John Quincy Adams is a little known American President. Other than being the son of President John Adams, most of us know nothing about him. It’s a shame, because I think the Adam’s knew the secret to raising a mature son. (I can’t speak to how godly he was as historians tend to have little interest in such matters.) Don’t believe me?
By the age of fourteen, John Quincy Adams was traveling around Europe helping a diplomat convince other countries to recognize the newly formed United States. This was after having graduated from college that January. He was fluent in Dutch, French, Greek and Latin. (Not to mention a passing knowledge of other languages.) After his European jaunt, he entered Harvard and graduated from there by the time he was twenty.
When your children are very young, you tend to worry about interesting things. I have seen mothers absolutely obsessed with potty training or taking away a binky from a toddler who is still sucking on it for comfort. Don’t even get me started on night lights, thumb sucking and teddy bears. (Especially since I still own my Super Bear!)
Nothing will drive to your knees in prayer like becoming a mother. Those precious little souls are so vulnerable. Hopefully, you have been praying since before your children were even born – for their physical needs and safety, but more importantly for the things that will touch their souls. Perhaps though the exhaustion that often accompanies mothering has thwarted your prayer life. Not only may you find yourself falling asleep mid-prayer, but you may also have realized days have gone by without you having any sort of personal conversation with God at all.
Our family was able to enjoy this past weekend in New York City. I loved my years living there and thoroughly enjoy exploring it again with the family I am now blessed to have. New York City can be a very tough, harsh place though. There are noises, dirt, crime and millions of people with stories that would break your heart. Living there has broken many a person, I am sure.
There is a new Christian film which is opening in a week or two (August 28, 2015 War Room). The underlying theme is prayer, so they are releasing five new books on prayer to support the film. I was given an opportunity to review all of them. I’m still reading the ones for women and men, but wanted to give you my thoughts on the three for children and teens.
by Stephen and Alex Kendrick (illustrated by Daniel Fernandez) is a delightful picture book on prayer for the youngest set. The little boy in the book keeps looking for the perfect place to pray. Of course, no place is just right until he discovers they all are perfect for talking with God. Most picture books on prayer are frankly just not that interesting. This one keeps an engaging story line while teaching an important concept about prayer.