Warrior Prayers: Praying the Word for Boys in the Areas They Need it Most
A wonderful new book I will give away!
When women hear the stories of my two boys, Joel and Nathan, they are amazed and so often think, "How did Sally raise boys who are having such wonderful opportunities? What method of child training did she use? What was her philosophy of education?"
Though all of these might have influenced much of my boy's souls, it is the Lord who has opened doors for them. God is the only one who we had to commend us. We had no wealth, no great education, no outstanding training--just an understanding that we were to be dependent on Him--the source of all wisdom, strength, help, love, grace. We lived the Lord, spoke of Him, sought Him and worshipped Him.
Joel, composer Nathan, actor, writer
Though the outcome of our boy's lives so far have had some external fruit--Joel getting into Berklee even though he could not really read music and had little back ground, and then graduating with summa cum laude and composer of the year, and finished in 2 1/2 years-- it was totally a miracle, a grace of God. We were on our knees praying every single day. We prayed him through overwhelming moments when his work load was too big, he didn't have enough money to pay for school, challenges on the learning curve because he did not know all the music that his peers who had studied for all their lives--so Joel worked diligently, by faith, and we prayed and prayed and prayed. And in God's hands, our little became enough. The process was all by faith and took years, and yet God moved and was faithful and opened doors and blessed. He is the source of blessing, not any works that we could garner without His help.
Same with Nathan--scholarship to New York Film Academy, moving to Hollywood, getting his sag card and having the opportunity to be behind the marketing of Dolphin Tale and writing a book. The boys worked hard, but mainly both boys prayed every day and knew that prayer--trusting in Him, asking Him to guide, looking to Him for wisdom--was the secret. We give our fish and loaves to God and depend on Him--He is enough and more.
Rarely have I met someone who really understood this principle so well at such a young age. Brooke McGlothin is a sweet friend of mine, a young mom of two boys, who has captured this truth so well. Her new ebook is profound and simple--if you want to see God work, you must depend on Him in prayer. He is the source of all blessing, He is the one who must receive the glory for working through normal people in extraordinary ways. I found myself nodding and underlining all the way through her book. I want you to know Brooke's heart and her blog and have the opportunity to be encouraged by her wonderful book. Brooke has generously offered to give a book away to one of my readers who leaves a comment on my blog. Here is her heart and an article by her:
**************************************************************
| I watch their little faces as we prepare for bedtime prayers. I’m overwhelmed with love for them, overwhelmed with parenting them, these little boys who have stolen my heart and rocked my world. As I write this, my sons are six and four. Already I find myself wondering where the time has gone. I'm running as fast as I can to keep up with every step they take, tucking each moment away in my memory for safekeeping. |
I asked God to give me boys. Even before I was married I knew I wanted boys--to raise men who would be different, respecters of women, lovers of God--to teach little men to work with their hands, take com- mitments seriously and protect the least of these. Warriors, protectors, worshippers, peacemakers and friends--these are the dreams I have for my little ones.
Fast forward twelve years or so, and the present-day circus that is my life often finds me asking this question:
WHAT WAS I THINKING?
I don’t have any clue how to be the mom of boys! They’re rough and tumble. I don’t have an athletic bone in my body. They’re loud and obnoxious. I enjoy peace and quiet. They love dirt and mud and bugs. I’d rather curl up with a good book in my nice cool family room.
Obviously, God has a sense of humor.
If you are the mother of at least one boy you are shaking your head in agreement with me right now. I used to think there was something wrong with my boys, that they were the only ones in the world who ac- ted the way they do. Then the Lord hooked me up with an awesome community of boy moms and I learned that this simply isn't true! There is something different about boys!
· They’re loud.
· They like to leap from tall buildings with no safety net (a.k.a. jump off the top bunk).
· They like to build forts and hide candy.
· They break toilets and “go” in (and all over) anything BUT the toilet.
· They’re adventurous.
· They’re natural born protectors.
· They like to shoot things (even when there’s nothing actually resembling a gun).
· They shower you with spit when showcasing their sound effects skills.
· They love their mommies and need their daddies.
· They’re made of snakes and snails and puppy dog tails (OK, not really. But when I told my oldest that girls were made of sugar and spice and everything nice, he asked if he could lick me!)
I’m afraid that we’re losing the beauty of training up godly men.
The bottom line is this: our boys need strong parents now more than ever. We’re losing them; raising a generation of weak men. Young men who have no idea what it means to be a man are everywhere.
We’ve failed them.
So what, you’re asking, do we do about it? My answer is short and sweetly simple. There are so many books out there today on the topic of parenting that I can’t count them. Nor do I have time to read them all. But even if I did, reading these books, and putting the solid tools in them to work, still doesn’t come with guarantees. Knowing this, it becomes quite clear that there is only one thing we can do.
Plead with God. Pray.
“The fervent prayers of a righteous man avails much” James 5:17.
It's our hope.
So many of you moms, right this very moment, are kneeling down or lying flat on your face before God, asking Him to help you.
You’re lost, overwhelmed, exhausted, stressed, heartbroken, and seconds away from waving the white flag in defeat. I know where you are. I’ve been there. I’m still there. I have no idea how to make this dream of mine come true. I have no idea how to raise men who will be different: respecters of women, lovers of God. I have no idea how to teach little men to work with their hands, take commitments seriously, and protect the least of these. And I certainly have no idea how to raise warriors, protectors, worshippers, peacemakers, and friends by myself.
But I do know how to get down on my knees and cry out to God on their behalf. I do know that God’s Word is “living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart“ (Hebrews 4:12).
So I pray the Word over my boys daily. Asking the One who has the power to change hearts of stone into hearts of flesh to find my boys and make them His.
In spite of me.
Brooke is a mom of two young boys who leave her desperate for God’s grace. Her pursuit of being a better mom has left her at the foot of the cross, knowing that if God doesn’t show up … nothing happens. This dependence upon God to turn hearts of stone to hearts of flesh leads her to her knees in prayer. She’s the author of the best-selling eBook Warrior Prayers: Praying the Word for Boys in the Areas They Need it Most (on sale now for just $2.99 as a PDF download!), creator of the 21 Days of Prayer for Sons challenge and co-founder of the well-loved online community for mothers of boys, the M.O.B. Society. She offers hope for change to the hearts of women at her main blog, A Life in Need of Change.