Praying for your Family

Last year, around the first of the year, I began to think a lot about prayer. I wanted to develop a stronger prayer life. I had gotten to the point of trying to pray at night in bed and waking up the next morning thinking, "I fell asleep during my prayer." I began to search through different sources to find ways to pray more effectively. I know, I know, the Bible is the only source we need. But, I needed a little help from others like me who could give me some ideas of what I was longing to pray for. I knew that I wanted to pray for my husband and my marriage, but what specifically did I want to ask God for? I knew that my children were in desperate need of my prayers so that they could grow up in this sinful world with the strength to stand up for Christ. But, again, I didn't feel like I was being specific enough. I knew that I wanted to pray for my relationship with Christ. But, what exactly did I want for all of these things?

I finally compiled a list of what I wanted to pray for daily. For my kids and my husband. This list does not include everything I pray about. It is just a list that I pray daily, adding to as needed.

I have seen so many results from this change in my prayer life! I love that I now have specific things that I'm looking out for! I love to see God work in so many ways in our day to day activities! He truly is an AWESOME God!

For my kids I pray that they:
1. Know Christ
2. Recognize sin and hate it
3. Get caught when they are guilty
4. Are protected for the evil one-spiritually, emotionally, and physically
5. Have a responsible attitude in interpersonal relationships and remain pure knowing they are temples of God
6. Respect authority
7. Desire the right kinds of friends and are protected from the wrong friends
8. Are kept from the wrong mate and saved for the right one
9. Learn to submit to God and resist Satan
10. Are not conforming to the world, but being transformed
11. Are hedged in so they can't find their way to the wrong people or the wrong places
12. Are grateful to others and to God
13. Let their lights of faith grow from small candle flames to flames large enough to fill a lighthouse
14. Will not be lazy but will find interests that keep them active
15. I pray that God will develop my son into a Godly man, husband, father, and spiritual leader
16. I pray that my daughters will know that they are beautiful and are God's special creations

For my husband, I pray
1. for his relationship with God
2. that he is the spiritual leader of our home
3. that he loves me deeply
4. that he has a heart for the kids
5. that he makes wise choices
6. for his emotional, physical, and mental health and strength
7. for the power to resist sexual temptation
8. that I will show him grace, respect, and kindness

For myself, I pray:
1. that I will be a wife that is easy to love, one that my husband wants to come home to
2. that I am an example of Christ
3. that I am a strong, kind mother who my kids can trust and strive to be like
4. that I have a servant's heart and I let my light shine
5. that I stay in God's word, learning and maturing
6. that I live my life in such a way that I point my kids toward a life lived for Christ and others, doing things deliberately for the benefit of others and the glory of God
7. that I embed the gospel into the hearts of my kids so they will be prepared to make an impact on the world.