I’ve had this update floating in my head for a while now, but haven’t had a chance to write it. I wanted to give you an update on how Lent is going for the kids & I. Like I explained in my last post, the kids are switching what they’re giving up each 10 days. The first “segment” was sweets. When I first told them about Lent & that we were going to do it together they weren’t all that impressed. I second guessed myself a little...yet I really felt like God was asking me to do it with them, so I pressed forward. It was about the middle of last week when I asked them how they felt it was going & what they were learning. Almost immediately they all agreed on one thing...that they had learned that sweets weren’t that big a deal. They hadn’t thought about it that much. Made my heart soarJ. Not that that’s the ultimate goal here, but it was a start.
Along with Lent we’ve been working through a book together called “Seek God for the City”. The idea is, that there are people all over the world praying for the same things on the same day...and that by the end of it, we will have prayed for everyone on earth. Each day it gives us about 5 countries to pray for...along with a “category” of people (teachers, men, homeless, etc)...and a few ways to pray for people in our community. It is 40 days of prayer (Ash Wednesday to Palm Sunday) for our community & the rest of the world. There is a kid’s version of the book as well which I love. The kids & I have been working through it together each day...and I’m thrilled with the outcome. Not only are we praying together...which is wonderful in itself...but I’ve really noticed a change in the way the kids pray.
I’ve struggled for a while now about how to teach the kids to pray...really pray. Not just saying the same thing night after night. I’m not saying that we shouldn’t repeat things...but I want them to pray from their hearts...not just saying some words they’ve memorized over time. Well, we seem to have taken one small step in that direction & it’s so fun to hearJ. After we read through the “Seek God” thoughts for the day, I give each of the kids something different to pray about. It seems that having to think about that extra thing & remember it, has made them think more about what they’re saying. Whatever it is, I’m just so excited to see that little step forward. It has encouraged my heart this week...and confirmed that I am indeed doing the right thing in doing all this with them.
Jesus please continue to use these weeks leading up to Easter to draw us closer to You. Make Yourself real to the kids Lord. Help them to know Your love for them. Help them to understand who it is they’re talking to when they pray. Give me wisdom as I do this with them. Give me words to say when they have questions. Help me to know when to explain something & when to just let Your Holy Spirit work in their hearts. Work in my heart too Lord. I want to grow closer to You. I want to know You more. I love you Lord!
1 comment:
What an inspiring post, Heidi. It is always in the dark when we question what we knew of God when it was light.
Keep clinging to Him. He sees what you are agonizing about. He also knows what will relieve it.
The conference the church held this last weekend was awesome and it talked a lot about things like that. The speaker told us that the verse "God works all things together for good" is a very powerful verse when we are struggling. Not to bring us comfort that things will get better - because they might not. Instead it tells us that everything in our lives was put there for a reason in order to bring us to the place He wants us. He has a plan for you Heidi and Ben! A plan to prosper (your spirit) and not harm you!
I will keep praying.
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