Tag: children

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Heal and Restore Broken Families

Restoring Father,
Sadly, families are not immune to the collateral damage of existing in a fallen, sinful world. I pray for your help and restoration in healing families broken by sin. Where the sin of adultery has ripped husband and wife apart, grant repentance and reconciliation to repair the marriage bond. When abuse of any kind has left family members or children devastated, intervene and bring it to an end. In those cases, also bring about justice for the one responsible and provide any necessary therapy to those harmed by it. Let those families crushed by traumatic death or injury receive counseling and support to help them process and navigate their grieving or loss. No matter what struggle or hardship any family may face, see to it that your grace is always apparent to provide healing and hope. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For Healthy Families

Loving Father,
When I consider the blessings that flow into and through healthy families, I marvel at your plans. You have established the institution of marriage as the bedrock upon which the home is built. Through it, you provide husbands and wives to commit to pouring into each other in loving service. Within the family, fathers and mothers work as one to teach and train their children not only life skills, but also eternal life truths by which your Spirit anchors them to you.

As children lovingly obey their parents, they display for society what honor and respect for those in authority look like. When families lovingly serve their neighbors, they model on a small scale how ideal communities function and what a healthy society looks like. Establish strong families, allowing them to serve as a special channel by which your goodness richly flows into the world.

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For Dealing with Difficult Family Members

Loving Father,
Family relationships have the potential to be among the most treasured connections we have, as well as some of the most challenging. Since we generally tend to be as close to our family as we are to anyone else, that tight bond can amplify both the best and the worst of any relationships. Give me the awareness to recognize family members who manipulate the shared bond and twist it to induce guilt or shame on other family members. Grant me patience with difficult family members, as well as the courage to lovingly call them out whenever necessary. Let me be unafraid to call believing family members to repentance when they have sinned, and also unashamed to evangelize unbelieving family members. While I cannot change or control the behavior of my biological family, I am responsible for how I respond to them and handle them. Let me do so with a balance of firmness and grace, seeking always to do what is in the best interest of their eternal good.  

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For Families with Little Ones in Worship

Heavenly Father,
Sundays are sacred. Jesus told his disciples to let the little children come to him. Therefore, I thank you for young parents and families who faithfully attend worship. That season of life can be filled with more than enough hassle and headaches that would make it easy to stay home. Those parents recognize not only their own spiritual needs, but also the needs of their children. They are establishing healthy worship habits that can serve to bless their children for a lifetime.

When their Saturday evenings or Sunday mornings are filled with stress and frustration, and the pull to just stay home is strong, let your Spirit provide the determination they need to stay the course. And, when they do, and little ones are out of sorts or unsettled during worship, give other worshipers an extra measure of patience, and remind them how good and healthy it is to have little ones together in worship. At the same time, give parents the discernment to recognize when circumstances call for them to take a break if little ones have become a distraction for other worshipers, while also compelling other worshipers to lend a helping hand whenever possible. When we view worship not just as an opportunity to be served, but to serve, we’ll gladly welcome all worshipers – including children – and rejoice that they are present. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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To Encourage Children to Use Their Gifts

God our Father,
Children are a blessing in many ways, but we often underutilize their gifts. While they are capable of contributing in our homes, congregations, and communities, we easily overlook them. Sometimes we don’t want to deal with the grumbling and complaining that accompanies these opportunities; other times we don’t feel up to the added time and energy it takes to prepare for their involvement or explain all the details to them. 

Either way, we miss valuable opportunities to instill in them not only the importance of serving and using their gifts, but also the satisfaction and healthy pride that go along with the privilege of making a difference. Using their gifts in their younger years also helps them learn responsibility, become familiar with their limitations, and know when they can and cannot push themselves harder. It also allows them to get a feel for their unique gifts and the variety of ways in which they might enjoy serving. And, when others see children use their gifts to serve, it fills them with hope for an optimistic future as well. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For Fathers to Prioritize Time with Their Children

Perfect Father,
Rarely can it be said that fathers and their children spend enough time together. Help fathers to prioritize spending quality time with their kids. When obligations, responsibilities, and deadlines are looming, free fathers from the stress of things left undone, and help them to realize that neglecting time with their children has potentially even greater consequences than incomplete to-do lists. 

