1 00:00:02,660 --> 00:00:03,620 Speaker 1: Life Audio. 2 00:00:16,000 --> 00:00:18,970 Speaker 2: You're listening to Everyday Prayers with Million Praying Moms, helping 3 00:00:19,050 --> 00:00:21,529 Speaker 2: you pray God's word for your family in the areas 4 00:00:21,630 --> 00:00:24,770 Speaker 2: you need it most. I'm your host, Nicolette Bell. Here, 5 00:00:24,850 --> 00:00:27,490 Speaker 2: we believe prayer isn't a last resort. It's our first 6 00:00:27,590 --> 00:00:30,350 Speaker 2: and best response in parenting. And every day we come 7 00:00:30,370 --> 00:00:32,670 Speaker 2: together to partner with God for the hearts of our children. 8 00:00:33,390 --> 00:00:35,250 Speaker 2: For today's devotion, I want to share an excerpt from 9 00:00:35,290 --> 00:00:38,630 Speaker 2: my newest devotional, Everyday Prayers for Moms, praying God's word 10 00:00:38,650 --> 00:00:40,909 Speaker 2: for your children from newborn to empty nest that came 11 00:00:40,970 --> 00:00:43,530 Speaker 2: out this week. Do you believe your prayers as a 12 00:00:43,530 --> 00:00:46,620 Speaker 2: mom make a difference? I mean, like, really believe it? 13 00:00:47,290 --> 00:00:49,370 Speaker 2: Do you ever have the best intentions to be in 14 00:00:49,409 --> 00:00:52,350 Speaker 2: consistent prayer for your children, but are unsure how to 15 00:00:52,390 --> 00:00:54,990 Speaker 2: get the habit to stick? Or maybe you are praying 16 00:00:55,050 --> 00:00:57,890 Speaker 2: for your children daily, but you feel the Lord sensing 17 00:00:57,950 --> 00:01:01,380 Speaker 2: you to go deeper. This devotional is an invitation to 18 00:01:01,420 --> 00:01:04,910 Speaker 2: spend 30 days praying God's word over your children, understanding 19 00:01:04,930 --> 00:01:08,509 Speaker 2: the why to create habits of prayer that last. To 20 00:01:08,550 --> 00:01:10,310 Speaker 2: grab your copy of the book or to learn more 21 00:01:10,350 --> 00:01:14,710 Speaker 2: about the ministry of Million Praying Moms, visit millionprayingmoms.com. After 22 00:01:14,750 --> 00:01:16,890 Speaker 2: a quick word from our sponsors, we'll pray together for 23 00:01:16,950 --> 00:01:17,429 Speaker 2: our families. 24 00:01:22,709 --> 00:01:23,310 Speaker 1: Day three. 25 00:01:24,050 --> 00:01:28,980 Speaker 2: We believe praying scripture for our children is powerful. For 26 00:01:29,020 --> 00:01:32,209 Speaker 2: the word of God is living and active, sharper than 27 00:01:32,330 --> 00:01:36,970 Speaker 2: any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, 28 00:01:37,209 --> 00:01:40,350 Speaker 2: of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and 29 00:01:40,390 --> 00:01:46,780 Speaker 2: intentions of the heart. Hebrews 4.12 When I first encountered 30 00:01:46,800 --> 00:01:49,800 Speaker 2: the ministry of Million Praying Moms and Brooke McLaughlin's writing 31 00:01:49,840 --> 00:01:53,000 Speaker 2: and teaching on praying God's word for your children, my 32 00:01:53,040 --> 00:01:56,420 Speaker 2: daughter was in the tantrum stage. I remember the morning 33 00:01:56,480 --> 00:01:59,520 Speaker 2: before I met Brooke for the first time, My girl 34 00:01:59,600 --> 00:02:07,360 Speaker 2: threw her first full-blown, foot-kicking, head-throwing, loud-screaming tantrum. I distinctly 35 00:02:07,400 --> 00:02:10,460 Speaker 2: remember staring down at her lying on the floor, then 36 00:02:10,520 --> 00:02:14,260 Speaker 2: looking up at heaven and saying, Lord, I don't know 37 00:02:14,320 --> 00:02:14,959 Speaker 2: what to do. 38 00:02:14,980 --> 00:02:17,340 Speaker 1: I don't know how to respond. 