By Joyce Suttin

Bo was our golden lab who loved to swim in our pool. He lived for his exercise, and the pool was his domain. One day, my son was learning new strokes and tried the dead man’s float. Bo decided his boy was in imminent danger and jumped into the pool to rescue him. Instinctively, he pushed my son’s head up and held onto him with his paws in an effort to save his life. My poor son choked and sputtered as he tried to keep Bo away and ended up with water in his lungs and a chest full of scratches.

I praised Bo as he shook water all over me in his zealousness to get my opinion of the event. I knew that he’d accomplished more harm than good, but I could relate, because I know I’ve often done the same thing in my interactions with others.

I was talking with someone the other day about their relationship with their teenager and offered my advice. After forty-some years of parenting, grand-parenting, and teaching teenagers, my wisdom was really quite simple: “Don’t take things personally.”
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It’s hard not to react with annoyance, anger, or sensitivity when you feel like you are being rebuffed. It’s hard not to take unkind words or actions personally, not to think of all the times when there were other things you wanted to do, but you stopped and listened and attended to your kids’ needs.

It’s hard to stand on the edge of the proverbial pool and watch and pray, knowing you have said all that needs to be said and done what you could. Now is the time to just step back a bit and let them try. Let them make the clumsy dive. Let them try the new strokes. Let them imitate their friends. But don’t jump into the pool like Bo and try to rescue them prematurely. Just watch and wait in case they call for help. And pray. Because in the end, prayer and unconditional love are really what will make a difference.

If they eventually call out to you, don’t berate them for all the times they didn’t. If they knock on your door, don’t tell them you’re too busy. Be the anchor. Be the rock. Be the stable place in the unstable world and let them know that things will be all right. Then treasure that moment with your arms around them again, and give them faith to jump back in the pool.
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Joyce Suttin is a retired teacher and writer and lives in San Antonio, USA.
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Text and image courtesy of Activated magazine.

By Becky Hayes

I had been praying for my son, Denith, to develop a close and personal relationship with Jesus while he was young, capitalizing on how much faith and capacity to believe two-year-olds have. I prayed that he wouldn't only come to know Jesus as his Savior, but also as the close and personal Friend that Jesus desires to be to everyone. I wanted Denith to sense His Spirit and to hear His voice.

One night something very special happened that encouraged me and made me determined to teach my son more about how to hear from Jesus on his own.

Denith had received a teddy bear when he was a baby, affectionately named "Teddy," and he was very attached to his stuffed friend. Everywhere Denith went—to preschool, to lunch, or to the supermarket—Teddy came along. One day Teddy was misplaced and could not be found. For three days we searched the house. I pulled everything out from under the bed in case he had fallen behind the bed and gotten stuck.

The third night that Teddy was lost, I was putting my nine-month-old, Leilani, and Denith to sleep. The lights were out, and the children were all tucked into bed and ready to pray for the night, when Denith asked, "Mommy, where's Teddy?" "Honey," I said, "Teddy's lost. We need to look for Teddy during the day when there's light. Right now it's dark and we can't see. But why don't we ask Jesus to give Teddy a good night, and to help him be warm and cozy and sleep well." "Mommy, where's Jesus?" asked Denith. "Jesus is in your heart," I replied. "He's also in my heart, and He's all around us. If you talk to Him, He can hear you speak, and if you listen, you can hear Him talk to you." Without any further questions Denith promptly asked aloud, "Jesus, where's Teddy?"

A short pause followed, and then in an excited but matter-of-fact manner, Denith exclaimed, "Oh, Mommy, Teddy is in the crib!" My body tingled with excitement. I knew that my son had heard Jesus answer his question. I didn't hesitate for a second. I began removing the toys and stuffed animals from the baby's crib. Sure enough, under the other toys, I saw Teddy.

I was so touched by Jesus' love for Denith in rewarding his faith by answering him so clearly. It was also a good opportunity for me to show Denith that Jesus always has the answers.

Courtesy of Activated! magazine. Used with permission. Photo adapted from Wikimedia Commons.

It’s not easy raising children in today’s world. Many of the godly values that you want to encourage in your children are constantly being attacked by others who are going the opposite direction. You worry that even your best efforts will fail and that your children will turn their backs on the values you hold dear. I know you’re tempted sometimes to give up, but don’t. Your concern and care are not in vain. There’s only so much that you can do, even though you try your best. But I’m capable of doing much more than you ever could, and I am here to help. I also understand your children even better than you do, and I know how to best handle their problems. I want to work with you to shape your children into the godly people you and I both want them to become.

Commit your children to Me in prayer. Through prayer you can be the better parent you want to be. Through prayer you can help protect your children from harm and unwholesome influences. Through prayer you can find My solutions to their problems. Through your prayers I can do what you can’t do.

Set aside time each day to pray for your children. Each time you’re faced with a troublesome issue, ask Me for the answer. Start today to be a better parent through prayer. Changes that you haven’t thought possible will come to pass through the power of prayer.

