It's easy to remember to pray for your kids when times are hard, or we feel grateful, but are we praying for them regularly enough? Together we can make a daily habit of praying for our kids. Here's a prayer to get you started!

“Would you pray for her?” a friend asked.

“Absolutely!” was my quick answer. Of course I would pray for my friend’s child as she struggled through major anxiety and mental health issues. In fact, I stopped what I was doing and pleaded right then and there.

As I said “Amen,” I told my friend I’d keep praying too.

Then, a week later, I remembered this promise to pray.

Guilt slammed in my gut as I realized I hadn’t continued praying as I had promised. An entire week had gone by and I hadn’t hit my knees in prayer more than that first time.

It wasn’t that I didn’t want to, I had simply forgotten. My own life had gotten in the way of intercession on my friend’s behalf.

I tried to ease my guilty feelings with reassurances that surely there were others praying hard for her as well, picking up the slack when I forgot to pray. Right?

Surely other church members were praying.

Surely her close friends were praying.

Surely her own mother was praying.

Right?

I mean, because who if her own mother didn’t pray for her, who would?

My eyes widened at my flawed thinking, as well as the truth bomb Jesus onto my own prayer life right then and there. I heard His conviction whisper…

“If you aren’t praying for your own kids, who will?”

God used my guilt of not praying for my friend’s child to enlighten me about a lack of prayer for my own children.

Let me back up and say, I do pray for my kids. When things are hard or confusing or I don’t know how to parent, I always pray. When things are great and I’m thankful, I pray.

I also ask for prayer for my children from several God-fearing women and friends I know; women in the children’s ministry at church, teachers at their school, and other family members or friends.

Because wherever two or more are gathered in His name, there He is, right? (Matthew 18:20). It can’t hurt to ask for prayer.

But something felt off as I inspected my own prayer life in relation to my children.

My own shortcomings in praying for my friend’s child showed me I couldn’t, nor should I, only rely on others to always pray for me. I had gotten into a habit of sporadically praying for my people, and expecting others to do my praying for me.

I wonder if I’m the only one who has ever done this?

**We cannot rely only on others to say our prayers for us.**

We know praying is one of the most powerful, life-changing things we will ever do. So let’s ask ourselves, do we pray consistently for our kids? Regularly and without ceasing?

Let’s make a daily habit of praying for our kids.

pray without ceasing;
1 Thessalonians 5:17

**Because if we aren’t praying daily for our kids, who will?**

Let’s not solely rely on someone else to pray daily for our kids when we can and should do it ourselves.

I’m one who loves simplicity and ease, so I turned to scripture for guidance. I know powerful prayer comes from praying scripture, so I wrote out a scripture-based prayer and to this day I pray the same prayer nearly every day over my kids. The same prayer for each child, one at a time.

Taking scripture to cover over our kids in prayer is a sure way to impact their lives not just today, but next month, next year, and in the next decades and life seasons.

Our prayers don’t have to be complicated, but they should be consistent.

Let’s follow Jesus’ example of praying. Let’s pray with thanksgiving and over our needs for repentance, our needs as parents, and our kids’ futures. Let’s pray scripture over our children.

These prayers for our children will outlive us.

So would you pray with me today? Right now? Would you pray for your kids while I pray for mine?

Then, let’s continue to pray consistently.

Pray with me:

Thanksgiving:

Jesus, Thank you for ________. He/she is a gift to us all. I am so grateful for this child you’ve entrusted to me. (Philippians 4:6-7)

Repentance:

Lord, forgive me got the mistakes I’ve made as to his/her parent, both intentional and unintentional. Help me to turn away from my consistent mistakes and parent only as Your will would have. (2 Chronicles 7:14)

My Need:

Give me speech seasoned with salt and grace so I will know how to respond to ________. Give me the emotional and physical endurance to parent him/her well. Give me wise discernment in the decisions I make as their parent. (Colossians 4:6, Colossians 1:10-11, James 1:5)

Future Relationships:

Jesus, I pray for _______ and his/her future spouse and community. I pray they grow in wisdom, stature, and favor with You and people. (Luke 2:52, 1 Samuel 2:26)

Salvation:

I pray _______ puts his/her confidence in You, Lord, not forgetting Your works and keeping your commands. I long for __________ to walk in Truth all the days of his/her life. (Psalm 78:7)

In Jesus’ Name, AMEN.

You can type or handwrite this prayer in your Bible or prayer journal. If you’d like a clean version to print, you can get it HERE.

My prayer for you is this sample prayer prompt becomes a jumping-off point in daily prayer battles for your kids. Read it out loud to God every day. If this prayer isn’t for you, then I encourage you to use your own.

Remember, praying is one of the most powerful, life-changing things we will ever do.

And daily prayer for our own children? That’s something and someone I know I can count on.

Much love and much prayer, Kristin | Need more prayer prompts? Download 7 scriptures to pray over your people.