Prayer Club for Kids

This week’s blog is a little different because most of the blog is portrayed in photographs (and not very good photographs at that.) The photos I am using were taken in the early 1990’s before digital cameras and some of you might remember those days. They were taken with the drug store throw-away cameras where you had one chance at a good shot and even then the quality wasn’t very good. But bear with me.

PRAYER CLUB is this week's topic. My husband and I came up with the name “Prayer Club” for our weekly Family Bible Study lesson and prayer time with our children. When our 3 children were younger, John and I took turns once a week planning a little home Bible study for our kids. It was something Biblical, fun, inexpensive, and it usually took place after bath time when the kids were in their “ready for bed” t-shirts. I am not even sure the kids (now 33, 31, and 29) even remember our prayer club times, but whether they do or not is irrelevant. Somewhere the fact that mom and dad cared about their spiritual lives was imprinted upon them.

By sharing some examples of “Prayer Club” at the Greene’s house, my prayer is that you might enjoy starting one at your home, especially if you have young children. All it takes is a little planning and a tiny bit of creativity. If you don’t think you have any creative bones in your body, please try our ideas to get the hang of it. Under the caption you will see the topic we were studying, the Bible verse if applicable or known, and a short snippet maybe of what was going on in our family at the time.

Dogs/Gideon

Judges 7:5

We were dog-sitting Matthew at the time, so I decided to do a

 "Prayer Club" based around a dog; thus I thought of Gideon.



Gideon, cont.

Judges 7:5

"Separate those who lap the water with their tongues

as a dog laps from those who kneel down to drink."



Angels
Regular Angels, Cherubim, and Seraphim

Thankfulness
One of the pastors and his wife at our church was leaving to go to another church,
so we let our kids talk about why they were thankful for Jim and Brenda O'Dell.

Salvation
John 3:16
We made salvation bracelets from a kit.



Salvation Bracelets, Cont.




Foot-Washing
John 13:1-17
The kids really thought this one was cool!



Foot-Washing, cont.
Notice how attentive the boys were!

 




Different Versions of the Bible, I think, but it may have been about Thanksgiving.
Who knows!
 

Ruth, Boaz, and Naomi
Book of Ruth
Kids loved this one because at the end, we all ate a Baby Ruth!




Dreams and Visions
Acts 2:17
"In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams."
 

Ezekiel and the Dry Bones
Ezekiel 37:7+
"So, I prophesied as I was commanded. And as I was prophesying, there was a noise, a rattling sound, and the bones came together, bone to bone . . . "
Jennifer had a broken arm when we studied this.
Look carefully at what is in the dish!

 

Ezekiel and the  Dry Bones
Ezekiel 37:7+
After we studied about Ezekiel and the Dry Bones,
we made a person - pretending the Kit Kat pieces were bones.
See what is on the plate in the picture above. Of course, we ate the Kit Kat!




Sacrifices
Making a sacrifice with flour




Sacrifices, cont.
Using fire! The kids loved tearing out pieces of paper for dad to throw in the fire!




Star - Wormwood
Revelation 8:10-11
". . .  And the name of the star is called Wormwood."
I can't remember if we ate gummy worms or not, but if we didn't, we should have!



Billy Graham
We ate popcorn and watched Billy Graham on TV.



The Walls of Jericho
Joshua 6
We looked up the verses in their Picture Bible.
The kids walked around the City of Jericho they built and banged instruments.
 



I hope you have enjoyed visiting our family room. It is my heart's desire that you have gained a sense of the importance of leading your children in the ways of the Lord. When Deuteronomy 11:19-21 speaks about God’s commandments, it says,  “You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates, that your days and the days of your children may be multiplied in the land that the Lord swore to your fathers to give them, as long as the heavens are above the earth.”

And, even if these photos aren’t the best quality, they are a treasure of God’s blessings to me. I’m so glad I took them so I could share them with you.

And while I am at it, I am asking forgiveness from my kids for posting these pictures of them. I figured, in this case, it was better to ask forgiveness than permission :-) Love you Jennifer, John, Jr., and Jimmy!

If you find this post beneficial, please let me know and feel free to share with your friends.

