I am always on the look out for interesting ways to incorporate our families' faith into our every day moments. I felt God put on my heart recently the need to step up the prayer life for my two boys. I love that whenever they hear a siren now its instinctual to pray for the accident and the emergency workers. However, with their little sisters' sleep and general routine leaving something to be desired, bedtime prayers were either being forgotten or being limited in topic matter. Due to hubby's working hours, I am often juggling bedtime routine and rocking a baby to sleep at the same time. Helpful.
So, I decided to make it tangible and exciting for the boys to pray for different things. Enter the Prayer Sticks.
The idea being that each night, they pick a stick each from the 'to-do'cup and then we discuss briefly how that applies practically to us and draw a picture of it on our sheets. For example "help me to tell the truth'. We could then draw a picture of a time when you found it easy or hard to be honest and talk about it together. (sorry about bad photo)
Then we hold on to our stick and pray for the topic we chose, and put it in the 'DONE' cup after. Except for the RED STICK.
The red stick always stays in the to-do cup and it simply says "what's on your mind?" This allows the daily flexibility to include current celebrations/ concerns into our prayer life. For example, my 8 year old decided to pray for the family of Robin Williams who tragically passed away. This stick could be used for something that deep or simply, 'thanks for helping me on my test today God'. The aim here is a sort of free-choice that keeps our prayer life always immediate and current.
1. What's on your mind?
2. My church
3. Grandparents
4. Help me to tell the truth
5. Thanks for your mercy
6. Pray for our finances
7. Thanks for my many blessings
8. Help me look after what I have
9. Give me a pure heart
10. Dad
11. Mum
12. Joshua
13. Daniel
14. Leisha
15. Help me to obey you
16. Pray your life verse
17. Pray for your school
18. Soldiers
19. Praise you for your Holy name
20. Pray for other churches near you
21. Thank you for your Holy Spirit
22. My suburb
23. Thank you for my home
24. Help me keep my promises
25. Help the kids that are in hospital
26. Watoto kids
27. My future job
28. Health
29. Thank you for the food I eat
30. For your forgiveness
31. Help me understand your word
32. Give me integrity
33. Sorry for bad choices I make
34. Thanks that you are always for me
35. Help me think good things
36. Give me a passion to serve
37. Cousins
38. Help me encourage others
39. Help me tell others of you
40. For our prime minister + government
41. Help me trust you
42. For my friends
43. For people I find it hard to love
44. Give me self - control
45. Help me always work hard
46. Forgive me for...
47. Help me not to judge others
48. For my future wife
49. Pray for your protection
50. Thanks for loving me
51. Give me future dreams
52. Help me to use good words
53. My teachers
54. Thank you for your hope
55. Thank you for dying on the cross
56. Thank you for my freedom
57. Aunties
58. Uncles
59. Help me to respect others
60. Neighbours
61. Thanks for comforting me
62. Pray for the poor
63. My pastors
64. Give me wisdom
65. My country
66. Thank you for today
67. Help me hear your voice
68. Thank you that you never fail me
69. For people who need God
70. Thanks for Doctors who help us
71. Thanks for your faithfulness
72. Help me bring peace to others
73. Give me great patience
74. May I always have a gentle spirit
75. Give me a joyful heart
Such a simple idea has changed the way we pray together, hope this helps someone else to encourage your kids' prayer life. What would you add to the list?
Lauren x
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