Prayer

“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” – Philippians 4:6-7, NIV
As a multi-generational church here in Parker County, we recognize that North Side is made up of all kinds of families – old and young, big and small – experiencing life and issues in so many different seasons. Our desire is to lead, care, and support you no matter the makeup. One of the ways we are seeking to accomplish this challenge is through our Faith@Home strategy which is based on a biblical belief that God designed the family as the primary place for discipleship.

To support this belief and your family, we have a great tool in this enclosed Faith Path initiative to partner with you as you guide your child’s spiritual journey one step at a time. It is based on age-appropriate kits that have been created to help you leverage the best faith formation strategy for your child’s stage of development. In this enclosed PRAYER kit, you will find practical ideas and suggested resources to help you lead your child and family to pray. We urge you to start today by taking the following simple steps and look forward to watching your child and family grow in your relationship with God and each other.

STEP ONE: LEARN
Check out the video provided that explains this particular kit’s Faith Path step. This video comes directly from the original launch of Faith Path and is used in a partnership with LakePointe Church.  You will hear from both experts and ordinary families as they share practical suggestions from their experiences. You will also find a guide that offers practical tips and what we hope are some of the best resources available to your family on this topic.

STEP TWO: START
To help you jump start the process, you will find a download to a Prayer Calendar ideal for dry erase notes that can help your child create a habit of prayer. We hope you find this kit helpful in the process of forming the faith of your child at home. We are all busy with so many “good” activities and plans. But please choose the “best” and make time now as a family to get started with this kit. Feel free to visit with our staff below to learn more or to determine if your child/children are ready for other Faith Path steps.

“These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.” – Deuteronomy 6:6-7, NIV

Teach Your Child to Talk to God

One of the greatest things you can do is to help your child develop a relationship with God through prayer. Prayer is how we communicate with and connect to our Heavenly Father. Nurture your child’s faith by praying together as a family and by guiding them in the practice of praying individually.    

BE AN EXAMPLE
Allow your child to see and hear you pray on a regular basis. Take time to stop and give thanks in times when God blesses you or answers a prayer. Model prayer in times of difficulty or when seeking wisdom for important decisions. Pray for those in your family and others you know are in need.  

JUMP START PRAYERS
Use these ideas to help start prayer time with your child.

  • Sentence Prayers: Take turns allowing each person who is comfortable doing so to pray a very short, one sentence prayer. It can be as simple as “Please heal Uncle Paul.” “Thank you for giving Troy a new friend.” or “I’m sorry for losing my temper with everyone earlier today.”

  • Fill-in-the-Blank Prayers: Use pre-written language to guide and focus prayer times such as the following starter lines:
    • God, I love you because…
    • Thank you God for…
    • God, please help…
    • God, I’m sorry for…

PRAYER TOOLS AND IDEAS
  • Prayer Board: Keep a dry erase board or the calendar included with this kit in a high traffic area of your home and use it to note items the family is praying for together.
  • Prayer Journal:  Consider purchasing a journal for your child to start recording prayers and how God answers them.
  • Mirror prayers: Using a dry erase marker, write a list of prayer concerns on the child’s bathroom mirror so he or she remembers to pause and pray after brushing teeth.

FAMILY ROUTINE
Making prayer a regular part of your family culture will help make it a normal part of your child’s life.  Consider incorporating some of the following in your family routine.
  • Mealtime: Briefly give thanks before you eat, then wait until everyone has finished to have a longer time of prayer together.
  • Bedtime: The first person in the family to go to bed (usually the youngest) alerts everyone else that it is time for an end-of-day prayer together.
  • Drive time: As you start the engine, pause for a brief prayer together asking God to go with you and invite everyone to pray a sentence prayer for any concern about the upcoming activities of the day. This is a great routine to begin as you drive to school in the morning.  
  • Walks: Taking a walk together is the ideal time to pray. Or pause at the end to pray about the matters discussed during your walk.

Prayer Calendar

INTENTIONAL FAITH PATH PLAN  

How will you be intentional this next year?
  • Pray daily for and with my child.
  • Consistently spend time in God’s Word.
  • Bless my child daily.
  • Schedule and have regular family times.

The next step on the Faith Path is Bible, recommended at age seven. We will offer a Bible kit to guide you.
Check with your child’s age group pastor and see what access you can have to Sunday or Wednesday group Bible lessons – many offer discussion questions or activities for parents to debrief or apply at home.
RECOMMENDED RESOURCES

Pray Big for Your Child by Will Davis Jr.
Creative Family Prayer Times by Mike and Amy Nappa
What Happens When I Talk to God by Stormie Omartian
Power of a Praying Kid by Stormie Omartian

© 2012 Inkling Innovations & Lydia Randall

North Side Staff Contacts

Brian McKay, Children's Pastor
brian@nsbcweatherford.com
Jim Garner, Family & Missions Pastor
jim@nsbcweatherford.com