Lead fathers to seek a balance between structured, scheduled activities and free time that is not marked for anything other than just being present together with their kids. Both uses of time are valuable and are a tremendous blessing to children as well as fathers. With this time together, let fathers have not only a positive influence on their children in general, but especially a godly influence. Use fathers to model what the Christian faith looks like, not in theory, but when put into practice in real life. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For Mothers Who Have Lost Children

Dear Father,
As we honor mothers this week in prayer, I pray today for mothers who have lost a child. Some mothers have endured agonizingly long bouts of sickness in their children, only to see them lose their battle. Others have lost children through sudden and unexpected tragedy. However that loss occurs, it brings with it a unique and painful kind of grief. 

When that pain is raw and recent, reassure those mothers that you grieve with them and that they are never alone. Give them space to mourn, and when the well intentioned words and condolences of others miss the mark, help mothers to receive them with patience and grace. When years have passed and the pain still lingers, begin to shift the recollection of past memories from being a source of pain to becoming treasured keepsakes in the heart. Where possible and as you see fit, dull the sharp sting of death even the slightest bit with the blessing of additional children. Finally, allow the Resurrection to foster a deeper appreciation for the hope mothers have in knowing that death doesn’t have the final say. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For Mothers of Teenagers and Adult Children

Dear Father,
As we honor mothers this week in prayer, I pray today for mothers of teenagers and adult children. As our children grow, they become more independent. At times, especially during the teenage years, that independence and general season of life can be turbulent. This often results in added friction in the relationship between teenagers and mothers. A similar tension is not uncommon when children become adults. As they develop additional relationships in these later years, including the establishment of their own families, their dependence on mothers decreases. 

Nevertheless, lead all children, regardless of age, to honor their mothers, in keeping with the Fourth Commandment. While the role of mothers transitions from one season of their child’s life to the next, keep their special connection strong. Help children to always treasure the love and care of their mother. Help mothers to respect the relationship boundaries their children establish with spouses, careful not to overstep them. Grant both mother and child grace and patience, and guide them to navigate their relationship by seeking to understand the other’s perspective. Bless the bond of mother and child, no matter the age. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For Mothers Doubling as Care-Givers

Dear Father,
As we honor mothers this week in prayer, I pray today for mothers who also carry the added responsibility of being an adult care-giver. Whether that role is by choice or out of necessity, caring for other adults while also caring for children of any age as a mother can easily test a person’s limitations. The challenges may vary depending on the nature of who is needing the care – parents, other aging family members, or a husband – but the burden remains especially heavy no matter what.

Give mothers in these scenarios a competent and caring support system, so that others can intervene and provide them with assistance or even insist that they take time for needed self-care. Make children aware of the added responsibility their mother has, so that they might be more sensitive and appreciative, even lending assistance when possible. Sustain these moms with your strength and perseverance, and nurture their faith so they see you as their rock and refuge. Bless their children and all others on on the receiving end of their care. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen. 

DAILY PRAYERS FOR GUYS

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For Working Mothers

Dear Father,
As we honor mothers this week in prayer, I pray today for working mothers. Whether working full-time or part-time, in the office or from home, the juggling act of being a working mom takes its toll in many ways. It’s not as easy as flipping a switch to go from mom mode to work mode and vice versa. Not only do the responsibilities themselves overlap over and need to be carried out, but the mental and emotional burdens are heavy, too.

Grant working mothers coworkers and employers who are both understanding and accommodating. In cases where additional assistance is necessary for childcare, provide whatever is needed. When working moms wrestle with the guilt of not being available for their children around the clock, release them from that guilt and assure them that you are always present, caring and providing for every child’s need. Keep work requirements from robbing them of the joys of motherhood, and give them sufficient rest to be able to carry out both roles well and to your glory. 

In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.