Becoming a Praying Mother
The Legacy of a Praying Mother
Susannah Wesley. You may never have heard of her, but perhaps you have heard of two of her sons: John and Charles Wesley, two men who greatly impacted this world for Jesus. Like many men of God throughout history these men owe a significant part of their spiritual heritage to their praying mother. Amongst all of the activity and noise of her eleven children, Susannah Wesley still found time to pray. Her method was rather interesting, in fact, some may call it quite odd. If you were to walk through the rural village of Epworth, England on any given day in the early seventeen-hundreds and peer through Susannah’s window, you may have seen her sitting there, her children playing all around her, with her apron thrown over her head. Like a giant “Do Not Disturb” sign, Susannah’s apron is what she used to signal to her children that she was praying and not to be disturbed. She regularly brought her cares and concerns to God in this way amidst the bustle and business of her full household. While Susannah’s methodology may not work for the majority of us, her commitment to prayer is a convicting example to us all.
Why We Must Pray
Martin Luther once said, “To be a Christian without prayer is no more possible than to be alive without breathing.” Prayer is how we maintain fellowship with God. Prayer acknowledges our own helplessness and inability and His strength. Prayer helps us to walk in surrender to God’s will. Prayer helps us to live holy lives that are pleasing to God. Prayer brings us peace in the midst of trials, Jesus said to cast our burdens on Him (Psalm 55:22). Prayer is an attitude of dependency on God. When we come to God in prayer we are acknowledging that we need Him, we need His strength, His help, His guidance. To live a prayerless life, is to live a prideful, presumptuous life. As Christians we must pray.
Prayer Tips for Busy Moms
George Muller, a man who cared for hundreds of orphans on faith alone said, “I live in a spirit of prayer, I pray as I walk and when I rise, and the answers are always coming.” As mothers, it is important for us to realize that prayer is not confined to our quiet, uninterrupted times alone with God. Prayer is also a lifestyle. The Bible says to “Pray without ceasing”. Make it your goal to commune with God throughout the day. Be the woman who, as she dresses in the morning, prays that “strength and dignity” will be her clothing (Proverbs 31:25). As you brush your hair, put on your makeup and adorn yourself with jewelry, pray that you will also be adorned in the “beauty of a gentle, quiet spirit” (1 Peter 3:4). As you clean your home, pray that God will cleanse your heart making you pure in thought and deed (Psalm 19:14). As you wash your dishes, pray for your lost friends and loved ones, that God will wash away their sins and grant them salvation. As you fold your laundry, pray that God will clothe you and your family in humility and righteousness. As you prepare meals for your family, pray for them to be nourished spiritually and pray for your pastor to be given wisdom as he prepares spiritual food for his flock each Sunday.
Pray as you go, mothers. If your children are like mine, your car rides may not always be quiet but when they are, utilize them for prayer. Pray when you first wake up in the morning, before you grab your phone and before you get out of bed. Pray as you nurse your baby and rock them to sleep. Pray in the shower. Pray as you fall asleep at night. Pray as a family at mealtimes. Pray with your spouse during your devotions together. Pray with your children throughout the day, it doesn’t have to be long or eloquent, model the life of prayer to them. Pray as needs arise, when something is weighing heavy on your heart, speak to God about it. Process your thoughts through prayer, this is what it is to commune with God, to “cast your cares upon Him” (1 Peter 5:7), to “live in the spirit of prayer”.
A tool that has been especially helpful for me is my prayer journal. I keep a running list of prayer request in this journal and begin a new list about once a week, adding to the list as people in my life request prayer. I chose a simple spiral bound notebook so that it is easier to keep it open and available. I often keep it propped up on the kitchen counter or the windowsill above the kitchen sink to be reminded to pray for specific needs throughout the day. Once requests have been answered I highlight them in yellow so I can go back through old lists praising God for the answers and be encouraged by His faithfulness. Sometimes, if I am struggling to stay focused or something is particularly heavy on my heart, I write my prayers out in this journal. You don’t have to have a fancy system, just find one that works for you.
Though prayer doesn’t have to be confined to our times alone with God it is very refreshing to make time alone for prayer when possible. My husband recently gave me an evening off to go to my favorite waterfall and spend time in prayer, it was unbelievingly refreshing. Getting away may not be something we can do regularly as mothers, but even a brief prayer walk or a drive alone around the neighborhood to pray can be helpful. Consider using nap or quiet times, waking up before your kids do, or staying up later than they do. I know as a busy moms this is easier said than done, after all, nap times and bedtimes are often when other necessary household tasks get done and let’s be honest, when you are up with babies all throughout the night it’s hard to wake up even earlier than you already have to. This type of prayer may not be as frequent but make time for it when possible. Examine your heart to make sure your priorities are straight, if you have time to read a novel, watch TV or scroll on social media, you can make time to pray. I have found that when I prioritize prayer, everything else I need to accomplish falls into place and I am often more joyful while doing it and more refreshed than if I had just wasted time scrolling Instagram.
Praying For Our Children
Praying for our children is one of the most impactful investments we can make in their lives, and it never has to stop, even when they are grown! My favorite time to pray for my babies is when I am rocking them to sleep, I love praying over each part of them and praying Scriptures over them. Here is an example of some Scriptures you could pray over your children:
I pray that their feet will become beautiful feet that bring the Good News of the gospel to those who have not heard (Isaiah 52:7, Romans 10:15) and that their steps will hold fast to His path (1 Timothy 2:8).