By Bonita Hele

Dear Jesus, bless the mothers who sat up again last night, soothing their crying, colicky babies.

Bless the mothers who read the same favorite bedtime story night after night, even though they could recite it in their sleep.

Bless the mothers who keep a treasured collection of their children’s artwork, from the first scribble to the latest masterpiece.

Bless the mothers who help support their families, even when it means going to work with spit-up on their blouses, diapers in their purses, and teething rings on their key chains.

Bless the mothers who cheer the child who scored the winning goal, and bless the mothers who cheer on the child who has never scored a goal.

Bless the mothers who care for their sick children, treasuring the extra time together rather than begrudging the extra work.

Bless the mothers who daily teach their children the ways of love, peace, forgiveness, tolerance, and humility by their example.

Bless the mothers who teach their children to fold their hands in prayer, even before they can say a word.

Bless the mothers who acknowledge their mistakes and ask You to make up for their lacks.

Bless the mothers who never tire of praying for their children.

Bless the mothers who aren’t a picture of perfection but a personification of love.

Thank You, Lord, for mothers—old pro, rookie, or soon-to-be, single or married, rich or poor, mothers of their own children or mothers to the motherless—because without them we would not know that most beautiful thing, a mother’s love.

By Natalia Nazarova

When my husband went on an extended business trip for nearly three months, I found out what challenges single parents face. It was a big adjustment to have to keep up with the house and care for the children on my own, in addition to my job. Other circumstances also took a toll on my emotions, and I found it increasingly difficult to cope. Each day’s outlook seemed bleaker than the last. The struggle exhausted me physically and mentally. Then came the last straw.

Dinner was almost ready, and it would be ten minutes before the children finished their homework and came to eat. I had been using my laptop to listen to music while I cooked, and decided to use those ten minutes to check my email. I scooped the laptop from the kitchen counter and headed for the living room, but in my frazzled state I forgot to unplug the power cord. When I had gone only a few steps, sudden resistance tore the laptop from my grip. I can still see the scene unfolding, as though in slow motion—my computer falling, flipping, bouncing, the screen going blank.

I was in shock the rest of the evening, and couldn’t fall asleep that night. When my mind finally stopped racing, I began to consider how stressed I had been and consequently how unhappy I was. I believed that God wanted to help me get out of the mess I was in, and He did.

In my desperate, “shattered” state, He was able to get through to me about areas where I had been falling short—my relationships with my older children and my attitude toward some of my coworkers, for example. In that time of quiet reflection, I sought and found God’s forgiveness, and faith and hope were restored.

Then I remembered my shattered laptop. But instead of the despair I had felt all evening, I had the distinct feeling that all was not lost. If God could put me back together, I reasoned, surely there was hope for my laptop.

The next morning I switched on the laptop, and it rebooted. Only a small portion of the screen lit up, but the computer was still functioning. Only the screen had been damaged, and that was relatively inexpensive to replace.

Now each time I open my laptop and the screen lights up, I am reminded of God’s unfailing love and forgiveness, the peace He has to offer, and the inner change He brings when we take our problems to Him.

As parents, the desire to give to your children is limitless: You desire for them to grow in their relationship with Jesus; you want them to be safe and protected from negative influences and dangerous situations; you want them to become well-rounded, productive individuals. There are a multitude of things that you may want your children to have, to be, and to experience. And although you may be limited in what you can physically offer them, through prayer, you can obtain all that Jesus desires to give them.

Good and successful parenting and childrearing takes strength, wisdom, patience, faith, insight, courage, fight, and divine love. But if you want to give your children the very, very best, and if you want to do your very, very best for them, give them your prayers!

Pray, instead of waiting for problems to crop up, and you’ll be heading many difficulties and problems off at the pass. Pray, and you’ll be doing your part to help set your children up for life.

As many of you parents have experienced, there will be times when you feel like your hands are tied regarding how to help your child. You’ll feel like you’ve done all you could, and nothing seems to work. The truth is that there is always more you can do. You can always pray for your children, and it will bring results.

You’ll never be without a job when it comes to childrearing. Your children are your children for the rest of your lives, and even when they are grown and have children of their own, you can still be interceding on their behalf through your prayers.

A Prayer List for Your Child

Here is a sample prayer list for you to use during your times of prayer for your child. You can personalize this list to more accurately suit you and your child’s individual needs and situation, or create one for yourself.

