1 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:03,520 Speaker 1: Life Audio. 2 00:00:14,280 --> 00:00:17,000 Speaker 2: You're listening to every day prayers with million praying moms 3 00:00:17,000 --> 00:00:19,200 Speaker 2: helping you pray God's word for your family in the 4 00:00:19,280 --> 00:00:22,320 Speaker 2: areas you need at most. I'm your host, Nicolett Bell. 5 00:00:22,680 --> 00:00:25,800 Speaker 2: Here we believe prayer isn't a last resort. It's our 6 00:00:25,920 --> 00:00:29,360 Speaker 2: first and best response in parenting, and every day we 7 00:00:29,480 --> 00:00:31,760 Speaker 2: come together to partner with God for the hearts of 8 00:00:31,840 --> 00:00:35,559 Speaker 2: our children. Today's devotion is written and read by Marcy Gourley, 9 00:00:35,720 --> 00:00:39,239 Speaker 2: a licensed professional counselor and author of two hundred and 10 00:00:39,280 --> 00:00:42,680 Speaker 2: fifty Great Things About America and host of the Better 11 00:00:42,760 --> 00:00:46,680 Speaker 2: Angels of Our Nature podcast. Today's devotion is a prayer 12 00:00:46,720 --> 00:00:50,040 Speaker 2: for leadership. After a quick word from our sponsors, we'll 13 00:00:50,040 --> 00:00:51,519 Speaker 2: pray together for our children. 14 00:00:54,000 --> 00:00:58,440 Speaker 1: One Timothy two one through four reads. I urge them 15 00:00:58,600 --> 00:01:03,640 Speaker 1: first of all but petitions, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be 16 00:01:03,880 --> 00:01:08,400 Speaker 1: made for all people, for kings and all those in authority, 17 00:01:09,120 --> 00:01:13,320 Speaker 1: that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all 18 00:01:13,480 --> 00:01:19,160 Speaker 1: godliness and holiness. This is good and pleases God, our savior, 19 00:01:19,520 --> 00:01:23,199 Speaker 1: who wants all people to be saved and to come 20 00:01:23,280 --> 00:01:27,480 Speaker 1: to a knowledge of the truth. There are moments in 21 00:01:27,560 --> 00:01:31,480 Speaker 1: motherhood when we realize our children are learning far more 22 00:01:31,560 --> 00:01:35,319 Speaker 1: from what we do than from what we say. They're 23 00:01:35,480 --> 00:01:40,640 Speaker 1: watching how we respond to stress. They're listening to the 24 00:01:40,720 --> 00:01:44,160 Speaker 1: tone we use when we talk about others, and often 25 00:01:44,360 --> 00:01:48,960 Speaker 1: without us noticing, they are forming their understanding of the world, 26 00:01:49,520 --> 00:01:53,000 Speaker 1: who to trust, how to engage, and what to do 27 00:01:53,080 --> 00:01:58,520 Speaker 1: when things feel uncertain. One of the quietest yet most 28 00:01:58,520 --> 00:02:02,720 Speaker 1: powerful ways we can shape that understanding is through prayer. 29 00:02:04,120 --> 00:02:08,240 Speaker 1: In a culture that constantly pulls us towards commentary, reaction 30 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:13,799 Speaker 1: and strong opinions, especially about those in leadership, it can 31 00:02:13,840 --> 00:02:18,960 Speaker 1: feel natural to voice frustration, critique decisions, or carry tension 32 00:02:19,040 --> 00:02:23,840 Speaker 1: about the direction of things around us, And while those 33 00:02:23,919 --> 00:02:29,919 Speaker 1: feelings are real, scripture gently redirects our first response. In 34 00:02:29,919 --> 00:02:34,200 Speaker 1: one Timothy Too, Paul doesn't begin with strategy, debate, or 35 00:02:34,240 --> 00:02:40,800 Speaker 1: even action. He begins with prayer, petitions, intercession, thanksgiving for 36 00:02:41,040 --> 00:02:47,800 Speaker 1: all people, including goes in authority, even imperfect authority, even 37 00:02:47,880 --> 00:02:53,120 Speaker 1: authority with whom we disagree, because something more profound is 38 00:02:53,200 --> 00:02:57,600 Speaker 1: at stake, the atmosphere we live in and the one 39 00:02:57,960 --> 00:03:01,600 Speaker 1: we pass on. When we pray for our leaders, we 40 00:03:01,639 --> 00:03:06,079 Speaker 1: are not simply responding to circumstances. We're modeling where our 41 00:03:06,160 --> 00:03:10,560 Speaker 1: hope rests. We are showing our children that we are 42 00:03:10,800 --> 00:03:16,239 Speaker 1: not ultimately anchored in the outcomes, but in God's ability 43 00:03:16,440 --> 00:03:20,600 Speaker 1: to work through them. And just as importantly, we're shaping 44 00:03:20,720 --> 00:03:27,359 Speaker 1: the tone of our homes. What we rehearse, whether worry, frustration, 45 00:03:27,800 --> 00:03:34,240 Speaker 1: or peace, tends to multiply. When our conversations are consistently 46 00:03:34,280 --> 00:03:39,200 Speaker 1: marked by anxiety or criticism, our children absorb that tension. 