It’s a regular Tuesday night. My husband is working with clients and I’m sitting around the table with my parents, my two little ones, and both grandmothers. The food, hot and ready, is waiting to be blessed before we enjoy another one of my mom’s healthy and delicious dinners.

We ask the kids which one of them would like to say the blessing and it’s the boy who pipes up. 

He’s a little guy, just two years old with golden blonde hair and an often pursed mouth primed and ready to give sweet kisses. He sits at the end of the table, hands folded and ready.

We hear his little voice, starting with “Dear God, thank you for…” and he makes his way around the table, thanking the God who made him for each and every family member by name. Tagging on a blessing for the food at the end, his voice rises with a big “AMEN”, his hands fly high into the air, and he flashes us a big grin, signaling he’s finished with this part of the routine and he’s ready to eat.

I pause and my mommy heart melts at the sweetness of the moment. “This is what it’s about,” I think to myself. The striving to parent with purpose and create a God-centered home feels worth it when I see these tiny results in the day to day.

Does he fully understand what he’s doing? No, not likely at this age. But he’s reflecting a behavior of daily gratefulness and turning his heart toward God and I’m thankful.

 

Praying for Your Kids

In addition to modeling prayer for our children, it’s important that we incorporate praying FOR them as well.

I’ve gathered a few resources to help us all on that journey. I hope these are a blessing to you and I encourage you to add any additional resources to the comments so we can all learn from one another’s experiences.

 

Praying Daily for Your Children Calendar

From Kat Lee, the author of the free ebook Maximize Your Mornings, this is a free downloadable 30-day calendar available at her site, Inspired to Action.

Praying God’s Word for Your Kids – 12 Lesson eDevotional

From Amanda White, the author of Truth in the Tinsel: An Advent Experience for Little Hands and A Sense of the Resurrection, this is a free downloadable 12 lesson e-devotional available at her site, OhAmanda.com. Note that you’ll need to subscribe to her site to receive this resource. 

 

Prayer-Focused Reflections from Intentional by Grace – 31 Days of Living the Gospel at Home Series

From Leigh Ann Dutton, the founder of the site Intentional by Grace, these are two posts to get you thinking about the importance of prayer in your home.

5 Reasons We Don’t Pray the Way We Should

Is Your Home a Place of Prayer?

 

Prayer-Focused Books

While I haven’t read each of these, they are by authors I respect greatly and they’re on my “to read” list, so I wanted to share them with you.

The Power of a Praying Parent by Stormie OMartian

Praying Circles Around Your Children and The Circle Maker for Kids by Mark Batterson

Praying for Boys: Asking God for the Things They Need Most by Brooke McGlothlin

 

Looking for more ideas and resources for Parenting With Purpose as you create a God-centered home? You can find the whole series here.

 

 

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