Relationship with Jesus and spiritual growth

• That they will experience and come to know Jesus and His love in a personal way 
• That their love and appreciation of God’s Word will develop and grow
• That they will grow in maturity; exhibiting the fruit of the Spirit in their lives: love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance

Overall development, character building, and interpersonal relationships

• That they will have a positive impact on the lives of their friends, peers, and elders they come in contact with
• That they will learn obedience to me, their parent, out of love
• That they will establish friendships with those who will have a positive influence on them, and whom they can positively influence
• For ongoing progress in all areas of their development: spiritual, intellectual, physical, social, and emotional

My parenting

• That I will regularly seek Jesus’ help, understanding, and wisdom in order to be the parent that He wants me to be
• That I can give them the assurance of unconditional love no matter what problems or difficulties arise, and that I can be a reflection of God’s everlasting love to them
• That I will be faithful to share with our children how important Jesus is to me and how He works in my life
• That I can teach them how to discern between right and wrong


Future and protection

• For life experiences and character growth that will enable and motivate them to fulfill the destinies that Jesus has for them
• For protection against physical danger, accidents, and sickness

By Misty Kay

I pulled into the driveway about eight o’clock that summer evening. Instead of my husband Daniel, a neighbor met me as I got out of the car.

“Did you meet Daniel at the hospital?” she asked.

“No, was I supposed to?”

“Haven’t you heard?”

Those are the words every mother dreads hearing. I immediately thought of Chalsey, my eight-year-old. She’s the accident-prone one in our family.

“Chalsey was bitten by a copperhead snake! Daniel rushed her to the hospital an hour ago.”

My heart froze. We had killed copperheads on our property before and knew how dangerous they were. A bite from a copperhead can kill a child.

I later learned that Chalsey had been collecting bugs to feed the pet iguana and had lifted a small wooden walkway on the side of the house to look for bugs there. When she screamed out in pain, Daniel rushed over, found out what had happened, killed the snake, and took it with them to the hospital so the doctors would know how to treat the bite.

I jumped back in the car and headed for the hospital, 15 minutes away.

That was probably the longest 15 minutes of my life. A million questions raced through my mind. Is Chalsey in a lot of pain? Is she still conscious—or even alive? How could this have happened?

I prayed from the depths of a mother’s heart. It was just between me and God now. My hands trembled on the wheel as I cried out to Him to have mercy and heal my little girl. Flying down the freeway, my heart made a definite connection with His.

I was reminded of the story in the Bible about the Shunammite woman whose young son, her only child, had died suddenly (2 Kings 4:8-37). She put him on the prophet Elijah’s bed and went to get Elijah. When she found him, he asked, “Is it well with you? Is it well with the child?” and she replied, “It is well.”

How could she say, “It is well”? Obviously it was not well with the child. But her faith was strong. God had given her that child in answer to the prophet’s prayers, although she had been barren. She believed that God was able to restore life to her son, and because of her faith, the boy was raised from the dead, fully healed.

The message was clear. God wanted me to trust Him, to believe that He had already heard my prayers and to start thanking Him.

It was very emotional for me. I went from desperate tears of pleading, to soul-cleansing tears of surrender, to passionate tears of praise and thankfulness to my loving God. He would do as He knew best. “It is well with the child,” I said aloud in an affirmation of faith.

When I arrived at the hospital, I was greatly relieved to find Chalsey awake and talking. Her hand was swollen, her fingers were purple and green, and she was in a lot of pain, but so far the swelling had not gone past her hand.

The snake that had bitten her had been young, and the doctor explained that these can be the most dangerous because they don’t yet know how to control their venom. They can give an even higher dose than an adult snake, or they can give a small dose. How much did Chalsey get? Only time would tell. The doctor explained that if the swelling went past the wrist, more drastic measures would be needed.

For hours, we watched as her hand got bigger and her fingers changed colors. She was sick and cried in pain. We called friends and family to join us in prayer for her. We claimed in prayer that the venom would spread no farther. I sang songs with Chalsey and quoted Bible verses to her.

To our joyful relief, the swelling stopped at her wrist. It was a wonderful answer to prayer!

By the next morning she was smiling again, and in time the swelling and discoloration went away. Chalsey is such a resilient child. No matter what happens, she bounces back. (She also loves to show off her scars.)

Ever since my trip home from the hospital on the night of the snakebite, I have felt an inner peace. I had faced down my fears. My faith had been tested, stretched, strengthened.

It’s not easy raising children in today’s world. Many of the godly values that you want to encourage in your children are constantly being attacked by others who are going the opposite direction. You worry that even your best efforts will fail and that your children will turn their backs on the values you hold dear. I know you’re sometimes tempted to give up, but don’t. Your concern and care are not in vain.

There’s only so much that you can do, even though you try your best. But I’m capable of doing much more than you ever could, and I am here to help. I also understand your children even better than you do, and I know how to best handle their problems. I want to work with you to shape your children into the godly people we both want them to become. 

Commit your children to Me in prayer. Through prayer you can be the better parent you want to be. Through prayer you can help protect your children from harm and unwholesome influences. Through prayer you can find My solutions to their problems. Through your prayers I can do what you can’t do. 

Set aside time each day to pray for your children. Each time you’re faced with a troublesome issue, ask Me for the answer. Start today to be a better parent through prayer. Changes that you haven’t thought possible will come to pass through the power of prayer.