1 00:00:02,680 --> 00:00:18,980 Speaker 1: Life Audio. You're listening to Everyday Prayers with Million Praying Moms. 2 00:00:19,010 --> 00:00:21,409 Speaker 2: Helping you pray God's word for your family in the 3 00:00:21,530 --> 00:00:25,490 Speaker 2: areas you need it most. I'm your host, Nicolette Bell. Here, 4 00:00:25,570 --> 00:00:29,010 Speaker 2: we believe prayer isn't a last resort. It's our first 5 00:00:29,150 --> 00:00:32,350 Speaker 2: and best response in parenting. And every day we come 6 00:00:32,390 --> 00:00:34,970 Speaker 2: together to partner with God for the hearts of our children. 7 00:00:35,890 --> 00:00:39,339 Speaker 2: Our freebie this month is a five-day prayer reset. It 8 00:00:39,400 --> 00:00:42,440 Speaker 2: comes from our newest devotional, Everyday Prayers for Moms, praying 9 00:00:42,479 --> 00:00:44,980 Speaker 2: God's word for your children from newborn to empty nest. 10 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:47,590 Speaker 1: It came out last week. Maybe you want to pray 11 00:00:47,650 --> 00:00:50,230 Speaker 1: more for your kids. Maybe you've tried before, but life 12 00:00:50,250 --> 00:00:52,669 Speaker 1: got busy and the habit didn't stick. Or maybe you're 13 00:00:52,710 --> 00:00:55,230 Speaker 1: not even sure where to begin. Or maybe. 14 00:00:55,860 --> 00:00:57,730 Speaker 2: You've been praying for your children and you feel the 15 00:00:57,770 --> 00:01:01,170 Speaker 2: Lord wanting you to go a bit deeper. Wherever you are, 16 00:01:01,190 --> 00:01:03,410 Speaker 2: I want you to know this. You don't have to 17 00:01:03,450 --> 00:01:05,610 Speaker 2: have it all figured out to start praying. 18 00:01:06,190 --> 00:01:10,090 Speaker 1: Psalm 105.4 reminds us to seek His face always. 19 00:01:10,600 --> 00:01:14,440 Speaker 2: We are invited to continually bring our lives and our 20 00:01:14,500 --> 00:01:18,800 Speaker 2: children to God. And 1 Thessalonians 5.17 reminds us to 21 00:01:18,860 --> 00:01:22,270 Speaker 2: pray without ceasing. Prayer isn't meant to be one more 22 00:01:22,330 --> 00:01:22,830 Speaker 2: thing we. 23 00:01:22,750 --> 00:01:23,550 Speaker 1: Have to get right. 24 00:01:24,090 --> 00:01:27,360 Speaker 2: It's an invitation to walk with God through the everyday 25 00:01:27,420 --> 00:01:30,959 Speaker 2: moments of motherhood. I'm learning that prayer looks different in 26 00:01:30,980 --> 00:01:35,220 Speaker 2: different seasons. God isn't looking for perfect polished prayers. He 27 00:01:35,300 --> 00:01:38,740 Speaker 2: is after our hearts. That's why I created this five-day 28 00:01:38,780 --> 00:01:42,399 Speaker 2: prayer reset. These five days are not about adding another 29 00:01:42,440 --> 00:01:46,420 Speaker 2: task to your list or creating a perfect prayer routine. 30 00:01:47,060 --> 00:01:50,620 Speaker 1: They're simply an invitation to pause, begin again, and. 31 00:01:50,580 --> 00:01:53,640 Speaker 2: Discover a rhythm of prayer that fits your real life. 32 00:01:54,220 --> 00:01:58,380 Speaker 2: So take a breath, give yourself some grace, come as 33 00:01:58,420 --> 00:02:01,670 Speaker 2: you are, and begin our five-day prayer reset today. 34 00:02:02,050 --> 00:02:04,810 Speaker 1: You can find a link in our show notes. Today's 35 00:02:04,850 --> 00:02:06,030 Speaker 1: devotion is written. 36 00:02:05,850 --> 00:02:09,290 Speaker 2: And read by Shannon Morocco, the founder of Embrace Women's 37 00:02:09,330 --> 00:02:12,470 Speaker 2: Ministry and the Impact Leadership Network. She and her husband 38 00:02:12,510 --> 00:02:15,340 Speaker 2: Joshua have released a new book on marriage called Pillow Talk, 39 00:02:15,340 --> 00:02:17,160 Speaker 2: 10 Must-Have Conversations That Will Make or Break Your Marriage. Today, 40 00:02:17,200 --> 00:02:18,780 Speaker 2: we're going to be talking about how to make your 41 00:02:18,820 --> 00:02:22,220 Speaker 2: marriage work. Shannon shares about motherhood. 42 00:02:21,860 --> 00:02:24,160 Speaker 1: With a prayer to see the best in our children. 