Family Prayer Journal: Tuesday's - Kid's and Main Prayer Focus

Welcome to Tuesday

Today we will be covering our daily prayer topic for our kids, and our specific child prayer that will be our main prayer focus for Tuesday.

Tuesday tends to be my longest prayer day of the week. Our focus for Tuesday for our children is their jobs & school. When I write these prayers out, I pray for the now and for the future.

I have been braking this down on a daily basis, but let's take a look at our prayer journal outline as a whole, so that you can have a visual of what we are doing everyday. I am going to use Tuesday (today) as an example.

• Tuesday
• The Kids - Jobs & School (The Kids is always the first topic of the day. Each day has a specific focus: Monday - What would I have Jesus do?, Tuesday - Job's & School, Wednesday - Relationship both family & friends, Thursday - Growth (physical, mental, emotional), Friday - Their spiritual growth. This section includes all children)
• Mia
• Carson & Liam
• Dustin
• Chad & Emily
• Scott
• Nathan
• Bree
• Jonah
• Jonah's Day (Tuesday's on my prayer list is my day to focus on Jonah, Wednesday - Nathan, Thursday - Scott, Friday - Mia, etc. You can make this your own. If you only have one child, then break it down over several topics each day, whatever works for you. This is how I chose to do it.)
• Rod (Again, I break this up over the week. Monday - Protection, Tuesday - his relationship with Jesus, Wednesday - his relationship with his kids & grand kids, Thursday - Job, Friday - Marriage
• His relationship with Jesus
• Finances (I broke down the daily finances in this post.)
• Friends & Family (Your choice. You chose who you're praying for here.)
• Church (Monday - Growth, Tuesday - Leadership, Wednesday - Day to day operations & Worship team, Thursday - Unification, Friday - Children's & Youth)
• Work (Monday - Boss/Director, Tuesday - Finances, Wednesday - Holy Spirit be on premise/go before me, Thursday - Client's & Our protection, Friday - Making a difference/Vision)

This gives you the overall view for daily prayers. If I was to type out my Tuesday prayers you would probably quit reading; it's that long. Please keep in mind; I don't sit here and read this everyday. Once I write out these cries of my heart, I release them to God. I do reference this journal from time to time and restate some prayers. The reason I keep bringing this up is because this can become a religious act, which can stifle the flow of the Holy Spirit. You don't want it to become monotonous: drone like. You want to talk to Jesus about your kids daily, bringing up current issues on each topic. Allow this to guide your discussions.

Now let's move on to another topic that may blow your mind.

I am sure you noticed above, under Mia: Carson & Liam, Dustin, Chad & Emily. So let's just hit this discussion head on. Here is a smidgen of the story: Mia & Chad got pregnant right out of high school. Probably one of the parenting mistakes I regret the most happened next. We forced our belief system onto our, now adult, child. Ugh, just thinking about it makes my shoulders tense. Mia honored our stance and lived with us until they married. Mia, Chad, and Carson became a family, living all together, when Chad and Mia married. Carson was 4 months old. Shortly after marrying, they got pregnant again, with Liam. Shortly after that Chad had an affair with Emily and she became pregnant with their oldest daughter. Mia and Chad divorced. Mia is now with Dustin and Chad is now with Emily. Chad and Emily have two little girls together.

I have every reason to dislike Chad. He hurt my baby girl. Really hurt her. Just typing this out is hard, remembering a very difficult time in all of our lives. I could hate. I could be bitter. I could encourage Mia to hate and be bitter by my attitude. Ultimately though, who would I be hurting by doing this? Yep. My grand babies. It is important to me to pray for the success, salvation, and happiness of Chad and Emily because, first of all, Chad is Carson & Liam's father. And second, Emily is apart of Chad's life which means she is apart of Carson & Liam's life. Same goes with Dustin. Dustin and Mia are not married. They live together. I am not accountable for Mia's choices. But I am accountable for mine. My choice is to pray for the success, salvation, and happiness of Dustin and Mia. Why? Well, first off, she is my daughter. Hello? And second, I want them to succeed. Dustin has influence over my daughter and my grandchildren. Do I cut them out of my life because they are living differently then I would hope. Nope. Not this Momma. I have the most powerful tool at my disposal. Prayer. I will give it all to Jesus to sort out and love my daughter, and her wonderful boyfriend, and my beautiful grand babies. End.Of.Discussion.

