Every time I attend a wedding and speak to the mother, she always tells me how she’s been praying for this day, and for her daughter’s husband, ever since her daughter was born. I think it’s amazing that a mother would commit to praying for their daughter’s husband for that many years and before I was a mom I always wanted to do the same thing.
But when I had my daughter something changed. Having a daughter suddenly made me think about all the years I spent being insecure, not knowing who I was in the Lord, and looking for my identity in all the wrong places.
From very early on in my daughter’s life I was convicted to pray a different prayer, a prayer not for my daughter’s future husband, but a prayer that more than anything in the world, she would know her identity in the Lord.
My prayer for my daughter has always been that more than anything she would know who she is in the Lord, she would know who He has called her to be and that she would hear the voice of the Holy Spirit. It might seem like a simple prayer but I believe this is one of the most powerful prayers we can pray over our children.
“…that she would know who she is in the Lord…”
If my daughter grows up to know who she is in the Lord, instead of finding her identity in who the world says she is, then she will be a powerful force to be reckoned with. I can’t even image how different my life would have been if my parents had prayed this over me, and I’d known my identity from the time I was young. What I do know, is that it would have saved me a lot of heartache and years of being insecure, and if I can save my daughter from that heartache because she’s confident in her identity in the Lord, then I will be over the moon with joy in watching her.
“…that she would know who God has called her to be…”
How many of us spend years of our lives wondering what our calling is? I know I did! I feel like that’s one of the biggest questions asked in the church, “what is my calling, what is my purpose here on earth?” Imagine if you had always known your calling because it had been prayed over you and God had revealed it to you when you were little. If I had known my calling years ago, it would have saved me from wasting a lot of time trying to figure it out. Think about how powerful our children could be if they knew their identity and their calling from the time they were young.
One of Malea’s callings is to show God’s love to people and from the time she started school she has always done that well. She is someone who will pick a flower and give it to a stranger, go out of her way to compliment someone’s outfit, all because God has shown her from the time she was little, that that’s one of the ways He wants to use her to bless His people.
“…that she would know the voice of the Holy Spirit…”
Of all the things I pray for my daughter, I believe this is one of the most powerful. To know the voice of the Holy Spirit means that she will hear truth and be able to discern the lies of the enemy. It means in time of temptation that she will hear God’s voice and walk away. It’s one of the most powerful tools we can give our children. To know the voice of the Holy Spirit means to know God, hear Him in a moment and be able to converse with Him intimately.
For most of my life I have heard the voice of the Holy Spirit but it wasn’t until about 14 years ago that I figured out what it was, because I was never taught. What a privilege I have to teach my daughter starting now, what the voice of the Holy Spirit sounds like and that He is there to give us wisdom when we need it, give us discernment when we ask for it or to encourage us when we are feeling sad. The Holy Spirit is with us to guide us and be our direct line to the Lord, and that is definitely something I want my daughter to be aware of.
So back to what I mentioned at the beginning of my post, about praying for my daughter’s husband; I have never felt convicted to pray for her husband (maybe someday I will) because I know if I faithfully pray for her to know who she is in the Lord, what her calling is and that she would clearly hear the voice of the Holy Spirit, all those other details – like where she goes to college, who she dates, who she marries, etc. will all fall into place. I don’t worry about my daughter’s future because from the time she was born I have prayed identity in the Lord over her, so I know she will grow up to be powerful, confident and make wise choices being guided by the Lord.
awesome! This is my everyday prayer for our daughter…it just seems all things will fall into place as these three things take their rightful place in her life! Thanks for blessing us with this beautiful message!
I agree! š
Anna, I think you know how special this blog is for me. With all my prayers for my daughter, the way life went on was nothing that I thought it would be. The one thing that God has brought to my mind and heart so many times it that I prayed for her to know Him. She did know Him and she went in front of the church to confirm her relationship with God. She then stepped up to follow Him in baptism. She did this at a young age.
As she grew older I prayed “harder” because the world was stepping in with all of it’s ideas about life. One day I asked her about this and she told me, “Mom, when I asked God into my life, he told me this was forever, because Jesus died for me. I will be with him in heaven” Even if she looked, asked or even stepped out in a direction that God did not want her to go, He would protect her and bring her back The path may be hard but he would not leave her. This turned out to be her saving grace because three weeks later someone took her life from us, but not from God. As I questioned God about this he told me, “As she closed her eyes to this world, she opened her eyes to Mine. She smiled and looked around, smiled and said :Ah, this is what life is all about and now I understand”.” Thank you Lord.
The other thing that has happened, that since she has died, there have been many of her friends who have turned their life to God. Not because she was murdered but because of her life. They now know who God is. I have learned to praise God for answering my prayers that I prayed for my daughter and that because she lived there are others who will be with us in heaven because they know Jesus.
I am so glad you have written this blog because others need to know we need to pray for our children and trust God, knowing he will be true to His Word.
Wow, Linda, thank you for sharing. What an incredible testimony she has, even though her life was too short. And what a blessing that the Lord would speak to you and give you that vision of her. <3
I think it is such a special thing to be raised knowing who you are through Gods eyes. I know that with all the love from you, Matt, and God that Malea won’t be shaped by the world, but by God. She already has the Holy Spirit flowing through her. It’s incredible how devoted she is at such a young age to God. I mean she remembers verses so quickly and she told me she couldn’t wait to know every verse in the Bible. She has such a good head on her shoulders. You’re doing so good as a Mother!
Thank you Aly! I didn’t know she had told you that, I’ve never heard her say that but it doesn’t surprise me. š