A Moment for Your Monday: Momma Prayers

Some things you know, but you have to relearn then a few times - or a million. One of those things I'm relearning yet again is the power of parents' prayers. Did you know that your prayers as a momma are powerful on behalf of your children? We don't always see results right away. Some of us haven't seen results yet, in fact. But I want to encourage you to persist in your prayers like the neighbor who continuously knocks until he gets an answer (check out Jesus talking about it in Luke 11:5-10).

Stuck on what or how to pray? Here are a few ideas to get you started from a book I read recently, Praying Circles around Your Children, by Mark Batterson.

1. Pray the Promises of God. You probably know a lot of the things God promises to his children: "I will never leave you or forsake you," "I will be with you always, even to the end of the age," "if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation," and the list goes on. Start with ones you know, and dig into your Bible for more - try the Psalms as a starting point. Then, pray those things for your children. Ask God to fulfill those promises in their lives. 
2. Make Prayer Lists. As you pray those promises of God, make lists of them. Write down the verses and promises and dreams you are praying over your children. Then, pray through that list over and over again. Some days you will feel like a broken record, but remember the persistent neighbor!
3. Create Prayer Mantras. Your prayers are powerful. Your children hearing those prayers can also be incredibly powerful! Think about the things you most want for your children and most want them to know you want - and pray them out loud! At our house our son hears us pray every night, "We pray that he would grow to be a strong man who loves You with all of his heart, soul, mind, and strength and never goes a day without hearing Your voice." 
4. Form Prayer Circles. Recruit other people to pray with you! Ask close friends, your children's mentors, family members, etc., to both pray what you are praying as well as ask God to reveal things directly to them to pray. We are strengthened in our faith through community, and praying for our children is definitely a marathon - not a sprint! 
5. Pray Through the Bible. The Word of God is living and active! Why not tap into that power and pray the same things God wants for our children? As you read your Bible, ask God to make certain verses stand out to you - things he would love you to pray over your children. Insert their names into those verses and pray them very specifically. You may even want to get a Bible for each of your children. As you read through it, circle the verses you pray and make notes. Someday, this will be a great gift to each of them to show them what you have been praying all this time!

Don't try to implement all of these things all at once, but pick one (or something else not covered in this book!) and try it out. Work it into your routine before trying another one. For some other resources, check out Warrior Prayers: Praying the Word for Boys in the Areas They Need it Most and 31 Days of Prayer: For Our Daughters.

How about you? What have you learned about praying for your kiddos? What other resources would you love to share?