We all know how important it is to say our prayers. Yet how often do we forget or not find the time to pray? The Lord dealt with me about spending more time in prayer a couple of years ago. Last year, he put the desire in my heart to spend more time praying scripture into my children’s lives and then the desire to encourage others to pray scripture for their children. Hence, the My Prayers For You challenge was born.

These challenges will help you transform your prayers from vague and general requests to specific and distinct petitions in line with God's will for your children's lives. When we pray the Word we are taking hold of the promises He gives us and speaking them into our children’s lives. Let God speak to you through the Bible verse each week and learn from Him. Focus your prayers so you can see God's answers.

In February I will be starting a book club at Faith Sisters with the book “The Power Of A Praying Parent” by Stormie Omartian. This book is a perfect study to go along with this challenge and will encourage you in praying for your children. Go ahead and purchase the book or check it out from your library so that you will be ready to join the book club in February! More details to come!

Week One Scripture: “Pour out your heart like water before the face of the Lord. Lift your hands toward Him for the life of your young children.” ~Lamentations 2:19

My Prayer: Holy Spirit, please bring to my remembrance the desire to pray scripture over my children’s lives. Help me to hide these scriptures in my heart and the hearts of my children. In Jesus name. Amen.

A couple of years ago I joined a weekly prayer group. I remember the leader telling us to ask the Holy Spirit to remind us to pray. After praying this prayer I do find myself remembering to prayer more often. In fact, sometimes the Holy Spirit wakes me in the middle of the night with a burning desire to pray. I used to feel guilty if I would fall asleep while praying, or if my mind wandered during the day while I was in prayer. Then I heard a sermon that made me realize that the Lord understands, and only wants us to be in constant contact with him. Just as I talk to my husband, children, friends, sister and mom on and off all day. My Heavenly Father wants me to do the same with Him. Sometimes my conversations with my husband are interrupted. Sometimes I just send him a quick text message with a random thought. My short and sometimes interrupted prayers are the same type of communication with the Lord. I do try to spend quality devoted time in prayer and devotion each day. But I also continue “texting” short messages whenever the Holy Spirit brings something to my mind.

This week I chose to put the title “My Prayers For You” on one side of the card and the Bible verse and prayer on the other side together. For future challenges my card will include a Bible verse that sets forth one Godly characteristic God desires our children to develop on the front. The other side of the card will be my prayer with that verse. Each challenge I will include my card with the scripture, and my prayer. You can use my prayer or a prayer in your own words, on the cards that you make.

I used Jumbo playing cards and a black, white and red theme. My jumbo playing cards came in a tin and I am altering it to store my prayer cards.

It is my prayer that these challenges will encourage you to pray the Word in your child’s life while also creating a legacy of prayers to pass on to your children that they can then pray for their own children