My Pre-Game Ritual

I was listening to a sermon by one of my favorite pastors.  He was being open about his “pre-game rituals” before he preaches. The kids thought it was pretty funny because I have some of those same little habits, too! I thought perhaps I would share my “pre-game” prayer with you.

Our job as parents, is by far our most important task. It pales in comparison to earning a living. I mean, you make a couple bucks, lose a couple (or lose it all) and either way, it is just money. You have a good job, you lose it, you can get another mode of employment.

But you mess up parenting, and you don’t get a do over. Lives are at stake. Eternal lives. Generations. There are no mulligans, replays, restarts…

So I begin most days and end many of them with a prayer over myself and each of my children. The generic version (which changes by day or evening depending on what they or I have really been struggling with or working on) of that prayer goes something like this:

Heavenly Father;
I pray today that You would take my mind, and give me Your Word and wisdom to share. Conform my thoughts to Yours.

Make my eyes see things how You see them, see opportunity to encourage, see the things I need to work on in myself and the children.

Make my ears sensitive today to the needs of what my husband and children are really saying to me. Let me hear Your voice whispering wisdom to me.

Let my mouth say Your words, loving words, truthful words. Speak through me today to my husband and children.

Let my neck not be stiff, Lord. Don’t let me be unteachable, unmovable.

Give me strong shoulders for this job, Lord. And when the burdens get heavy, let me remember to cast them to You, and lift them by singing songs of praise.

Gird my arms with strength Father. Make my hands ready for the war being waged daily against my family. I fight from victory Lord. Let my hands be Yours today as I love and touch my husband and each child. Let my hands stay busy doing Your work, not idle in any way.

Keep and guard my heart. Let it be sensitive to Your will. (I could stop right here and right an epistle, but you get the idea. The heart is a biggie folks.)

Lord please let my belly just hunger and thirst for Your Word. Let out of me flow streams of living water that are refreshing to my family, and attractive to my children that they would desire to grow in their faith.

Lord, let me run to You today with every fear or anxiety. Let my legs be quick to bend to the knee in prayer and humility.

And make my feet quick to take me where You are directing for ministry.

So there is a little peak into how I pray over myself and many times over my kids especially before bed. Sometimes it is an individual thing…I pray specifically touching each part I list in prayer something for each child, sometimes it is a “blanket prayer” over them around the dining room table after Bible study. And most mornings, it is a private prayer for myself before I head out of my bedroom to start the day. It is especially strengthening and invigorating because I know He hears me and He does do all those things I ask of Him. He is so good and faithful to equip us for this monumental task at hand. He desires our success even more than we do as parents. He knows what’s at stake. So ask! And cover yourselves! And the children!