Prayer for today

I have been reading through the book Praying Circles Around Your Children by Mark Batterson.  I am joining Kathleen of Positive Adoption in an online book club as we read our way through the book.  I am enjoying the slow and purposeful approach to read just one chapter a week. It is a very short read and could be easily devoured in one sitting but the pause each week has given the messages and applications time to sink in.

As a peek into my prayer life here is my prayer for the girls today.

"Lord, my heart is not proud; my eyes are not haughty. I do not get involved with things too great or too difficult for me. Instead, I have calmed and quieted myself like a little weaned child with its mother; I am like a little child.  Israel, put your hope in the Lord, both now and forever." Psalm 131

Father, may Lydia and Emma learn to calm and quiet themselves before You.  In a society that esteems busyness and productivity, I pray that they would stand counter cultural and learn to truly rest and trust in You.  You, Lord God, are true Hope.  In You alone, Lord God, can a person find rest.  I pray that as these precious girls learn to calm and quiet themselves before You, that You would nourish their souls.  That they would be fed and satisfied by You and You alone. Father, may they put their hope in You, both now and forever.  Amen.

I believe prayer is both a private discipline and a communal discipline.  Both the practice of private prayer and public prayer are invigorating to me.  There is great worth in the prayers I pray in silence to God alone as well as those that are shared.  I share this prayer as a means of encouragement and exhortation.  I believe the communal aspect of public prayer is a powerful thing and will never hesitate to share what and or how I am praying for my children.  Thanks for joining me in praying for my kids!

Here is another peek into how I have been praying for my girls.  I wrote descriptive words on pillow cases for each of them.  All the words on one side are words that are true of them today. Things I see in them, admire about them and want to encourage in them.  On the reverse side are the words I am praying for them as they grow.  Words that I would like to see them grow into and really own. 

My prayer list for Emma

That which is already evident in her.

My prayer list for Lydia

That which is already evident.

 As they lay their heads down at night, I want them to know that I pray for them. That I see them.  Even more so, I want them to learn to seek the One who knows them and created them for a purpose.  He knit them together in my womb and He has chosen them, set them apart and appointed them for His glory. (Jeremiah 1:5) 

Thanks for hearing (reading) my heart today! Blessings!