I pray that their legs would run with endurance the race God has set before them. (Hebrews 12:1)
I pray that their hands would be lifted up to God in praise (Psalm 63:4) and that they would be the hands of Jesus to those in need.
I pray that their arms would be strengthened in the Lord (Psalm 18:34) and equipped for every good work He has for them to accomplish (Ephesians 2:10).
I pray for their ears, that faith would come to them through hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17) and that they will be quick to listen (James 1:19).
I pray for their mouth, that they would be slow to speak and slow to become angry (James 1:19). I pray that when they do speak, they will boldly proclaim God’s truth in love (2 Timothy 4:2) and that they would speak words of wisdom and life so that their speech may give grace to those who hear (Proverbs 18:22 and Ephesians 4:29).
I pray that with their tongue they will worship God and bless people (James 3:9).
I pray that their eyes would be full of God’s light (Matthew 6:22) and be open to see the needs around them.
I pray for their heart, that they will be diligent to store God’s Words there and keep themselves pure (Psalm 119:9).
I pray for their mind to be renewed by God’s Word (Romans 12:2). I pray that they will learn to take every thought captive and make their thoughts obedient to Christ (2 Corinthians 10:5). I pray that they would think about things that are true, lovely, honorable and worthy of praise (Philippians 4:80).
I pray that they will desire the things of God and be satisfied in Him alone (John 6:35).
I pray that they will be given wisdom (Proverbs 2:6).
I pray that they will have godly character, even as a young child (Proverbs 20:11-12, Proverbs 22:1).
I pray that they will love God’s Word, be faithful to its teachings and dedicated to sound doctrine and truth (1 Timothy 4:6-10).
That, like an arrow, they will someday fly out of my home and be used for the furtherance of God’s kingdom (Psalm 127:4).
Teaching Our Children to Pray
Teaching our children how to pray is teaching them how to relate to God, there is no better way to do this than to model it for them. Though praying aloud can be scary for some, for parents this is a wonderful opportunity. We want our children to see that our relationship with God is real and that we can communicate with our Father. Pray with your children. Stop and pray as needs arise throughout the day. Pray with them when they are afraid, sick or hurt. Pray with them before meals. Pray with them before bed. Pray for safety before road trips and don’t forget to pray at the end and thank God for answered prayers. Teach them to bring their concerns to God, nothing is off topic in prayer, God cares even about the small things that matter to them. Nothing is too great for His power, and nothing is too small for His love, the God of the infinite is the God of the infinitesimal. That being said, we do want the gospel to shape our children’s priorities and concerns. Give your children God-centered priorities to pray about. Teach them that there is a world full of needs beyond the front door. Open their eyes to the various needs of the world: foreign missions, unreached people groups, the orphan crisis, foster families and children in foster care, local evangelism outreaches, the persecuted church across the world, those who are sick and hurting, those in nursing homes or disability centers etc. Include them in praying for these needs. Use world maps and picture or videos from the internet. Read missionary newsletters and stories together. Make lists of the people in your life who need prayer. Take them to local nursing homes for outreaches. Utilize the church directory and pray for each family until you make it all the way through. Expose them to the needs around you so that they are better able to catch a vision for praying for them and serving others. Make prayer more than just about what your children want, make it about God and others.
Teach your children to pray as Jesus taught His disciples to pray in Matthew 6. “Your kingdom come Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” Teach them to first praise God for something, to give Him glory. Teach them His attributes and what they mean so that they can praise His character and exalt His name. Teach them to pray for lost loved ones to be saved. Teach them to pray for their own future service to God. “Give us this day our daily bread…” teach them to pray for their physical, day to day needs as well as for their spiritual needs. “And forgive us our debts as we forgive our debtors…” teach them to pray and seek forgiveness, confessing their sins to God and asking Him to help them to forgive others when wronged.
Train your children to expect answers from God, even if it is not the answer they prayed for. Don’t be afraid of unanswered prayers, these provide a wonderful opportunity to talk to them about God’s perfect wisdom and sovereignty (Romans 8:28, Isaian 55:8-9, Psalm 18:30).
How Children Teach Us to Pray
“And calling to Him a child, He put him in the midst of them and said, ‘Truly I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.'” -Matthew 18:3
As Christian parents, we are responsible for teaching our children how to pray but they can also teach us a lot about prayer. There is a strong temptation for Christian adults to think of prayer as a technic, to want to become advanced prayers, to make spirituality an achievement on our part. The only achievement of prayer, however, is God’s. What makes prayer successful is the gospel, the blood of Christ bringing us into the presence of God. Gospel centered prayer is a child petitioning their Father. Think about how your children ask you for things. They don’t confine themselves to special times or places. They don’t construct eloquent, little speeches. They come with complete confidence, secure in your love and dependent on your care. This is how Jesus teaches us to pray. We call God Father (Romans 8:15-16), we are His children. As truly as it delights us to be sought out by our children when they are cold, hungry or in need of comfort and protection, so it delights our Heavenly Father when we bring our needs and concerns to Him. Prayer has been hedged around with too many man-made rules. God intended for prayer to be as simple and natural as the interaction between a child and their parent within the home. He hears us because of this relationship not because He hears clever words (Matthew 6:7-8). We should all learn how to pray with the attitude of a little child: confident, trusting, expecting because we have a heavenly Father who loves us.
“Because He is the living God, He can hear. Because He is a loving God, He will hear.” -Charles Spurgeon