47 00:03:40,280 --> 00:03:45,080 Speaker 1: But when they hear us pause, soften, un bring those 48 00:03:45,160 --> 00:03:51,080 Speaker 1: same concerns before God, something steadier begins to take root. 49 00:03:51,880 --> 00:03:56,560 Speaker 1: Prayer becomes not just something we say, but something we live. 50 00:03:57,720 --> 00:04:02,920 Speaker 1: This doesn't require long formal moments. Often it looks like simple, 51 00:04:03,120 --> 00:04:09,080 Speaker 1: intentional pauses woven into ordinary life. A quiet prayer while driving, 52 00:04:09,400 --> 00:04:12,320 Speaker 1: a sentence spoken out loud at the dinner table, a 53 00:04:12,480 --> 00:04:19,119 Speaker 1: gentle redirect. When a conversation begins to spiral, let's pray 54 00:04:19,160 --> 00:04:23,960 Speaker 1: for them becomes both a grounding moment and a teaching moment. 55 00:04:25,400 --> 00:04:29,720 Speaker 1: In those small, treasurable times, we are doing more than 56 00:04:29,760 --> 00:04:34,360 Speaker 1: addressing the present. We are forming the future. We are 57 00:04:34,440 --> 00:04:38,080 Speaker 1: teaching our children that influence does not always look like 58 00:04:38,640 --> 00:04:43,240 Speaker 1: the loudest voice in the room. Sometimes it looks like 59 00:04:43,400 --> 00:04:48,320 Speaker 1: being the most grounded one, and over time those moments 60 00:04:48,360 --> 00:04:53,120 Speaker 1: become something more. They become a steady light, a kind 61 00:04:53,120 --> 00:04:56,400 Speaker 1: of lantern. Our children will one day carry into their 62 00:04:56,440 --> 00:05:01,320 Speaker 1: own lives, guiding how they respond to uncertain how they 63 00:05:01,400 --> 00:05:04,800 Speaker 1: engage in the world, and how they seek peace in 64 00:05:04,960 --> 00:05:09,600 Speaker 1: places that feel anything but peaceful. Not because we controlled 65 00:05:09,680 --> 00:05:14,200 Speaker 1: everything around them, but because we consistently brought it back 66 00:05:14,800 --> 00:05:21,440 Speaker 1: to the one who can pray. Lord, you see already 67 00:05:21,640 --> 00:05:26,080 Speaker 1: the world our children will inherit. Yet, teach me to 68 00:05:26,160 --> 00:05:29,640 Speaker 1: turn to you first, to speak with truth in. 69 00:05:29,720 --> 00:05:32,640 Speaker 3: Love, and let my home be a place where praying 70 00:05:32,680 --> 00:05:35,720 Speaker 3: for our leaders is not just something we say, but 71 00:05:35,800 --> 00:05:40,279 Speaker 3: something we live. Teach me to hold high the lantern 72 00:05:40,320 --> 00:05:44,000 Speaker 3: of prayer that I may pass it on to light 73 00:05:44,080 --> 00:05:45,800 Speaker 3: the way for others behind me. 74 00:05:46,839 --> 00:05:48,400 Speaker 1: In Jesus' precious name. 75 00:05:48,920 --> 00:05:52,760 Speaker 2: Amen, friend, it is not too late to join us 76 00:05:52,800 --> 00:05:55,920 Speaker 2: for our summer book club featuring the book When Mothering 77 00:05:56,000 --> 00:05:59,200 Speaker 2: Is Hard and No One Sees by my friend Selene Roberts. 78 00:05:59,240 --> 00:06:01,720 Speaker 2: It's happening now through the end of July, and we 79 00:06:01,800 --> 00:06:04,480 Speaker 2: want you to join us. Head to the homepage of 80 00:06:04,520 --> 00:06:07,760 Speaker 2: our website, Million Praying Moms dot Com to find out 81 00:06:07,839 --> 00:06:11,560 Speaker 2: more and use the Code Book Club twenty for twenty 82 00:06:11,600 --> 00:06:16,479 Speaker 2: percent off your order from our mom Shop. Until next time, friends, 83 00:06:16,720 --> 00:06:20,839 Speaker 2: the Lord bless you and keep you. Make his face 84 00:06:21,000 --> 00:06:24,839 Speaker 2: shine upon you, and be gracious to you. May the 85 00:06:24,920 --> 00:06:28,080 Speaker 2: Lord look with favor on you and give you peace.