43 00:02:24,820 --> 00:02:27,520 Speaker 2: To learn more about Shannon or more about our ministry, 44 00:02:27,660 --> 00:02:32,550 Speaker 2: visit millionprayingmoms.com. After a quick word from our sponsors, we'll 45 00:02:32,570 --> 00:02:34,049 Speaker 2: pray together for our families. 46 00:02:45,090 --> 00:02:48,230 Speaker 3: They will make wrong choices, have bad attitudes, forget what 47 00:02:48,250 --> 00:02:51,370 Speaker 3: we told them, and sometimes push every button we have. 48 00:02:51,830 --> 00:02:55,890 Speaker 3: Parenting gives us countless opportunities to correct behavior, but what 49 00:02:56,050 --> 00:02:59,160 Speaker 3: if we also looked for what God was developing underneath it? 50 00:02:59,870 --> 00:03:02,410 Speaker 1: In our family, we call it pulling out the gold. 51 00:03:03,110 --> 00:03:06,930 Speaker 3: One mother in our church struggled with a particularly strong-willed child. 52 00:03:07,430 --> 00:03:10,250 Speaker 3: She was frustrated by the behavior, but the Holy Spirit 53 00:03:10,330 --> 00:03:14,160 Speaker 3: gently prompted her to look deeper. Instead of simply reacting 54 00:03:14,200 --> 00:03:17,020 Speaker 3: to what was difficult, she began asking God to show 55 00:03:17,060 --> 00:03:20,700 Speaker 3: her the gift hidden inside her child's personality. She started 56 00:03:20,780 --> 00:03:25,450 Speaker 3: recognizing that the strong will could become leadership. Sensitivity could 57 00:03:25,490 --> 00:03:29,260 Speaker 3: become compassion. and a tendency to be easily distracted could 58 00:03:29,320 --> 00:03:33,440 Speaker 3: reflect creativity and an ability to think differently. The behavior 59 00:03:33,480 --> 00:03:36,559 Speaker 3: still needed guidance, but she learned to correct the behavior 60 00:03:36,580 --> 00:03:41,000 Speaker 3: without crushing the child. Bendis Power, Proverbs 18.21, reminds us 61 00:03:41,040 --> 00:03:43,130 Speaker 3: that life and death are in the power of the tongue. 62 00:03:43,690 --> 00:03:46,810 Speaker 3: As parents, we have the incredible opportunity to speak life 63 00:03:46,950 --> 00:03:49,710 Speaker 3: over our children, to call out who they are becoming 64 00:03:49,790 --> 00:03:53,090 Speaker 3: in Christ rather than allowing their current struggles to define them. 65 00:03:53,790 --> 00:03:57,910 Speaker 3: This doesn't mean ignoring sin, excusing disobedience, or pretending everything 66 00:03:57,970 --> 00:04:02,110 Speaker 3: is okay. Godly parenting requires both grace and truth, love 67 00:04:02,310 --> 00:04:06,410 Speaker 3: and discipline, but correction should form the heart, not shame 68 00:04:06,470 --> 00:04:09,380 Speaker 3: the child. Think about the difference between saying you are 69 00:04:09,470 --> 00:04:13,380 Speaker 3: so irresponsible and saying you made an irresponsible choice, but 70 00:04:13,420 --> 00:04:17,220 Speaker 3: I know you're capable of becoming a responsible person. One 71 00:04:17,300 --> 00:04:20,920 Speaker 3: speaks an identity over a child, the other calls them 72 00:04:20,960 --> 00:04:24,789 Speaker 3: towards growth. Our children are still learning, growing, and becoming 73 00:04:24,890 --> 00:04:27,930 Speaker 3: who they are called to be. Sometimes the very characteristic 74 00:04:27,990 --> 00:04:30,570 Speaker 3: that frustrates us today may become part of. 75 00:04:30,550 --> 00:04:31,750 Speaker 1: What God uses tomorrow. 76 00:04:32,290 --> 00:04:37,030 Speaker 3: A strong will can become courageous leadership. Energy can become influence. 77 00:04:37,430 --> 00:04:41,980 Speaker 3: Creativity can become innovation. So before you react today, pause 78 00:04:42,120 --> 00:04:45,070 Speaker 3: and ask the Holy Spirit, what gold are you developing 79 00:04:45,200 --> 00:04:49,919 Speaker 3: in my child? Then speak it. Our children hear enough 80 00:04:49,980 --> 00:04:53,000 Speaker 3: voices telling them who they're not. Let our homes be 81 00:04:53,050 --> 00:04:55,330 Speaker 3: a place where they hear who God says they are 82 00:04:55,450 --> 00:04:58,850 Speaker 3: and where they are challenged, loved, and corrected and encouraged 83 00:04:58,890 --> 00:05:01,310 Speaker 3: to become everything He created them to be. 84 00:05:01,770 --> 00:05:02,290 Speaker 1: Let's pray. 85 00:05:02,950 --> 00:05:05,110 Speaker 3: Father, give me eyes to see the gold You have 86 00:05:05,150 --> 00:05:09,060 Speaker 3: placed inside my children. Help me look beyond frustrating behavior 87 00:05:09,200 --> 00:05:12,600 Speaker 3: and see character, gifts, and calling You are developing in them. 88 00:05:13,120 --> 00:05:16,540 Speaker 3: Give me wisdom to know when to correct, when to encourage, and. 89 00:05:16,500 --> 00:05:17,419 Speaker 1: When to simply listen. 