Monday, July 14, 2014

The Igorant Parent- A Prayer For You

The Ignorant Parent posts are a new series that some friends and I thought would be fun to write from our different perspectives on various topics. Our goal is to encourage you when you need to be lifted up, to show you hope in every situation, to let you know that you are never alone and to glorify God with the stories that He has written for our lives. For more background on who we are and how we know each other, check out our bio page.

Today we wrote prayers for the insecure, the longing, the anxious, and the weary souls out there. We wrote a prayer for ourselves because these are the things we are struggling through right now. And we pray that if you are struggling, too, that you might be encouraged and that these prayers will become your prayers.

Elizabeth

If you are struggling with insecurity...

God thank you for your delight in my everyday life. Thank you for loving me as I am and guiding me as I grow in glorifying you, and understanding your ways for me. I pray and am seeking you to grow my confidence and trust in myself and you. God,  your promise says the same power that raised Christ from the dead is alive in me. The same spirit is alive in my spouse, friends, and strangers. God I pray to have that confidence. To believe I am special, with purpose. That the good and the difficult in my life is being worked out for YOUR good. Father fill me with your good, overload my spirit with confidence so that I don't compare my path and gifts to others. Allow me to rejoice with their victories and give praise to you, for the plans you have for us as individuals and collective souls. Let me be so in awe of what you're doing through me and others that our spirits begin to soar. And the generations affected. Close my mind to insecurities. Close my mind to things that are not of you, grow my love for myself and others through a clear understanding of your love and delight in me.

For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they will keep you from being useless or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 1:8 HCSB)

In Jesus' name, Amen.

Danielle

Father God, this prayer is for the woman whose heart is longing for more, whose desire is to do more, whose dream is to see more of you, magnified and glorified through her life. This prayer is for me, and (I pray) it might be for the one reading it too.

I want to live the extraordinary. I have big dreams, big hopes, big ideas, but the seemingly small is my reality. The ordinary is what I live.

And yet, all throughout your Word, you remind me that the ordinary is extraordinary. The least is the greatest in your kingdom.

When I want to travel to the ends of the earth, thank you for reminding me "...that repentance and forgiveness of sins should be proclaimed in [Christ's] name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem," the city of closest proximity to the disciples (Luke 24:47).

When I want to leave my corporate career and become a missionary, thank you for reminding me "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men... rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man" (Colossians 3:23 and Ephesians 6:7).

When I want to serve families here, there, and everywhere, thank you for reminding me how important serving my own family is, because "... if anyone does not provide for his own, and especially for members of his household, he has denied the faith..." (1 Timothy 5:8).

When I want to spend my days making disciples of all nations, thank you for reminding me of the little disciples you have entrusted to me each day right here. "And these words that I command you today shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, and when you walk by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise." (Deuteronomy 6:6-7).

And when I want to do more for you, thank you for reminding me you have done it all for me. It is a gift. It is not something I can earn. "For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works..." (Ephesians 2:8-9).

Father, I don't think you've said no to my dreams, hopes, and ideas; you have said, "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven" (Ecclesiastes 3:1). You've said obey, trust, love.

I ask for your wisdom, a deeper knowledge of you, and your will in my life. Help me to obey, help me to trust, help me to love.

Thank you for reminding me: the big and extraordinary can be found in the small and ordinary.

Thank you for your great, extraordinary love for me! Thank you for reminding me always, it is enough.

In Jesus' name, amen!

Amy

Dear anxiety-filled-terror-stricken-brand-spanking-new Mom,

This prayer is for you. And me.

Father God,

You are the Father of all creation. You can count every hair on my head (Matthew 10:29-31), you know my name, you made my heart and you created within me a soul to know You (Jeremiah 1:5). Today I come to you in honest fright. You entrusted me with a gift beyond words, a great blessing the size of Texas. You gave me a daughter, precious and new. And I am terrified.

Father, you have written the roles of women throughout the books of the Bible. It is natural to care for children, raise them up in your Spirit with your Word written on their tiny hearts. You have directed us in how to teach our children. It’s all there in the lessons of your parables and the words of your own Son, Jesus. So then, why do I feel so inept? Why am I so scared?

My life has wholly changed, forever. You have shown me the depths of your love in one itty-bitty life. And it’s knocked me clean off my feet. I wonder what my life will be like in a year, two, even ten. I would like to ask for your holy guidance in how to live a life pleasing to you that will teach my daughter your grace and love.

Father God, I also want to ask that you help me take one day at a time. And when I wake, I have a heart like David, a man after yours (1 Samuel 13:14). Show me how to love like Christ, so that I can be an example to my child and she can be salt and light in this world (Matthew 5:13-16).

Lord, I have been talking with you for a while now; talking about changing my life to mirror your desire for me. For too long, I have tried to fit you into my life instead of fitting my life to you. I need to stop talking and start doing. I have been scared to give up the old in exchange for the freedom of the new. You have said you will provide, and I know you will. And you have shown me the story of Jonah and what could happen if I deny your will for my life. I will follow your path. Just help me take the first step.

Father, there are many just like me that don’t know what tomorrow will bring with this new life. Help us to rely on you alone and not our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5). Help us to trust in what you can make of our lives when we get out of the way.

I pray this prayer to you in your Son’s precious name, Jesus Christ. Amen.

Laura

For the weary soul who longs for rest...

God I'm tired, I'm burned out, I'm useless. My weariness has run my patience dry, grace rarely exists for others and I can no longer define mercy. I get angry at the drop of a hat, I say “no” more often than I laugh, and I get easily frustrated when things don't go as I want or expect them.

Teach me to be thankful in times of frustration. Teach me to find joy in my kids' chaos. Teach me to have grace in times of trouble. Teach me to have mercy on others regardless of my circumstance. Teach me to enjoy dropping the reigns of control so I can find excitement in trusting you with reckless abandon. Stretch me to love in words and actions beyond what I am capable. Stretch me out of my comfort zone so I might grow mightily out of my safety zone and into a role that will glorify You. Stretch me and mold me out of my life plan and into your kingdom plan.

God, I no longer want to try and squish you into my plans and dreams and give you lip service. I want more. I want to abandon my plans and live for Yours. Your plans are far greater than any I could ever dream up. And your rewards are far greater than any this world can offer.

But God I pray for these things, then as I open my eyes, I see my reality before me and immediately the fatigue of everyday hits me like a brick wall. Suddenly the hope of change seems to disappear in an instant.

Lord, I'm starting to see that it is in the fumes of exhaustion, in my brokenness, in my complete and total end of myself that I can begin to truly rely and depend on you. In that moment, it becomes obvious I need to trust you because I cannot dig my way out on my own.

God, help me to find contentment in these tired moments. When I can be content and trust you in the trenches, I know I can trust you in any situation.

"Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. I can do all things through him who strengthens me." -Philippians 4:11-13

Lord, when I can find contentment in any situation and trust you with the details, I know I will begin to find true rest... in you.

"Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.” - Matthew 11:29-30

Thank you Lord, for the hope, fulfillment and peace you offer that surpasses all understanding.

In Jesus' name, Amen.

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