Praying With Children and Students (cont.)
In my book “Cherishing and Challenging Your Children,” I share specific techniques and examples. A simple one to teach children also serves as a reminder for adults:
- Wiggle your thumbs and say something in praise to Jesus. This is our J.
- Wiggle your middle fingers for O for others. Pray for family, friends, teachers, pastors, missionaries, etc.
- Finally, wiggle your little fingers for Y. This is for you. We pray for ourselves last. (That can be confusing for little ones. You may have to explain the “y” is for “u,” which is how they will hear it.)
There is JOY when you remember to put Jesus first, the needs of others next, and yourself last. I must confess I have to remind myself of this simple method on a regular basis. Otherwise, my prayers begin to sound like a to-do list for God. This system helps me keep my priorities in order as an adult also.
Prayer Tree
To develop a deeper relationship with your class, make a Prayer Tree. It develops during the school year, reflecting prayers that God answers. The “yes” or “no” answers are at the bottom of the tree, and the “wait” answers remain on the tree branches. (Cherishing and Challenging Your Children, pages 159-160)
Praying With Children
Never forget the power of praying with children and for children. Teaching them can go only so far. Praying for them is a must.
Our hearts often feel burdened for the many things we want to pray for our children and students. Years ago I made a prayer card to guide me as I prayed for my children. Later I made copies for the moms at school and church. It listed requests such as to know Jesus as Savior, to be a prayer warrior, to love the Word, to be disciplined, and more. Around the concentric circles, I added Scripture verses and items of daily concern.
For a Sunday school class, I copied those on paper and hole-punched them to put in a binder. For my children, I copied them on smaller cardstock to fit into my Bible. These cards became a record of the spiritual journey with a child.
When a card or sheet was full, I started another. (Put the child’s name in the center and a start and stop date for each one.)