God Bless,

Patti Greene

Bible Verses:

Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it. Proverbs 22:6

Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord. Ephesians 6:4

Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 2 Timothy 4:2

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, Give me the desire to train up my children in the love and admonishment of YOU, and impress upon me my responsibility to do just that. While preachers, Sunday School teachers, and church pre-school programs are wonderful is instruction, let me take part in teaching and sharing your truths with my own children. Let them know the things of God are important at home and not just at church and elsewhere. Give me wisdom to lead my family in your ways. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

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How to Pray for your Children

In October 1985, I found myself at Cypress Christian School* in Cypress, Texas where my daughter attended a once-a-week Mother’s Day Out program. It was there I picked up a sheet of paper that changed my life and more importantly the life of my children. At the time, I had a 3 year old daughter, a 1 year old son, and I was pregnant with my third child. This mimeographed page became my guide for how to pray for my children. These guidelines have been written in my Bibles, copied for friends, stored in my computer, and more importantly prayed over.


My Bible

 

This week I just feel led to share these with you. While I don’t know what your particular situation is or how old your children are, these guidelines may be the one thing that steers you to focus on praying for your newborn, preschooler, elementary age child, pre-teen, teenager and even older. When addressing the Lord over the years, some of the prayers below have been more important than others. For example, when my children were young, I would pray #1 mightily. When they were teenagers, I would pray #12 continually; and all through their life I would pray #9. Praying #3 is a little scary now that they are all adults, but hopefully by praying this when they were little, there is little chance of being in a precarious situation.

But, here is the deal. Praying God’s Word and protection for your children is essential in training them and fostering a healthy and God-centered life. When we become parents, we are in it for the long haul, so no matter what the age of your children, never stop praying for those whom God has given you care over whether they are your own children, your step-children, your God-children, or any child God has entrusted into your care. And remember, praying for your children does not stop once your children become adults. Parenting and praying is a lifetime commitment. 

And, if you haven’t been praying for your children, it is not too late. I implore you to start now cultivating a Godly character in your children and their children through your prayers.

1. That they will know Christ as Savior early in life. Psalm 63:1; 2 Timothy 3:15.

2. That they will have a hatred for sin. Psalm 97:10.

3. That they will be caught when guilty. Psalm 119:71.

4. That they will be protected from the evil one in each area of their lives: spiritual, emotional, and physical. John 17:15.

5. That they will have a responsible attitude in all their interpersonal relationships. Daniel 6:3.

6. That they will respect those in authority over them. Romans 13:1.

7. That they will desire the right kinds of friends and be protected from the wrong friends. Proverbs 1:10, 11.

8. That they will be kept from the wrong mate and saved for the right one. 2 Corinthians 6:14-17.

9. That they, as well as those they marry; will be kept pure until marriage. 1 Corinthians 6:18-20.

10.That they will learn to totally submit to God and actively resist Satan in all circumstances. James 4:7.

11.That they will be single-hearted – willing to be sold out to Jesus. Romans 12:12.

12.That they will be hedged in so they cannot find their way to wrong people or wrong places and that the wrong people cannot find their way to them. Hosea 2:6

 

All Grown Up!
Photo by Lindsay Elizabeth Photography

 

Bible Verses:

Praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints.

Ephesians 6:18 ESV [Praying always]

Continue steadfastly in prayer, being watchful in it with thanksgiving.

Colossians 4:2 ESV [Continue in prayer]

Pray without ceasing.

1 Thessalonians 5:17 ESV [Pray without ceasing]

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.

Romans 12:12 ESV [Continue steadfastly in prayer]

Prayer:

Dear Heavenly Father, let me always remember to pray for my children and those under my care. Give them protection, security, and love as they mature and grow into the person You want them to be. Nurture their character so they will be honest, good, and sensitive to your Holy Spirit. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

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*Source: Unknown

Books by Patti Londa Greene

Awaken Me: a devotional prayer journal

God, It’s Me: 181 Days for Young Adults to Become Passionate about Prayer and Bible Study

Sleepovers! Slumber Parties! Overnight Parties

Yesterday my 167 character Twitter post

made its way to my Facebook page.

My condensed opinion stated:
 

“If I had to raise children over again,

I wouldn't allow them to sleep over at their friend's home,

 and I wouldn't let their friends sleep over at my home.

