Normally, I am not a huge fan of scripted prayers. I know the Holy Spirit provides the words I may not have and I tend to trust the process of prayer. Sometimes though, I believe parents want to feel more organized in their prayers. Even though they may firmly believe the Holy Spirit is providing words, on some level they want to be able to think clearly about what concerns them.
Rob & Joanna Tiegen have already published a book of prayers for daughters. Their latest A Mom’s Prayers for Her Son: Praying for Every Part of His Life
Within each prayer, the authors give several verses of scripture they believe address the topic. The prayer is written as much as a way to direct a parent’s thinking as it is to help the parent pray. While not “preachy”, the prayers do make a point of teaching parents how the authors believe God would want them to address certain topics.
Perhaps the most encouraging parts of the book are the personal stories of various mothers and sons. Many are written by mothers whose sons struggled very badly in one or more areas. The accounts are honest about the struggles and the prayers. I especially appreciated the fact that the authors of each of the accounts made it clear God does not always supply an immediate “yes” to our prayers. They often shared that sometimes it may take years for us to see the “yes” God provided.
I don’t have a son, but if I did, I think I would find this book helpful and encouraging. If nothing else, it helps you understand your son is not the only one struggling with some of these issues. Whether you read this book or not, I hope you are encouraged to pray often and specifically for your son. It can make an enormous difference in his life.
A copy of this book was provided to me for free in exchange for my honest review. I do not have a son, but plan to share this book with a friend who does.
Chances are you grew up hearing stories from some older relative who made mud pies or dolls from sticks because they were poor. The Great Depression and World War II taught many of our grandparents and great-grandparents how to make something out of nothing. The relative prosperity in our lifetimes has eroded the skill set our ancestors had developed.
The unfortunate thing about the current “green” movement is they have radicalized it politically to the point many Christians reject anything to do with taking care of the world God gave us. Yet, God commands us to be good stewards. Although he doesn’t give us a list of the precise things he expects us to steward, I think it is safe to assume He expects us to care for any gifts He has given us. In my book, His creation is one of those gifts.
A couple of decades ago “experts” decided the problems in society were caused because children had poor self-esteem. If you have read a magazine or newspaper in the last decade, you are aware of all of the backlash issues self-esteem education has created for our kids and our society. Now, experts wrestle with how to right the unfortunate shift they have created in child rearing practices. As usual, the Bible often has the answers society struggles to find.
I will never forget the first time I learned something in Church before I learned it in school. It was such a fun feeling to already know the history and geography the teacher was explaining because I had learned it from the Bible years earlier. Many other Christians have shared a similar reaction in their school experiences. On some level, it adds a sense of awe and “coolness” to the Bible. (Not that it isn’t cool enough on its own – but that’s another topic for another day!)