7 Prayers That Work

Lord God, You champion the cause of the widow and the orphan all through your Word. I pray for your justice, mercy, and vengeance on behalf of single parents and especially for ___________. I pray for just compensation, for money lost and support not paid. I pray for your covering over the children involved that they would feel your presence and find security in your love. Cause the attorneys to perceive injustice and make a case for fairness and equity. Comfort the broken hearts of these kids and their parents. Bring conviction to the oppressor's heart. Forgive the contrite spirit. Bring unity, collaboration, and even restitution between warring parties. Help all those involved to discover life-giving options. Close opportunities where malice, revenge, and cruelty can thrive.  Give the judge wisdom and understanding. Protect the weak and vulnerable. Defend the widow(er) and abandoned children. Heal their grief. Shine your light of hope and healing into relationships and scenarios ...

Spirit of God, Overwhelm my children with your Presence. Cover them with your perspective. (Read "A Daily Prayer for your Children" here .) Infiltrate every aspect of their lives, into their media, their relationships, their classrooms, their fun time, their family time. When they see injustice, remind them to turn to you for answers. When they feel afraid, pull them into your protective embrace. When they feel tempted, whisper truth into their minds and hearts. When they feel alone, surround them with your continual Presence. When they feel overwhelmed, bolster their courage in the God who has conquered everything. When they feel lost, guide them back to your will, your calling, and your people. When they sin, convict and restore them to relationship with the Father. (Read "A Prayer for my child's safety" here .) Lord, be an ever-present Friend and Comforter, the first place they turn in the morning,  and the last place they ...

Dear Lord, You know I've got a big couple of weeks coming up.  My children are leaving the nest in a variety of ways.  Whether first time, second time, or last time--it doesn't really matter. There is a stabbing pain when my kids move away. Release, pride, gratefulness, worry, and then loss,  which tries very hard to morph into panic and desperation. (Smothering and helicopter-ing seem like options, even though I condemn it but secretly want to do it.) My emotions are going crazy, so I know that my feelings and thoughts cannot be fully trusted. I must lean into you only. Worry makes me assume the worst. Loss makes me feel rejected. Panic pushes my loved ones away. (Read a blog about losing your kids to college here .) Control my thoughts, Lord. Speak truth to me, and help me hear you. Help me to focus on your love and grace to me, not my feelings of loss or worry. You've got this. You've got me. You always protect, always draw near, always...

Dear Heavenly Father, I give you my children into your hands to protect, guide, convict, and grow. I pray over my children the words you gave the Israelites when you instructed them to impress your commands on their children's hearts. I need your help to do this well. Help me to impress on my children: to love you with all their heart, soul, and mind to carefully obey all your commands to think about you and understand you during their daily tasks and their journey through life to memorize your holy Word, so it will grow in their hearts and produce godly attitudes to fear (respect) you; to be in awe of your majesty to keep their hearts from idolizing people and things to take your authority seriously--not to test you or ridicule you or disregard you to do right and good, whether they are alone or with others to recognize your hand of blessing throughout their lives and to remember your interactions on their behalf to discern your voice and your expectations ...

Do you pray Scriptures over your children? Colossians 1:3-14 is one of my favorite passages to pray over my kids. When I speak the words that Paul wrote to his spiritual children in Colossae, I feel the invocation of God's Spirit over them. What could be more powerful than praying words that God inspired himself? Here's how to do pray God's words over your kids: 1. Direct your words towards God. When you read a passage in the Bible that you want to pray to God, say the words to him. For instance, Paul says We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you.  You can pray this to God by saying, "Lord, you are my gracious father, and you love me as you love Jesus; thank you for giving me my children." Already, you've put yourself in a correct frame of mind to intercede. (God loves you, and He is a good father. He wants to answer your prayers!) 2. Apply the words to your children. If the Bible says something like we have not stop...