Teaching Our Children To Pray

So often I will have people come to me and tell me they don’t know what to say to ABBA Father when they pray. This got me to thinking about my own prayer life and how my parents taught me to pray as a young child. My earliest memory was being three years old and having them both come into mine and my sisters bedroom and teaching us both the “Now I Lay Me Down To Sleep” prayer. It was a easy prayer because it rhymed. It was only one of two prayer's I would learn as a child along with the one we

would recite at the dinner table each night. You know “God is good, God is great, let him thank us for our food?

So a few months ago while sitting on my bed journaling and talking to God, I felt the Holy Spirit speak to me about how important it is that our children are taught at a very young age the importance of prayer, so that as they mature they will have learned to take all things to our heavenly Abba Father. I'm very grateful for those two prayers I was taught and I'm sorry to have to admit this but it's all I taught my own children. Oh how I wish I had been taught to take every need, hurt, question and broken heart to God throughout my day. I truly believe it would have made my life more grounded and maybe a much easier journey. It most definitely would have made me feel like a had a much deeper personal relationship with him.

I decided to pick up my pen and listen as the Holy Spirit directed me and began to think of what things come into a small child's mind and heart that might actually need to be prayed about. what follows are twenty-six prayers that God layed on my heart.

Dear God

Thank you for a brand new day

Thank you for this world you've made

Thank you for the Sun and Tree's

Thank you for the breath in me

In Jesus name I pray

Amen

Dear God

Please forgive me for my sins

Teach me God to make amends

To be the best that I can be

To walk the path you made for me

In Jesus name I pray

Amen

Dear God

Thank you for my mom and dad

Thank you for this day we had

Thank you for the stars above

Thanks for all your precious love

In Jesus name I pray

Amen

Dear God

Thank you for this food today

For your mercy and your grace

Please use this food to nourish me

Make me grateful unto thee

In Jesus name I pray

Amen

Dear God

Thank you for my great pet

For the happiness that i get

When he barks/meows and plays with me

For the joy that it brings

Please protect it everyday

keep it healthy as we play

In Jesus name I pray

Amen

Dear God

Thank you for giving me all my needs

And for always protecting me

Help me to be kind and live

Like my savior Jesus did

Helping other's everyday

Spreading love along the way

In Jesus name I pray

Amen

Dear God

Please help me to want to share my things

Because of the joy that sharing brings

To put a smile on each face

So everyone can play today

Amen

Dear God

Thank you for this sunny day

That chase all my cares away

It brightens up the big big sky

It brings pure joy to my eyes

In Jesus name I pray

Amen

Dear God

Please forgive me for getting mad

I know that makes you really sad

Help me to apologize

And do much better the next time

In Jesus name I pray

Amen

Dear God

Thank you for this rainy day

Even tho I can't go out and play

I know it helps the flowers bloom

And gives me time alone with you

In Jesus name I pray

Amen

Dear God

Please help my friend

Teach him on you he can depend

Take his fear and tears away

Replace it with a happy face

In Jesus name I pray

Amen

Dear God

Please help the one that is hurt

Give them doctors to do your work

Heal them Father of their pain

Make them healthy once again

In Jesus name I pray

Amen

Dear God

Please help my friend that is so sad

Give them peace and make them glad

Please send down your precious love

Make them happy fill their cup

In Jesus name I pray

Amen

Dear God

Help me to respect my mom and dad

To clean my room and make my bed

To not complain but feel joy instead

In Jesus name I pray

Amen

Dear God

Help me to remember to come and pray

To you for help throughout my day

To know on you I can depend

When I ask forgiveness for my sins

In Jesus name I pray

Amen

Dear God

Help my friend/friends to be ok

Give them peace and joy today

Keep them well and keep them safe

I thank you for all of them today

In Jesus name I pray

Amen

Dear God

Please teach me to not be mean

When someone isn't nice to me

I should forgive them like you do me

I should show love for all to see

In Jesus name I pray

Amen

Dear God

Thank you for your son you gave

To take all my sins away

Please tell him I love him so

Much more than he will ever know

In Jesus name I pray

Amen

Dear God

Thank you for this day i had

Thank you for my mom and dad

Thank you for my siblings too

And all the loving things you do

In Jesus name I pray

Amen

Dear God

Thank you for this lovely meal

That in my tummy it will fill

Thank you for it tasting good

And nourishing me just like it should

In Jesus name

Amen

Dear God

I'm sorry that I've been bad

And I did not do what Mommy said

I know she loves me just like you

Help me to listen and follow through

In Jesus name I pray

Amen

Dear God

Now I lay me down to sleep

I pray you watch over me

Send me dreams from up above

Of happy times filled with your love

In Jesus name I pray

Amen

Dear God

Thank you for waking me up

Thank you for all your love

Help me as I go through my day

Thank you for showing me the way

In Jesus name I pray

Amen

Dear God

Thank you for the sun above

Thank you for your grace and love

Thank you for sending us your WORD

To help guide all your boys and girls

In Jesus name I pray

Amen