39 00:02:18,180 --> 00:02:22,040 Speaker 2: My strong-willed warrior princess was exploring what it meant to 40 00:02:22,150 --> 00:02:26,400 Speaker 2: assert her opinions and assert them loudly. For years, I 41 00:02:26,440 --> 00:02:29,320 Speaker 2: had served in kids and family ministry in the local church, 42 00:02:29,880 --> 00:02:32,870 Speaker 2: and I had all these ideas about how my children 43 00:02:32,910 --> 00:02:35,869 Speaker 2: would behave and act. All of this was thrown out 44 00:02:35,910 --> 00:02:38,990 Speaker 2: the window little by little as my girl grew and developed. 45 00:02:39,710 --> 00:02:42,329 Speaker 2: I now laughed at all the preconceived notions I had 46 00:02:42,389 --> 00:02:45,770 Speaker 2: about parenting. I quickly realized I was in over my 47 00:02:45,810 --> 00:02:50,300 Speaker 2: head and I needed help. While I certainly had prayed 48 00:02:50,320 --> 00:02:53,600 Speaker 2: for my daughter before this moment, my prayers were sporadic. 49 00:02:54,320 --> 00:02:56,550 Speaker 2: I believed in the power of prayer in other areas 50 00:02:56,590 --> 00:02:59,609 Speaker 2: of my life, but hadn't really thought about applying that 51 00:02:59,650 --> 00:03:03,810 Speaker 2: belief and knowledge to the everyday task of parenting. As moms, 52 00:03:03,850 --> 00:03:07,270 Speaker 2: we can often feel helpless. We are not sure how 53 00:03:07,330 --> 00:03:09,370 Speaker 2: we are going to get dinner on the table and 54 00:03:09,410 --> 00:03:12,430 Speaker 2: fold the next batch of laundry, much less how to 55 00:03:12,470 --> 00:03:14,929 Speaker 2: help our children be all that God has created them 56 00:03:14,990 --> 00:03:18,230 Speaker 2: to be. Brooke helped teach me what it means to 57 00:03:18,290 --> 00:03:21,090 Speaker 2: pray God's word over my kids. and the power and 58 00:03:21,130 --> 00:03:24,560 Speaker 2: peace that comes from truly surrendering your children to the Lord. 59 00:03:25,419 --> 00:03:29,799 Speaker 2: This is not a one-and-done process, but a daily coming 60 00:03:29,880 --> 00:03:34,200 Speaker 2: before God on behalf of your family. Maybe your prayers 61 00:03:34,240 --> 00:03:38,360 Speaker 2: look a lot like mine did. Father, please protect my 62 00:03:38,400 --> 00:03:42,990 Speaker 2: girl as she sleeps. Father, heal our home from this sickness. 63 00:03:44,010 --> 00:03:47,530 Speaker 1: Lead me, Father. I don't know what to do here. Lord, 64 00:03:47,550 --> 00:03:48,450 Speaker 1: are you there? 65 00:03:48,470 --> 00:03:53,070 Speaker 2: Do you see me? These are all good prayers to pray. 66 00:03:53,630 --> 00:03:57,850 Speaker 2: There is nothing inherently wrong with these prayers. The problem 67 00:03:58,000 --> 00:04:00,680 Speaker 2: I noticed in my own life is when my prayers 68 00:04:00,760 --> 00:04:03,460 Speaker 2: stopped there, I felt a lack of hope and a 69 00:04:03,500 --> 00:04:07,140 Speaker 2: lack of peace. When I began to add in scripture 70 00:04:07,180 --> 00:04:10,840 Speaker 2: prayers to my routine prayers for my children, things started 71 00:04:10,910 --> 00:04:14,530 Speaker 2: to shift. I felt less passive and more active in 72 00:04:14,590 --> 00:04:18,190 Speaker 2: helping my children. While God is still the one doing 73 00:04:18,230 --> 00:04:20,750 Speaker 2: the work in the hearts of my kids, I am 74 00:04:20,810 --> 00:04:24,780 Speaker 2: participating in the work He is doing. Brooke puts it 75 00:04:24,800 --> 00:04:28,580 Speaker 2: like this, praying scripture over our family is a partnership 76 00:04:28,660 --> 00:04:31,820 Speaker 2: for the hearts of our children that God invites us into. 77 00:04:31,839 --> 00:04:35,990 Speaker 2: As moms, we have received an invitation from God Himself 78 00:04:36,120 --> 00:04:39,250 Speaker 2: to partner and participate in the work He is doing 79 00:04:39,330 --> 00:04:44,050 Speaker 2: in our children's lives. When I realized this, my perspective 80 00:04:44,110 --> 00:04:46,250 Speaker 2: shifted and my attitude changed. 