90 00:05:18,200 --> 00:05:20,619 Speaker 3: Guard my words so that I don't define my children 91 00:05:20,640 --> 00:05:21,460 Speaker 3: by their mistakes. 92 00:05:21,960 --> 00:05:25,520 Speaker 1: Help me speak life, truth, courage, and identity over them. 93 00:05:26,050 --> 00:05:29,120 Speaker 3: Teach me to parent with grace and truth, always pointing 94 00:05:29,170 --> 00:05:29,770 Speaker 3: them to you. 95 00:05:30,190 --> 00:05:31,810 Speaker 1: In Jesus' name, amen. 96 00:05:32,950 --> 00:05:34,990 Speaker 2: My guess is that if you're here listening to the 97 00:05:35,050 --> 00:05:38,730 Speaker 2: Everyday Prayers podcast, you kind of care about praying. 98 00:05:38,930 --> 00:05:40,109 Speaker 1: For your children. 99 00:05:40,970 --> 00:05:44,410 Speaker 2: My newest book, Everyday Prayers for Moms, Praying God's word 100 00:05:44,430 --> 00:05:48,070 Speaker 2: from your children from newborn to emptiness is a great 101 00:05:48,230 --> 00:05:50,490 Speaker 2: resource for moms who desire to. 102 00:05:50,490 --> 00:05:52,070 Speaker 1: Pray for their kids. 103 00:05:52,480 --> 00:05:53,880 Speaker 2: I don't know if you've ever looked up at the 104 00:05:53,960 --> 00:05:56,200 Speaker 2: end of the day and realized that you didn't pray 105 00:05:56,220 --> 00:06:00,360 Speaker 2: at all. So often we have this desire to pray. 106 00:06:00,810 --> 00:06:04,170 Speaker 2: But we may not know how to put that desire 107 00:06:04,410 --> 00:06:08,430 Speaker 2: into practice. I'm learning in motherhood that my prayers adapt 108 00:06:08,510 --> 00:06:11,130 Speaker 2: and change based on the season that we're in as 109 00:06:11,170 --> 00:06:11,690 Speaker 2: a family. 110 00:06:12,130 --> 00:06:14,010 Speaker 1: I'm also learning to give myself. 111 00:06:13,810 --> 00:06:18,740 Speaker 2: Grace in those different seasons. I know God isn't after perfect, 112 00:06:18,839 --> 00:06:23,339 Speaker 2: polished prayers. He's after my heart. And He's after yours, too. 113 00:06:24,060 --> 00:06:27,580 Speaker 2: So my plan is to be intentional, whatever that looks like, 114 00:06:27,760 --> 00:06:28,520 Speaker 2: in this season. 115 00:06:28,550 --> 00:06:31,289 Speaker 1: I hope that is your plan. as well. 116 00:06:32,210 --> 00:06:35,690 Speaker 2: God sees our hearts. He's honored by our desire to 117 00:06:35,750 --> 00:06:39,560 Speaker 2: connect with Him. If you're feeling stuck in your prayer life, 118 00:06:39,880 --> 00:06:45,300 Speaker 2: I've got a new free download, a five-day prayer reset. 119 00:06:45,700 --> 00:06:50,260 Speaker 2: It's a great guide to help you get started, jump 120 00:06:50,300 --> 00:06:53,000 Speaker 2: back in, stay consistent, grow. 121 00:06:52,760 --> 00:06:54,600 Speaker 1: Deeper in your prayers for your kids. 122 00:06:54,980 --> 00:06:57,870 Speaker 2: It's also a great tool to share with with your 123 00:06:57,970 --> 00:07:01,409 Speaker 2: friends or with your family members that may be seeking 124 00:07:01,890 --> 00:07:04,630 Speaker 2: to know God deeper in prayer. 125 00:07:04,630 --> 00:07:07,229 Speaker 1: As they're wanting to pray for their kids. I hope 126 00:07:07,270 --> 00:07:07,730 Speaker 1: you will. 127 00:07:07,589 --> 00:07:12,130 Speaker 2: Grab your copy today at millionpraymoms.com. We'll also put a 128 00:07:12,150 --> 00:07:13,270 Speaker 2: link in our show notes. 129 00:07:14,680 --> 00:07:18,120 Speaker 1: Until next time, friends, may the Lord bless you and 130 00:07:18,160 --> 00:07:18,620 Speaker 1: keep you. 131 00:07:19,720 --> 00:07:22,560 Speaker 2: Make His face shine upon you and be gracious to you. 132 00:07:23,400 --> 00:07:26,790 Speaker 2: May the Lord look with favor upon you and give 133 00:07:26,810 --> 00:07:27,670 Speaker 2: you his peace.