Greetings, Refresh readers! It’s my pleasure to introduce you to my dear friend Julie Lavender as our guest contributor today. I know you’ll fall in love with her. Her tips for cultivating a heart of prayer in our little ones are spot on. ~Lori

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When our kids were young, David and I argued each night over who would pray with our second-born, Jenifer. Jokingly, of course, because prayer time with our kids was and is always sweet. Whereas our son Jeremy’s prayers were focused and to the point, precious Jenifer rambled exhaustingly long … at least, it felt that way when I was anxious to finish the dishes for the night, work on the last load of clothes, or complete homeschool lesson plans. 

Jenifer prayed for family members and sunshine and friends and socks and breakfast.

These days, as a mom of adult kiddos, I often long for bedtime routines with little ones that include sweet, genuine prayers uttered in the precious voice of a child. I miss that stage of life when little toes stepped on my feet and small hands reached for my arms and my heart.

Just last week, I welcomed an opportunity to pray with my six-year-old grandson, Benaiah. Cuddled in his bed, surrounded by darkness and the scent of his freshly-washed blankies, we prayed fervently for his baby brother. 

“Dear God, please take Maverick get well and let him come home soon,” Benaiah’s little voice whispered. I added prayers for Maverick’s parents – my now-grown Jenifer and her husband Adam. “Please let Jenifer and Adam get some rest tonight and help the doctors and nurses know how to care for Maverick.” 

Benaiah had lots of questions about his brother and hospitals and procedures, while his little hand remained cupped inside mine. Though my daughter’s kitchen needed attention because they’d rushed my six-month-old dehydrated grandson to the hospital the night before with a severe stomach bug, and more than one load of crib sheets and infant sleepers needed washing, none of that seemed important now.

A sweet time of conversation with God – that was what mattered most.

Do you pray regularly with your children or grandchildren? One section of my newest book, Raising Good Sons: Christian Parenting Principles for Nurturing Boys of Faith and Character, coauthored with my husband David, emphasizes the Bible’s admonition to “pray without ceasing.”

First John 5:14 (NIV) reminds us, “This is the confidence we have I approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.”

Here are a few tips we include in the book to instill the practice of a vibrant prayer life in your little one’s life. 

*Establish a quiet-time routine where you help your child pray regularly and with focus. 

*Encourage them to express short prayers throughout the day, like prayers of thanksgiving for a rainbow in the sky or requests for wisdom before a test. 

*Pray with your child in the morning before they leave for school or start homeschool lessons, at bedtime, and before meals, encouraging them to give thanks for God’s provisions and to request help for those who are hungry. 

* Help your child learn that prayer time is the avenue to a strong, healthy relationship with God. Consistent prayer helps us discern God’s will and follow God’s path. And regular prayer time can lead your child’s heart to a personal relationship with Jesus. 

I couldn’t help but think about my prayers with Benaiah. I wonder if God will use our sweet prayer time to plant seeds to ultimately lead my grandson’s heart to a personal relationship with Jesus. Answered prayers for his baby brother Maverick might be some of the building blocks toward a strong, healthy relationship with God. 

Maverick and his parents spent two nights in the hospital. Benaiah welcomed all three with open arms when they arrived home. 

And this grandmommy? I treasured the opportunity to pray with a little one again, and my prayers of gratitude for healing just might have been exhaustingly-long that night.

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Julie Lavender’s newest book, Raising Good Sons: Christian Parenting Principles for Nurturing Boys of Faith and Character, releases in early April and is available for preorder now. She’s also the author of Children’s Bible Stories for Bedtime and her first picture book, A Gingerbread House. Julie is married to her high school and college sweetheart, David. They are the parents of four kids, two sons-in-love, and three grandchildren.

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