I have never been a morning person, so I've always found that ending the day with my reading/studying God's word, being quiet so that my heart can "hear" what God has to impart, then praising and praying, seem to help me prepare for the day ahead.
Now that I have 5 children, it seem harder to find that quiet time for personal growth. However, doing short little Bible studies with each of my children (hardly ever all together) are just as rewarding. I learn something new from the OT & NT Bible stories as I read, teach or talk about them with my children. As they are memorizing those verses--"all have sinned" and "while we were sinners Christ died for us" and "everything He made is beautiful" and "Children obey your parents in the Lord for this is right"--I'm rememorizing them and hiding His words in my heart right along with my children.
I guess I'm revealing this to say that if your walk with God seems to have stumbled or not turned out the way you think it should be, just know that (Romans 8:26-28) 26 Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.
27 And he that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because he maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God.
28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose.
CHAPTER 2
I loved the last paragraph before the prayer...
quote:
We can't be everywhere. But god can. We can't see everything. But God can. We can't know everything. But God can. No matter what age our children are, releasing them into God's hands is a sign of our faith and trust in Him and is the first step toward making a difference in their lives. Prayer for our children begins there.
This sentence in the prayer was especially for me...
quote:
Helb me NOT to live in fear of possible dangers, but in the joy and peace of knowing that You are in control.
On a personal note...I can remember when I first dedicated each of my children back to God. The first time was in 97 when Cynthia was almost 5. She somehow was infected with the virilent strain, e-coli-0157. She went in to the hospital because she would not eat (even popsicles) and was having diarrhea movements a minimum of 1 or 2 an hour. Turns out it was bloody diarrhea. We came very close to losing our beloved daughter. She was supposed to be airvaced to Tulane in NO (Nov 21, 97), but because of tornados hitting all around (Lafayette, Covington, Picayune MS, Nicholson MS) the sent a PICU team of RN specialist by ambulance. When they got there, I just assumed I would be able to ride with Cynthia but found out that it was not a given. But God knew that I was supposed to ride with her that night. That ride was full of prayer, but the one prayer that will forever be imprinted on my brain was, "God you know that I am selfish and want my daughter to live here on earth with me, but I know that she is not mine. You have blessed me so richly with the 4 years that you have lent her to me. Lord, Father, she is yours and if you want her with you, then bring her home. But Lord please give me a second chance. Heal her body. Speak to her heart and let her know that you are with her to comfort her. Hold her in your arms while I am unable." The rest of that ride, and for the most part the rest of her hospital stay (a month) and then the recovery at home (5 months), God gave me a real peace to listen to the grim statements from Doctors. Then once she began to recover and was moved from the PICU to the floor, He stayed with me as the nurses began teaching me how to care for Cynthia (peritoneal dialysis, cleaning the cathetar sites, and giving shots every other day). After 3 weeks Cynthia's kidney functions began to recover. All of the doctors were stunned. But we were not. We had so many family and friends, many church prayer chains, firefighters (my DH was a firefighter), internet prayer chains, teachers and children in schools, ALL were praying for Cynthia. I certainly learned the POWER OF PRAYER in one small month in 1997.
I still fail miserable as a Christian, as a parent, a wife, as a human. I certainly fail in my prayer life. I don't pray everyday. Cheryl, thank you for starting this discussion. And Step, thank you for providing me with the book and study guide. I pray and hope that this journey through The Power of A Praying Parent will be the catalyst for a closer walk with God.
(Our church is starting The Purpose Driven Live: 40 Days of Purpose Campaign this coming Wednesday night, too, so I'm getting a double dose over the next 6 weeks.)
CHAPTER 3
Okay, now for Chapter 3...
Some of the statements that stood out for me were...
"Being a praying parent doesn't mean that nothing bad will ever happen to your children or that they will never experience pain. They will, because pain is a part of life in this fallen world. But the Bible assures us that our prayers play a vital part in keeping trouble from them. And when a painful thing does happen, they will be protected in the midst of it so it will be to their betterment and not their destruction." (I think destruction here can also refer to their walk with God.)
"What might happen, or might not happen, to our children if we don't pray today?"
Since Cynthia's complete recovery I have experienced a detachment from her that I was unaware of for several years, but it becoming much more apparant now. I don't hug her or kiss her like I used to. About 2 years ago the "separation" came crashing in on me where I recognized that I had felt like I had given so much to her during that 7 month period that I felt like I had given all my love to her. I had used up the well that was there for her. This is not true, I haven't exhausted the love that I feel for her, but I haven't shown it in the way that I should have from the time she was 6 until she was 8. I still have to force myself to hug her and to tell her I love her even now. I do love her, but for some reason the showing of my love has become a chore. Maybe part of it is that she shows overwhelming love for my mother, which I think is great, but I want the same from her, too. I don't want to lose her. She's only 11 (12 in Nov) and I feel like I'm losing my baby already.
Looks like I really need to start reading chapter 4.
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