Falling leaves and shorter days usher in November. Soon Thanksgiving is upon us and preparations for Christmas begin. Kids are on school break, sleeping in, spending time with family and friends, and writing their Christmas wish lists.
Here are prayers on five different topics—gratitude, generosity, God with us, joy, and wonder—that can ignite your prayer time during this season. These beautiful prayers, written and compiled by songwriter, Dove Award winner, and author Tony Wood, will help put words to your heart’s desire for your children.
GRADITUDE
Giving thanks always for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:20
Gracious God,
I ask today that my children would always have a spirit of thanksgiving. May they realize that every good and perfect thing in their lives has come from You. Every friendship, every blue sky, and even every heartbeat are gifts from You.
I pray that they would never embrace a spirit of entitlement or haughty thoughts of deserving more, but may they live with a daily awareness of Your lavish provision.
May gratitude find regular expression in their prayers and what they say about You.
Amen.
GENEROSITY
Each person should do as he has decided in his heart—not reluctantly or out of necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver. 2 Corinthians 9:7
Lavish Giver of Grace and Every Blessing,
You know that my desire is for my children to live with open hands, not clutching or clinging to anything You have given them but willing to pass it on as a blessing to others.
May my children find it a joyous privilege to give to You. Would You give them the ability to be spontaneous givers? But more importantly may their giving be planned and systematic, never grudging or sporadic.
May they always know the incredible richness of being channels of Your blessings.
Amen.
GOD WITH US
See, the virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they will name Him Immanuel, which is translated “God is with us.” Matthew 1:23
Our Ever-Present Savior,
I ask that Your name, Immanuel, would deeply impact the lives of my children.
May they . . .
- always be in wonder that You took the initiative and came to earth to redeem us;
- find great comfort in Your presence during the most difficult, sad, or frightening times of their lives;
- know the peace found in Your nearness in times of failure;
- experience courage knowing that You are with them as they step into the unknown; and
- find Your closeness challenging them to live soberly as they face times of temptation.
- We bless You, Jesus, for being with us!
Amen.
JOY
Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Philippians 4:4
God of Joy,
Since Your Word repeatedly commands us to be joyful, our assumption is that You understand well that it is not always easy. Joy must be more than an emotion since You wouldn’t command us to feel a feeling!
I pray that my children would know lasting joy—the confidence that You are in control of everything and are working for their good and Your glory. May this truth produce in their souls an abiding sense of peace and hopefulness that no circumstance can shake.
Would You continually fill them with Your true joy?
Amen.
WONDER
The whole earth is filled with awe at your wonders; where morning dawns, where evening fades, you call forth songs of joy. Psalm 65:8, NIV
One Who Will Forever Amaze Me,
Would You allow my children, throughout their days, to have hearts that can be captured by wonder? May they stand silent before a blazing sunset, fascinated by a waterfall, amazed at a starlit midnight, in awe of how a caterpillar crawls.
All these wonders are signposts on a trail that leads seekers to You, the Creator.
May the beauty of Your handiwork always lead my children to worship You.
Amen.
Taken from Lord, Help Me Pray for My Kids: 365 Heartfelt Prayers for Parents by Tony Wood. Copyright © 2023. Used by permission of Focus On the Family. All rights reserved. Represented by Tyndale House Publishers, Inc.
Tony Wood
Tony Wood, author of Lord, Help Me Pray for My Kids: 365 Heartfelt Prayers for Parents, is a five-time Dove Award winner with thirty #1 songs on Christian radio. After graduating from Averett College, Tony moved to Nashville to pursue professional songwriting. He has had more than 800 songs recorded and released in the contemporary Christian music market performed by such artists as Michael W. Smith, Francesca Battistelli, Matt Redman, Zach Williams, Mandisa, We Are Messengers, Big Daddy Weave, Jason Crabb, Sandi Patty, Gaither Vocal Band, Reba McEntire, Ricky Skaggs, and many more. Tony and his wife, Terri, are parents to four daughters. Visit him at tonywoodonline.com.