Parenting is hard. And sometimes, it isn't pretty.

Wow. Fun stuff today, huh?

Now back to prayer. And you wondered why I was all into prayer. Girl, please. Jesus and me are like this...

Tuesday's!

• Kids: Job & School
• Mia
• Carson & Liam
• Dustin
• Chad & Emily
• Scott
• Nathan
• Bree
• Jonah

My prayers here cover all current issues in regards to school and their jobs, plus my hopes for their future and any prophetic prayers I feel led to pray. Scriptures that been included in the past in this section are:

Isaiah 54:13 - All your sons will be taught by the Lord, and great will be your children's peace.

Luke 2:52 - And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men.

Proverbs 3:5-6 - Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all ways submit to him and he will make your paths straight.

Psalms 1:1-3 Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers, but whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night. That person is like a tree planted by the streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither - whatever they do prospers.

Joshua 1:9 - Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or discouraged for the Lord your God will be with you where ever you go.

Philippians 4:13 - I can do all things through Christ who gives me strength.

Next is the main prayer topic for the day. Today's topic for me is Jonah.

• Jonah's Day
• Father, thank you for Jonah! Thank you for his love! He is constantly a joy and a hoot. I am so blessed by his constant desire to know about You and understand the bible.
• Father, I pray that You hear my prayers and give me wisdom daily on how to pray more effectively. Please help me to give the request to You, Father, to work out in Your own timing, without my manipulations or striving. (Note: I pray this prayer each day before I pray for the kid of the day)
• For Jonah: Lord, I pray that Jonah reaches always for his full potential. I pray that he never settles for less than what you would have for him. I pray that Jonah would develop a sensitivity to Your voice. I pray that he would not only hear You, but listen too. Father, please watch over Jonah daily and protect him from physical harm. My desire for Jonah is that he would develop a great relationship with You from early on. That he will know a level of trust and understanding that brings meaning to the purpose that You would have for him. I hope and pray that Jonah would find comfort and joy in the process of learning. I pray for a continued hunger to learn and know about things. But above all learning that he would walk in Your truth! Please give Rod and I strength, wisdom, and discipline to help him find the right answers. Amen!

This prayer is actually a couple of years old. I do need to update it as Jonah is now entering puberty. Yay! (please pay special attention to the tone of sarcasm there)

I have, yet another, wonderfully stretching, totally awesome parenting moment to let you know about. If you noticed above, when praying for the kids. I listed Bree under Nathan. Nathan informed us this weekend that he plans to marry Bree in January. Yes, for those who are doing the math in their head. Nathan will be a senior next year. He turns 18 in September. January is a long way off, and plans and life change. But out of all of my children, Nathan inherited the stubbornness of both his mother and his father. The boy can not be moved when he has made a decision. On Wednesday's we pray for our children's relationships, both with friends and family. This includes their future spouses. But I will also be including Bree in the other sections. Just so you know, and can be praying for my sanity. Because, parenting, as you know, is so easy and fun. All.The.Time.

If you wondered why I didn't post yesterday, you now know what I was working through. Sharing my prayers with you all makes for some pretty significant vulnerability. There are some who would have a field day with some of what I shared today. So, let me finish with this:

Father, I cancel any assignment the enemy may send out in regards to my words and prayers today. I also cancel out any curses spoken by those who do not know, over my self, my children, my marriage, and my family, in Jesus name. Use us Lord to help others who may be struggling. May my life be a testimony to Your goodness and mercy. I love You Lord, and I am so very thankful that I can talk to You and know that You hear my prayers. I look forward to Your wisdom and revelation in all aspects of my life. You are an awesome God.

Father, please bless my fellow sisters reading this post today. Father, I am sure they are sitting there thinking, "Lord, please don't let my babies grow up!" Please give them strength and wisdom and courage to be the parents you have called them to be. Please protect their babies from the harshness of this world and keep them innocent and pure. In Jesus name!! Amen!!