81 00:04:48,350 --> 00:04:49,390 Speaker 1: Something to think about. 82 00:04:50,400 --> 00:04:53,560 Speaker 2: The writer of Hebrews boldly proclaims that the word of 83 00:04:53,620 --> 00:04:57,580 Speaker 2: God is living and active. I've often thought about this 84 00:04:57,700 --> 00:05:00,750 Speaker 2: in the context of teaching and instruction, but I haven't 85 00:05:00,790 --> 00:05:04,470 Speaker 2: always considered it in regards to prayer. When we employ 86 00:05:04,510 --> 00:05:07,450 Speaker 2: the word of God in our prayers, we can trust 87 00:05:07,510 --> 00:05:11,429 Speaker 2: that it is living and active beyond our understanding. Hebrews 88 00:05:11,430 --> 00:05:14,650 Speaker 2: 4.12 goes on to say that it is sharper than 89 00:05:14,890 --> 00:05:20,670 Speaker 2: any two-edged sword. Another translation says his powerful word is 90 00:05:20,730 --> 00:05:26,570 Speaker 2: as sharp as a surgeon's scalpel, cutting through everything, whether 91 00:05:26,690 --> 00:05:31,310 Speaker 2: doubt or defense, laying us open to listen and obey. 92 00:05:32,370 --> 00:05:37,310 Speaker 2: Nothing and no one can resist God's word. That's Hebrews 93 00:05:37,310 --> 00:05:42,920 Speaker 2: 4.12 from the Message Translation. The word helps us to 94 00:05:43,010 --> 00:05:48,419 Speaker 2: listen and obey. Isn't that our desire? To obey God? 95 00:05:49,020 --> 00:05:52,500 Speaker 1: Listen to His commands, and guide our children. 96 00:05:52,160 --> 00:05:55,620 Speaker 2: To do the same? It's easy to question God's will 97 00:05:55,660 --> 00:06:00,159 Speaker 2: for ourselves or our kids. Our prayers can be paralyzed 98 00:06:00,220 --> 00:06:04,840 Speaker 2: because we're afraid of praying the wrong thing. That's why 99 00:06:04,880 --> 00:06:08,179 Speaker 2: we find such comfort and confidence in praying God's word 100 00:06:08,440 --> 00:06:12,119 Speaker 2: for our families. We know that God's word is living 101 00:06:12,160 --> 00:06:16,880 Speaker 2: and active, taking shape and form, and always aligning with 102 00:06:16,940 --> 00:06:19,919 Speaker 2: His will. So if we take the time to understand 103 00:06:19,980 --> 00:06:22,870 Speaker 2: his word properly, to know what is going on in 104 00:06:22,900 --> 00:06:26,770 Speaker 2: the context around the verse, and pray it accordingly, we 105 00:06:26,810 --> 00:06:30,630 Speaker 2: can be confident that we are praying according to God's will. 106 00:06:31,529 --> 00:06:32,969 Speaker 1: That's what this book is all about. 107 00:06:33,670 --> 00:06:37,730 Speaker 2: Each day, we will pray scripture-inspired prayers for your family. 108 00:06:38,370 --> 00:06:40,870 Speaker 2: As we go along, you will learn how to customize 109 00:06:40,910 --> 00:06:44,059 Speaker 2: these scripture prayers for your specific children and their needs. 110 00:06:45,339 --> 00:06:48,070 Speaker 1: So when you think, The pile of laundry might engulf you. 111 00:06:48,790 --> 00:06:52,090 Speaker 2: Remember, there is power and peace in praying scriptures for 112 00:06:52,130 --> 00:06:52,650 Speaker 2: your family. 113 00:06:53,290 --> 00:06:57,130 Speaker 1: Be encouraged today. Let's pray. 114 00:06:58,190 --> 00:07:01,440 Speaker 2: Father, help me to be empowered to pray your word 115 00:07:01,500 --> 00:07:05,279 Speaker 2: for my children. Give me confidence that your word is 116 00:07:05,480 --> 00:07:09,180 Speaker 2: living and active, taking form and shape to help my 117 00:07:09,240 --> 00:07:10,560 Speaker 2: children be more like you. 118 00:07:11,560 --> 00:07:13,730 Speaker 1: Use your scalpel or your sword. 