A Prayer For My Children

After tucking my little angels in their beds tonight,  I began reflecting on the last few years.  I guess the New Year sparks these kinds of feelings.  What am I doing wrong and how can I make changes in my life?

My babies are growing up so fast.  As a mother, I can't help but wonder if I am giving them the right tools to grow in God's love.  I pray over my children daily and I can only hope that with total guidance from my Father, they will grow morally and spiritually stable.

My prayer...

Dear God, help my children learn to trust in you early in their lives and remain faithfully committed to your ways throughout their lives.

In their busyness, may my children have quiet moments in which they think and reflect about You in their lives.

Father, fill me with sensitivity and insight that I may understand the best ways to guide my children so they may grow in your wisdom and love.

Gracious God, infuse in each of my children the awareness that the world is filled with teachers.  May they see others as being sent by you into their lives to teach them to learn better patience, greater love, more compassion.

May my children be open and affirming of all others.  May they be the ones who reach out, embracing those who are left out or left behind.

Dear God, whenever my children face trial, trouble, or fear, let them naturally turn to you for guidance and strength.  May my children know this powerful promise of scripture: "The eternal God is your refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms"
{ Deuteronomy 33:27}.

Father, convictions mean nothing unless there is courage to stand up for them.  May my children "be strong and courageous" {Joshua 1:6}, standing up for those treated unkindly and unjustly.

Loving God, although family life is often hectic and busy, help me to listen with patience to the worries, troubles, and problems my children may have.

May my children exhibit kindness in their speech.  Let the words of Psalm 19:14 be true for my children:  "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight."

In times of moral uncertainty and temptation, empower my children to exhibit spiritual stability.  May the words of Joshua have a firm grip in their hearts:  "You are to hold fast to the Lord your God" {Joshua 23:8}.

Father, let my children be like Jesus who "grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men" {Luke 2:52}.

Gracious God, give my children more love, more self-denial, more willingness to sacrifice for others.  Let them understand deeply that it is more blessed to give than to receive.

As my children go out this day, may your loving protection go ahead of them, be behind them, hover over them, and stand beside them.  This day, protect them from every danger.

Amen.