers--even if
His answer isn'’t what they wanted or expected. When you have other
believers--especially missionaries and full-time Christian workers--in your
home, ask them to tell you about answered prayers they have experienced. Point
out God’s answers to your children’s prayers, even the smallest requests.
2. Help your children to see the beauty
of God’s creation and thank Him for it. Don’t miss opportunities to appreciate
His handiwork around you. Take time to point out sunsets and beautiful
flowers...and thank God for them right then.
3. Whenever you see or hear about
someone in need, take time to pray about it with your children. It could be
something on the news or in the paper, or something you come across during the
course of your day. Teaching them to pray when they see an accident or when you
pass a homeless person could have a lasting influence not only on your
children, but on those who are prayed for.
4. Wrap family traditions or events in
special times of prayer. For example, lay hands on the person with a birthday
and bless him or her; thank the Lord for two things that you love about her,
etc. At Thanksgiving, go around the table and have each family member pray
about what he or she is most thankful for over the past year.
5. Pray blessings over your children.
Lay hands on them at bedtime or at another time when they are hurting in some
way, and pray scriptural blessings over them. Numbers 6:24-26 is a good one to
memorize: "The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make His face shine
upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you
peace."
6. Teach your children to prayerfully
put on the armor of God (Eph. 6:10-18) at the beginning of each new day. Each
of us needs to be aware that we are in a battle and that God has provided us
with some very important equipment with which to protect ourselves and fight.
This can be done as a family, but don’t ritualize it or make it a legalistic
thing.
7. Have family devotions and prayer
time. While any time is good, early mornings before everyone goes separate ways
is probably the best time. This will remind children that God will be with them
throughout the day.
8. Put together a family prayer journal.
Place each family member’s picture in it, as well as pictures of your pastor
and his family, relatives, unsaved friends, and neighbors. Pray through the
album together, and encourage one another to pray individually on a daily basis
for those represented.
9. Teach children to keep a personal
prayer journal. Here they can record personal requests, praises, and answers to
prayer.
10. Develop a missionary prayer
notebook. Place prayer cards or pictures of missionaries your family and/or
church support in a three-ring binder with plastic page protectors, colorful
paper, etc. Include pages with pockets for recent newsletters, prayer needs,
e-mail messages, etc. Pray through the notebook on a regular basis. Help your
children make the connection between prayer and saving the lost. Pray together
that the Lord of the harvest (Matthew 9:38) would send workers into His harvest
fields.
11. Adopt a people group to pray
for--perhaps one of the unreached groups of the 10/40 Window. Pray for your
people group daily, research its needs, and be open to what God will do through
your family. To adopt a people group, contact Adopt-a-People Clearinghouse,
P.O. Box 1795, Colorado Springs, CO 80901-1795. There is also a wonderful video
that teaches children about the 10/40 Window called The 10/40 Window for
Children. It is available from Joey and Fawn Parish, 6673 Sora Street, Ventura,
CA 93003.
12. Develop a family prayer calendar
each month. Take turns, or do it together. Put each family event or activity on
the calendar, so it can be prayed for. Wouldn’t it be great to have the entire
family pray for a child to do his best at the track meet or that Mom would meet
someone who needed to hear about Jesus at her meeting?
13. Go on a prayerwalk in your
neighborhood. Pray for all the families that live around you. For help on how
to do this, obtain the book Prayerwalking by Steve Hawthorne and Graham
Kendrick (Creation House) or the video Prayerwalking for Kids, available from
Joey and Fawn Parish (see address above).
14. Adopt a leader to pray for. The
objective of this National Day of Prayer Task Force program is to have families
adopt a local, state, or national political leader. The family commits to pray
for and communicate with this leader for at least one year. Kits are available
from NDOP at (800) 444-8828.
15. Participate as a family in prayer events.
Join with other believers for the National Day of Prayer (first Thursday in
May), Pray USA!, Praying Through the Window, March for Jesus, etc. Encourage
your junior- or senior- high school children to take part in See You at the
Pole.
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