119 00:07:14,180 --> 00:07:16,580 Speaker 2: To cut away all that is in me that doesn't 120 00:07:16,640 --> 00:07:20,770 Speaker 2: honor you, and lay me bare to listen and obey. 121 00:07:22,010 --> 00:07:24,710 Speaker 2: Help me to see how your word can do the 122 00:07:24,750 --> 00:07:30,340 Speaker 2: same for my children. Give me hope, power, and peace today. 123 00:07:30,260 --> 00:07:33,200 Speaker 1: In your presence. In Jesus' name, amen. 124 00:07:34,360 --> 00:07:36,360 Speaker 2: My guess is that if you're here listening to the 125 00:07:36,460 --> 00:07:40,650 Speaker 2: Everyday Prayers podcast, you kind of care about praying for 126 00:07:40,890 --> 00:07:45,340 Speaker 2: your children. My newest book, Everyday Prayers for Moms, Praying 127 00:07:45,380 --> 00:07:48,710 Speaker 2: God's Work from Your Children from Newborn to Emptiness, is 128 00:07:48,890 --> 00:07:52,910 Speaker 2: a great resource for moms who desire to pray for 129 00:07:52,950 --> 00:07:53,490 Speaker 2: their kids. 130 00:07:53,870 --> 00:07:55,170 Speaker 1: I don't know if you've ever looked. 131 00:07:54,990 --> 00:07:56,850 Speaker 2: Up at the end of the day and realized that 132 00:07:56,890 --> 00:08:00,410 Speaker 2: you didn't pray at all. So often we have this 133 00:08:00,550 --> 00:08:04,310 Speaker 2: desire to pray, but we may not know how to 134 00:08:04,420 --> 00:08:08,720 Speaker 2: put that desire into practice. I'm learning in motherhood that 135 00:08:08,800 --> 00:08:11,820 Speaker 2: my prayers adapt and change based on the season that 136 00:08:11,860 --> 00:08:14,620 Speaker 2: we're in as a family. I'm also learning to give 137 00:08:14,640 --> 00:08:19,150 Speaker 2: myself grace in those different seasons. I know God isn't 138 00:08:19,330 --> 00:08:23,070 Speaker 2: after perfect, polished prayers. He's after my heart, and He's 139 00:08:23,270 --> 00:08:27,530 Speaker 2: after yours, too. So my plan is to be intentional, 140 00:08:27,950 --> 00:08:29,930 Speaker 2: whatever that looks like, in this season. 141 00:08:30,390 --> 00:08:32,740 Speaker 1: I hope that is your plan as well. 142 00:08:33,640 --> 00:08:36,939 Speaker 2: God sees our hearts. He's honored us. by our desire 143 00:08:37,000 --> 00:08:40,340 Speaker 2: to connect with Him. If you're feeling stuck in your 144 00:08:40,400 --> 00:08:45,280 Speaker 2: prayer life, I've got a new free download, a five-day 145 00:08:45,400 --> 00:08:51,060 Speaker 2: prayer reset. It's a great guide to help you get started, 146 00:08:51,400 --> 00:08:55,260 Speaker 2: jump back in, stay consistent, grow deeper in your prayers 147 00:08:55,300 --> 00:08:58,420 Speaker 2: for your kids. It's also a great tool to share 148 00:08:58,440 --> 00:09:01,670 Speaker 2: and with your friends or with your family members that 149 00:09:01,750 --> 00:09:06,110 Speaker 2: may be seeking to know God deeper in prayer as 150 00:09:06,170 --> 00:09:08,170 Speaker 2: they're wanting to pray for their kids. 151 00:09:08,350 --> 00:09:09,130 Speaker 1: I hope you will. 152 00:09:08,990 --> 00:09:13,490 Speaker 2: Grab your copy today at millionprayingmoms.com. We'll also put a 153 00:09:13,530 --> 00:09:18,290 Speaker 2: link in our show notes. Until next time, friends, may 154 00:09:18,330 --> 00:09:20,010 Speaker 2: the Lord bless you and keep you. 155 00:09:21,110 --> 00:09:23,070 Speaker 1: Make His face shine upon you and. 156 00:09:22,990 --> 00:09:26,530 Speaker 2: Be gracious to you. May the Lord look with favor 157 00:09:26,700 --> 00:09:29,030 Speaker 2: upon you and give you His peace.