From a Prayer Prompt

A while back someone posted a prayer prompt on their blog. Of course when I copied and pasted, I didn't mark where it came from. My suspiscion is that it came from Alisa over at Faith Imagined. I came across it on my desktop as I was browsing for something else, and words just started flowing. My 17 year-old daughter, who thinks she's invincible as so many teens do, managed to flip her car upside down last Monday night after hitting a curve on a dirt road that she was not familiar with. She learned the hard way that things can happen very fast in a vehicle, even at 35-40 miles an hour. She escaped through her broken window, cut her knee, banged her head on the roof when she unfastened her seatbelt, but I thank GOD that she was ABLE to move, to talk, to call and sob on the phone to me. (Even though my heart fell to the floor when I heard her voice and knew something was wrong, I was thanking the Lord that it was her voice I was hearing, not an EMS worker or police officer!)

So, as she and I both try to return to some normal routine tomorrow at school and work respectively, I offer this prayer.


“Father, help me to be patient with those around me. Don’t ever let me forget that I am a fool without You. Show me how to offer grace to others and to myself when we are struggling with an area of our lives. Bring any one to mind that I have condemned unjustly because of my lack of mercy and grace, including . . .”

Well, Father, you know who I’m talking about. I’m probably the one most in need of forgiveness. I try to teach my children, only to be rebuffed and rejected.

Oh. Yes, you would know that feeling all too well, wouldn’t you?

I’m so sorry.

Thank you for your patience with me. Thank you for my life’s lessons. Even for the hard ones. Maybe especially for the hard lessons; those are the ones that make me grow more patient, more loving, more thankful, more appreciative of what a beautiful gift you have given.

But still, I’m a parent. Help me be the parent you want me to be. Help me set limits firmly and lovingly. Help my daughters understand that I’m not being punitive, I’m just being a mom. Help Abby through her difficult time right now. Lord, I know that your hand was on her Monday night; I pray that she understands that.

Tomorrow she goes back to school. Back to the grind. Lift her up, heal her, help her on her way. And help me to let go. I want to just keep her and Audrey both home and lock the door, shut everything out. But just as ships were not meant to stay in a harbor, neither are my daughters meant to stay under my wing forever. Help them to soar by the power of your love.

And Thank You, Lord, for your gift of life.

In the name of your Son, my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ,

AMEN