Just saying.”   
 

As a result of my Twitter/FB post, there were many requests to clarify my comment. This brought me to the opinion that many families struggle with this topic and are seeking wisdom and answers on how to handle the topic of overnight sleepovers. Thus, this blog is dedicated to those who want clarification on why I would make such a blatant statement. Obviously, only so much can be said in the 180 Twitter limit. So, let me continue, and give me grace as a parent who allowed my children to spend the nights out and attend sleepovers when they were growing up.  It is not that I haven’t had the same concerns as many of you. My children are now 32, 30, and 28 years old, so I am looking back as a child, a parent, and a grandma.

It seems to me that parents need to decide themselves what is best for their own children. I believe that Biblically, children are a gift from the Lord (Psalm 127:3).  Thus, I believe parents should seek wisdom and discernment before making decisions for their family (James 1:5). And finally, parents should trust that the Holy Spirit will guide them in whatever decisions, including sleepovers, they face while child-rearing (John 16:13).

In my opinion, parents are responsible for the welfare of their children. God says it, and I believe it. As parents, our children’s safety should be foremost in mind. I am not advocating that our children should never spend the night at your parent’s house, your sister’s house, or your best friend’s house. I am talking more about when your child is asked to spend the night at a friend’s home from school where you don’t know the parents well or your child is asked to attend a birthday slumber party. Of course, parents are responsible for their children at all ages. Eventually, concerns you encounter when your child is young will one day become requests for prom overnights or coed sleepovers. Yes, even church events are now having boy-girl sleepovers, so parents need to be pre-prepared and have an answer at hand. I remember one of my children not quite understanding why I would not let him spend the night at a church member's home where both teenage boys and girls were spending the night. Yes, it was tough to say no, but in the long run, did it hurt him? NO. Plus, hopefully, he saw that we cared and loved him that we did not want to put him in any vicarious situation. I feel very strongly that whether a parent’s response to all sleepovers is a firm NO or they if they have a “depends on the circumstances” opinion, parents should discuss beforehand what they will do when the situations occur. It is very important for both parents to agree on all decisions regarding their children.  Personally, I remember, as a 6^th grader, being invited to slumber party at my next door neighbor’s house. Things were fun at first, but later, after the parents turned in, the activities around 2:00 a.m. turned to Ouija boards and séances. Yes, it seemed very innocent at first, but by 3:00 a.m., the fear of evil that I (and some of the others faced) was unbelievable. Some of us were immobile with fright. It was my first experience with what I will call pure evil. I survived and went on being a kid, but it is something my parents still do not know to this day that happened. It was something that shouldn’t have happened to someone at my age. I remember wanting to just run home next door, but the darkness outside petrified me. It was unexpected, unforeseeable, and definitely a spiritual event that affected my life. In Christianity Culture (6-24-2014), Denny Burk writes that James Dobson believes that the day of sleepovers have passed, but in reality there are still some “spending the night” events that do occur, and as a parent, it seems to me, that we need to be concerned about the wide range of activities and risks that occur at sleepovers - from playing doctor and watching inappropriate movies to predators, pornography, guns, sexual temptations, date-rape, chat rooms, and other capricious dangers. If we take our God given responsibility seriously, remember that God has promised that He will guard us [and our children] from evil (2 Thessalonians 3:3).

