Praising the God who Sees
:: We proclaim that you are great, oh God, and we praise your name together. You answer our prayers and rescue us from fear. We pray that you will shine joy into the hearts of our adult kids, and that they will never be ashamed because they put their trust in you. Send your angels to surround them and rescue them from danger. May they experience your goodness and find security in you so they will be truly happy. Guard the mouths of our kids so they will never speak evil or tell lies. Lord, you are the one who sees us. You see everything done in secret and hear everything said in private. Show mercy when our kids lose their way. Be near them when they are brokenhearted and save them when their spirits are crushed. (Psalm 34)
Experience God’s Power
Jesus, as soon as you told Peter to get out of the boat, he climbed out and walked to you on the water. But the moment he took his eyes off of you and started looking at the wind and waves, he was defeated by fear and began to sink into the sea. Immediately, you reached out your hand and saved him. By your Spirit, call our kids to yourself, just as you called out to Peter, so they will learn to “walk on water.” When the wind blows and the waves crash around them, we pray that our kids will keep their eyes focused on you so they won’t be defeated by fear or drowned by negativity, sinful desires, or arrogance. When they begin to sink, reach out and save them so they will witness your saving power and praise you. Lord, we want so much for each of them to know you deeply and to walk by faith. (Matthew 14:25–33)
Protection from Evil
Lord, when our adult kids experience temptation, open their eyes so they will see it and not be dragged away by unhealthy desires. Your Word says that deception leads to sin and that sin results in emotional, spiritual, and even physical death. But you are faithful, and we pray that you will faithfully protect our adult kids from believing lies that cause them to make reckless decisions and lead to harm. Crush any evil influences in their lives and give them the strength to walk away from unhealthy people and situations. Thank you for the promise that those who dwell in your shelter will be delivered from the snare of the fowler…that those who resist the devil will be rescued from evil. We ask that our kids will have the wisdom to seek you and the courage to flee from the enemy. May your faithfulness be their protective shield. (James 1:13-18, 2 Thessalonians 3:1-3, Psalm 91)
Desire to Know God
Jesus, when you lived on earth you were fully God, yet you still desired time with your Heavenly Father. You prayed early in the morning, late at night, alone, with friends, after large gatherings, when you were afraid, and when you were dying. No matter what was happening in your life, you prioritized time with your Father. We ask with all our hearts that you will instill the same urgency in the hearts of our adult kids. May they run to you about every detail of their careers, families, health, and finances, so they will receive wisdom and energy from you. Teach them to withdraw, as you did, so they won’t become exhausted from the busyness of life. Put people and information in their paths that prompt them to pursue time with you in prayer, in your Word, and at church. When they doubt Truth, invade their minds with your Holy Spirit and make yourself known to them in a way they cannot deny. (Mark 1:35, 1:45, 14:32. Luke 6:12-13, 11:1, 23:46. Matthew 14:23)
Healthy Relationships
Lord, in all of their relationships – with parents, siblings, children, coworkers, and friends – we pray that our kids will experience love that is patient, kind, and supportive; love that shows respect and offers forgiveness; love that isn’t easily angered and love that shows compassion. And that they will give this sort of love to others. May they experience relationships that are safe and full of trust, always persevering through difficult times. When others are difficult to love, teach our kids to respond with Godly wisdom. And when the actions or words of our kids cause others to experience pain, open their eyes to what they’re doing so they will recognize what needs to change. We pray that they will be quick to say “I’m sorry” and humble enough to seek help. Grow your perfect love in their marriages, Jesus, so that when they are old, they will still be rejoicing together. (1 Corinthians 13:4-7, Proverbs 5:18-19)
Financial Peace
Your Word says, “Those who work their land will have abundant food, but those who chase fantasies have no sense.” We pray that our adult kids will work hard every day to provide for themselves and their families, and that their work will be rewarded with profit. Guard them against financial shortcuts that lead to hardship, and give them a deep sense of gratitude for all they have so they won’t become slaves to greed or debt. By your Spirit, pierce the hearts of our kids with compassion so they will recognize the needs of neighbors, coworkers and friends, and be willing to give wise and generous help. When making financial decisions within marriage, we pray that they will always be honest and forthcoming because we know that truth will lead to unity and strength. (Proverbs 12:11, 12:19, 21:5, 22:7. Ecclesiastes 5:10)
Live with Hope and Purpose
You are the Lord our God, and we come before you with thankful hearts. Your faithfulness continues through all generations and we pray that faithfulness will be evident in the lives of our adult kids. Protect them from anything we have said or done that is a roadblock to their future wellbeing. By your grace, free them of generational “junk” that robs them of joy or causes them to doubt their purpose. Lord, when our kids pursue new opportunities, direct their steps and keep their ears open to wise counsel. If their plans are in line with yours, then give wings to their dreams so they will experience success. But if they are on a path to disappointment or destruction, then make it clear to them and block their way. When our kids are stubborn, bring humility. When they feel defeated, raise them up to see how beautiful and meaningful life can be when they submit to you as their guide. (Psalm 200:3-5, Proverbs 16:9)
Emotional and Physical Health
Jesus, we come to you as the Great Physician who is able to restore emotional and physical health. When our kids are crippled by fear or depression, flood their minds with peace. Your Word says, “there is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear…” By your Spirit, cause our kids to recognize the enemy’s attempts to defeat them, and help them to experience healing by focusing on your eternal plan. If there are physical reasons for emotional struggle, lead them to medical professionals who can provide appropriate care. Lord, their bodies are your temple, so we ask that they will make healthy decisions. Protect them from abusing their bodies with alcohol, drugs, or unhealthy food. As the world bombards our kids with stress, we claim your promise that they will not be crushed by it. We claim the Truth that even when they feel confused, attacked or abandoned, they will not be destroyed if they put their trust in you. (1 John 4:18, 1 Corinthians 3:16-17, Proverbs 17:22, 2 Corinthians 4:7-9)
Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen. (Ephesians 20-21)
KRISTI is the author of the Before books and coloring books for children and the Your Soul To Keep one-year prayer book for parents of adults. She writes to inspire parents and grandparents to shine the joy of Jesus into the lives of their families and to laugh without fear of the future (Proverbs 31:25). She and her husband Tim live in Iowa where they love doing life with their sons and daughters-in-law, six grandbabies, and two very spoiled dogs.