Such a special time of year! How can this blog bring glory to God, make the season more meaningful and celebrate family?
My idea is this:
With the gracious permission of Jennifer Kennedy Dean, the author of numerous books including one of my favorites, Legacy of Prayer, I would like to feature Jennifer's 30 days of prayer for our families and descendants.
Each day for 30 days I will share a scripture that she suggests in her book and a short prayer from her to go along with it. I will also share a prayer of mine.
Here is where your presence and comments come into play. On the days that you are able to read and comment, I would like for you to also meditate on the scripture and share a prayer in your comment. At the end of 30 days, I plan to print these off and bind them, having my own special prayer book to pray repeatedly for my descendants. I hope you will do the same.
If you are not comfortable voicing a prayer in the comment section, that is fine. I want no one to feel any pressure but I will only be sharing prayers for the next 30 days.
One paragraph cannot define a person or a book but I would like to share one portion of Jennifer's book that I think is so important, especially in light of the prayers we pray for our descendants.
"In praying for our children, our grandchildren and our descendants, we must learn to pray in the Spirit and not in the flesh. Our mother-flesh and our father-flesh is protective and possessive. The love we have for our children, in its flesh form, would like to control their lives and keep them from any pain, disappointment, or discouragement. Our flesh wants to rescue them and shield them and run interference for them. Our flesh will pray, "Don't let anything bad happen." To which the Lord will say, "I need to allow disappointment, pain, and failure so that I can give him the treasures of darkness and the riches stored in secret places." If we pray for our children from our flesh rather than the Spirit, we may think that God is not listening when our children do have difficulties." ~~Jennifer Kennedy Dean |
Day 1
"If you had responded to my rebuke, I would have poured out my heart to you and made my thoughts known to you." Proverbs 1:23
Jennifer's prayer: "Lord, may my descendants respond to your love, even when it comes in the form of rebuke. Pour out your heart and cause them to know your thoughts."
My prayer: "Lord, I want to know you more--I want to know your thoughts and your heart--Oh God, whatever you must do or allow to turn my descendants thoughts to you, I trust you. I know you will deal as gently with them as they will let you." This is not an easy prayer to pray but I can pray it in confidence resting assuredly in Romans 8:28 and the ramparts of your faithfulness."
If you do not have children, please take this opportunity to pray for your parents' or grandparents' descendants, friends of yours, or the lost and dying of the world.
I hope by Christmas day, the birth of this precious Son and Savior will have become even more meaningful to all of us.
Loving all of you,
2010-the Year of Longings
I long for all of my descendants to know and love You, Lord.
To access Jennifer's website featuring her book, Legacy of Prayer, and prayercards, go here.
Disclaimer: I do not know Jennifer personally and am receiving no compensation from this endorsement.
