A Responsibility – a GIFT from God (Part 1)

“She has the spirit of the sun, The moods of the moon,

The will of the wind.” - Julie Perkins Cantrell

On Friday I picked my granddaughter up at the airport. She will be spending the next 10 days here in Colorado. I feel so blessed to have some “one-on-one” time with her, because it has been a year since we’ve seen each other. A 15 year old, is constantly growing, maturing, and changing, and in a year’s time the changes have been amazing.

She has always been a beautiful child but I look at her now and see how her beauty shines from the inside out. Her smile and enthusiasm reflect her love of life. She has a peace and joy that allows her to find good in everyone, fun in everything, and hope in every challenge. For all of this, I give thanks to God.

We all have children that have blessed our lives; whether it is our own children, our grandchildren, nieces and nephews, neighbor or friends’ children, kids at church – you get the picture. God has blessed us with their presence, but He has also given us a responsibility that goes along with the His gift. Philippians 2:4 says “Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interest of others,” and Isaiah 38:19 tells us “Each generation can make known your faithfulness to the next.”

As we love on the children that God has put in our lives, I believe that it is also important (and our responsibility) to pray for our relationship with them and their relationship with Christ. One tool that has been so helpful to me is my “Grandmother’s Bible.”

The Grandmother's Bible offers spiritual nourishment for our own faith, through daily devotions written by well-known Christian grandmothers such as Sheila Walsh, Neta Jackson, Corrie Ten Boom, and Karen Kingsbury. It also offers unique ways to encourage conversations about the Bible, and tips on nurturing our relationships (ie. being a long-distance grandma, leading a child to Christ). And the tool that I absolutely love is the daily guide for praying for your children/ grandchildren. It offers 14 prayers for specific areas in a child’s life - the prayers rotate every two weeks as you read through each chapter of the Bible. What a wonderful resource to help us pass on a legacy of faith to tomorrow's believers.

Since I have 4 grandchildren, I pray for each child for a two week period, covering all 14 areas. I have also gotten in to the habit of signing their name and the date I pray for them next to the prayer. Below I have listed the 14 prayer topics and a brief overview:

SALVATION – prayers that they will know and love God, walk closely to Him throughout their lives, and for His guidance with choices that have eternal consequences

PHYSICAL WELL-BEING – prayers for their physical development, healthy awareness of their body, that diseases will be few, injuries minor, and infirmities brief

EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT – prayers for emotional health and strength, that anger will be turned to peace, difficulties to hope, confusion to clarity and focus

SPIRITUAL GROWTH – prayers that they would desire to read and memorize God’s Word, and have a passion to communicate with God and serve Him daily, that their lives would reflect God’s grace & love

RELATIONSHIPS AT HOME – prayers for blessings in their home and family, relationships with parents and siblings that will enhance their well being, support their self-confidence, and increase their faith

FRIENDS – prayers for close and caring relationships, a social life and diverse friends that bring love, encouragement, joy, laughter, comfort and support into their lives

SELF – IMAGE – prayers that they will embrace their uniqueness, hopes, and dreams, that they will stand firm in who they are, and for positive self-worth

PROTECTION FROM WORLDLINESS – prayers that they will set appropriate limits, avoid temptations, use sound judgment, and be safe from physical and mental harm

RESPECT FOR AUTHORITY – prayers for a cooperative spirit, fair in work and play, and for relationships that are respectful, constructive, and caring

COURAGE – prayers for the courage to stand for what is right, guard truth and ensure justice in their lives, and proudly proclaim God as their Lord of lords

FUTURE SPOUSE – prayers for sexual purity, patience and discernment, for a loving and caring life partner, and that together they will glorify God

SCHOOL/ CAREER – prayers for a sense of wonder, clarity of mind, concentration, perseverance for their challenges, and an appreciation of their strengths

CHARACTER – prayers for a peace-filled spirit that reflects kindness, love, joy, patience, self-control, integrity, generosity, compassion and a sense of justice

TALENTS –prayers to help them identify and develop their talents, to be proud and confident, have a healthy desire for achievement, and success that brings glory to God

This list of prayer concerns may seem a little overwhelming, but the Grandmother’s Bible breaks it down in to a manageable task. A few minutes a day – time well spent for those you love!

My granddaughter, Brooke has lots of plans to squeeze into the next 10 days. They include reuniting with some friends (and probably hanging out at the mall with them), spending a week at a summer camp (praising God and fellowshipping with other Christian teens), chilling out with Grandma (me) and Uncle Eddie, and of course, taking lots of pictures. Time will go by quickly but I have to remember that it’s not the amount of time we will be spending together, it is the quality of our time that is important! I thank God for placing grandchildren in my life and into my care as a grandmother.

I would love to hear how you embrace the gift of the children God has put in your lives. Feel free to post your stories or comments...

Have a blessed week... God’s Peace, Donna Weaver

Thank you, Lord, for the opportunity to have time with my

grandchildren, to laugh and to make memories together. Amen.