Asking God for wisdom and discernment in making decisions for our family and in each overnight decision is a wise thing to do. When praying for wisdom and discernment God can and will give us His opinion on each unique situation we encounter. When we are pre-prayed and consistently read God’s Word, we will be guided as to what the Lord desires us to say and do regarding both our own children and other parents. We may incur some temporary wrath from our children, but then again, maybe not. I remember once when our daughter was in 4th grade. She was invited to a classmate’s slumber party. We did allow her to go. She was trained in our house rules about what movies we allowed her and her brothers to watch. At that particular time, our children were only allowed to watch G movies. Our daughter went to the party, and soon after arriving, we received a call from her. She said, “Mom, they are watching a PG movie, what should I do?” I thanked her for calling and advised her to go into another room and do something else. And do you know what happened? God, in his infinite wisdom, provided an escape. Almost immediately, the other girls stopped watching the movie and joined our daughter in playing with the dolls and other toys she was playing with in the other room. It is a wise thing to train your children in what to do if they encounter situations that are opposed to your family values. In another instance, one of our sons went to a 10^th grade party. We told him to call us if there was any drinking involved and we would pick him up. It was only 8:00 p.m. when the beer was being transported from an older brother’s car to the house. We received the call that there was alcohol there. Our son found a ride home, and by 8:30 that evening, he was home with us. So, be assured that God can and will take care of your children when you seek Him. Children and teens will encounter tough predicaments, and we must prepare them how to respond. I doubt if years later any of those teens remember that our son left the party. I can probably guarantee that it won’t be brought up at his upcoming 10 year high school reunion either. When, we pray for our children, pray for a hedge of protection them, and let them know how to respond if that hedge is opened just a little bit. I always told our kids that God gave me a sense if they were doing something wrong that I would know. I meant it too and I think they believed it. Due to prayer, wisdom, and His discernment, I could tell if something was going on that wasn’t right with our kids. I also prayed and told our kids that I prayed that they would always get caught if they did something wrong. They usually were caught and what better deterrent could there be than to know they would get caught if they ventured out into the wrong direction. When God gives you that discernment when overnight requests are brought to you, use it to guide your decision making processes. (James 1:2-5).

I feel very strongly that the Holy Spirit can give you peace in how to answer the tough questions regarding spending the nights out. John 16:13 states that, “When the Spirit of truth comes; he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future.” The Holy Spirit will guide you to ask the right question regarding whether or not to allow your children to spend the night out. Some that you may encounter at various age levels are:

-          Who will be there? Parents, older brothers, older sisters, uncles, aunts.

-          How vulnerable is your child to peer-pressure?

-          How can I screen a parent’s home or the party situation without offending the parents?

-          What will happen in the case of an emergency?

-          What movies will be shown? The ratings, horror movies, etc.

-          What kind of supervision will be there?

-          Is there a pool, gun, or Internet access available?

-          Are you concerned with sleep deprivation?

-          Will the opposite sex be there at any time?

-          Regarding slumber parties, will the parents be home and up ALL NIGHT?

-          Will there be alcohol or drugs at the party?

-          Can I trust my teen?

-          Will the kids be leaving the house at all for a movie or out to eat?

Then, there will be comments from your own children you need help in dealing with:

-          It’s not fair.

-          Everyone else’s parents are letting them go.

-          I am old enough.

-          Don’t you trust me?

-          I am a good kid.

In my opinion, with all this to think about, we have to trust God with our needs. We should pray and ask the Lord by His Holy Spirit to show you His will in each and every situation. Then, we must be willing to do what we feel in our heart He is saying to you and/or your spouse. Trust that the Holy Spirit will guide you, and respect how He leads other parents too. As I have learned, there is a lot at stake in decisions we make for our children. While we don’t want to over-protect our kids, we don’t want to put them in situations that could affect the rest of their lives. Trust God and his Holy Spirit for direction.

I personally believe parents need to decide what is best for their children. In my hypothetical Facebook post, I am speaking as a parent who has already raised my kids. If I had to do it over again, I would not just randomly allow my children to spend the night over with acquaintances or attend sleepovers. It seems that there are more dangers prevalent now than 30 years ago, so we are looking at different times and different circumstances. And for those who asked why I would limit sleepovers at my house also – I think it would just be for consistency sake actually! But one thing I know for sure is that Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow. And, with the responsibility we have to raise our children, it would be wise to remember that we need to decide what is best for our children, we need to seek wisdom, and we need to possess discernment, and we need to follow God’s leading in all situations, including this one!

Verses:

1 Kings 3:9-12

Psalm 18:2

Psalm 119:105

Psalm 119:99

Psalm 127:3

John 16:13

Ephesians 3:17

Philippians 4:6-7

Colossians 3:20

2 Thessalonians 3:3

James 1:2-5

Patti Londa Greene, Author

Awaken Me: A Devotional Prayer Journal

God, It’s Me: 181 Days for Young Adults to Become Passionate about Prayer and Bible Study

(Coming Summer, 2014)

Available on Amazon.com and BN.com

www.PattiGreene.com