Prayer matters!
Praying with and for your grandchildren matters!
They may be too young to understand the importance of your prayers, or they may be old enough to take it lightly and even roll their eyes, but your grandchildren will never forget that you are praying for them.
Whether your grands live next door or many miles away, your prayers are the most powerful way to make a difference in their lives. God is faithful. He hears and answers our prayers. You might be unable to attend their games or music programs. Perhaps you can’t go bowling with them or take them on an exotic cruise. But…you can pray.
Stalin supposedly said he’d have the youth in his grasp if he could get rid of the “praying Babushkas.”
That’s why THIS Grandma prays!
Each family is different, and our family prayer lives vary. Some families pray silently or individually before meals. Others take turns praying aloud. Some never eat without an audible prayer by the patriarch or matriarch of the family.
Perhaps you have a special prayer your kids and grands learned when they were young. This one is buried deep in my childhood memories as one we often prayed together at mealtime…
Thank you for the world so sweet
Thank you for the food we eat
Thank you for the birds that sing
Thank you God for everything
Here’s another one of those early prayers…
God is great
God is good
And we thank Him
For our food
Simple and sweet. Decades old memories. Do you have one you remember from your earlier years? Did you continue the tradition with your own children? Your grandchildren?
As little ones grow up there are many as many “traditions” associated with our prayers as there are reasons to pray. Think about it.
Denominational prayers
Back-to-School prayers
Nighttime prayers
National Day of Prayer prayers
See You At the Pole prayers
Prayer breakfasts at the beginning of each school year are awesome. Some clever moms I know host these for their own kids and their neighborhood friends. Everyone gathers the day before school starts on a patio or driveway to eat, bless the backpacks, pray for the kids, and send them on their way. It’s a good practice for kids to get up and ready after a relaxed summer, but more importantly, it’s an opportunity to pray for a safe and successful year for students, staff, and schools. And, it leaves an indelible impression on all who come.
I have been known to pray for my kids and grandkids by driving (or walking) around their school buildings on that all-important first day of school. I’ll keep doing it when I’m able. Why? Because God can calm anxieties, encourage healthy friendships, provide safe environments, and protect our much-loved students whether they are starting kindergarten or making their way across some college campus. Right?
That’s why THIS Grandma prays!
One year, my grandkids and I made little beaded key fobs, then exchanged them. I kept the one they made to remind me to pray for that particular grand. Each one kept the one made especially for them, by me, and hooked it on their backpack. Whenever they saw it, it served as a reminder that Grandma was praying! Maybe I’ll do that again next year….who knows?
Remind your grandchildren – often – that you’re praying for them. Even if they don’t say so, they’ll appreciate it.
Ask if there’s something specific you can pray about. It reinforces the power of prayer. They’ll think…if I’m asking Grandma to pray, perhaps I should pray, too!
Maybe there’s a test next Tuesday, or a deadline for an all-important report on Friday. Maybe a pre-teen is being bullied or feels excluded. Perhaps your grandchild is feeling less than athletic enough, or smart enough, or pretty enough for whatever. Feelings are very real and today’s students face so difficulties during their school days. Let them know you have their back.
Believe me, they’ll never forget you are praying.
My adult son recently told me that the hardest part of losing his grandma was knowing he was no longer being prayed for every day. I quickly reminded him of my own prayers but there was something very powerful in knowing his grandma prayed.
Become one of the praying Babushkas in this world – that praying grandparent every child needs. Be enthusiastically intentional in your efforts to impact the younger generation.
Every. Single. Day.
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