Praying Circles Around Your Children

“One prayer can change anything. One prayer can change everything.”
- Mark Batterson



This parenting thing is kind of tough. Did anyone else see that coming?

No? So, I’m not alone. Whew.

My three children are so important to me but I often find seasons in my life where I’ve occupied my time with “things” ahead of my spouse and kiddos. I’ll tell you what.... that never lasts long before everything implodes.

This past year and a half in our home, I’ve dedicated myself more to being a wife God would be proud of...being a mother God would be proud of and I still fail. For some reason, I’m shocked by it. I shouldn't be at all...not a single one of us is perfect. Failure is a tried and true way of getting it done better (not perfect) the next time. And for that, I thank the good Lord.

There has been a theme jumping in front of my face lately. The power of prayer.

I’ve been better, even keeping small lists of things people around me need interceding for, but I’m talking about specific prayer for my children. My pastors wife spoke last year around Mother’s Day and she said this was probably the most important thing she did and still does for her children. My amazing Aunt Mary said the same thing to me...without even saying it to me. It’s clear what power in parenting she’s using in her home.

My recent conversation with Candace Cameron-Bure solidified that prayer over our children is not just “some thing” parents are doing these days..it’s something God provided us enough material with, I’d be a fool not to obey.

Individual prayers needed...they are sooooo different.

I have had the wonderful opportunity to read Praying Circles Around Your Children, by New York Times bestselling author, Mark Betterson. He is the author of The Circle Maker and these books both focus on prayer.

Praying Circles is a small, easy read full of practical applications of prayer for those precious lives we’re raising and shaping.What I love in this book is the reminder not to just pray for my kids, but to teach them to pray while I’m at it....and that “prayer takes practice.”

He reminded me that “no one can pray for children like parents,” and gives you five kinds of circles to create in prayer for them. 

I honestly plan on keeping this book as a reference at my bedside. Being the easy read that it is, it still took me two weeks to get through, because frankly, I’m so exhausted by the time I get to bed, I can only ever make it a few pages before my body is begging me to get prepared for the next day.

Mark Batterson does a wonderful job speaking to the point on every page...and not a lot of words are needed, which is why this book feels more like a pocket handbook than anything.

I suppose having reminders in your pocket on praying for your kids is not such a terrible thing.

Disclosure: I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. 
All opinions and statements are my own.

 

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