By Lillian Penner

This time of the year, we become aware of the spring season, especially in the areas where we experience the four seasons. It is exciting to see the buds on the trees that have lied dormant and the bulbs popping out of the ground almost over night. Spring reminds us of new life.

During the winter, many areas have experienced very cold harsh weather. However, as spring approaches it gives us the hope of warmth, beautiful gardens, and landscapes, it warms our spirit, we become alive and more energetic.

We often go through seasons in our prayer lives where we feel like our prayers have become humdrum, repetitive, or seem pointless. We do not take the time to read and meditate on God’s Word or pray intentionally for our families or ourselves as we usual.

That was my experience a number of years ago, I felt the prayers for my children, and grandchildren were very general, superficial, and powerless. I just prayed they would be safe, have a good day and I would be on my way since I didn’t live near them, and didn’t know their immediate needs.

However, that all changed after I asked God to give me wisdom and insight how I could pray for them intentionally. Praying intentionally means a determination to pray in a certain way, done by intention or design. Asking God for direction and reading several books about prayer, I was encouraged. I gained some tools to help me to pray intentionally and regularly for my children and grandchildren.

The Bible, God’s Word was the greatest resource I discovered to help me with my praying, not only for my family but also for myself. We read in Hebrews 4:12 (in the Amplified version), “The Word of God is alive and full of power, making it active, operative, energizing, and effective.” God’s Word was alive and full of power, bringing energy into my prayers. Personalizing God’s Word in our prayers, releases His supernatural power and His presence in my life.

In praying scripture, I not only find myself in intimate communication with God, but my mind is being renewed to think His thoughts, about the situation I am praying for, instead of mine. Ultimately, God shrinks what I thought as impossible to a possibility and gives me peace as I wait for His answer.

As we start claiming God’s promises and personalizing the scriptures, we will experience more confidence and boldness in our praying. Nothing threatens the ENEMY more than when we are intentionally praying God’s Word for our children, grandchildren, and ourselves.

As you experience the spring, season approaching in your area I hope your thoughts will turn to accessing your prayer life for your children, grandchildren, and yourself. If you are in a WINTER season in your prayer life and you have not been spending time with the Lord regularly or in prayer, allow the spring season to bring new life to your prayers.

Prayer:

Dear Father, as I read your Word, show me the scriptures I can pray for my family and myself. Help me to set an appointment with you each day. Show me how you would like me to be an intentional prayer warrior for my family. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

I will email a list of “Scriptures to Pray” from the book Grandparenting with a Purpose if you write a comment below of how God has helped you to pray intentionally for your family. Thank you for your comments.