“Grandchildren are life’s dessert!” Thats what a sweet Norwegian couple told us they say about grandchildren in Norway. I love it and it’s SO TRUE! Becoming a grandparent changed me and opened my heart to depths of feeling I didn’t know were possible.

These little babies arrive in your child’s life and all of a sudden you’re thrust into this new role–guardian, protector, lookout–constantly scanning the horizon for any threat with the slightest possibility of harming the precious charge given into your hands. I’m fiercely protective of my grandchildren. No, I don’t live next door where I can physically protect them, so, I resort to other methods, specifically prayer.

Growing up, I had three living grandparents. My mother’s parents and my dad’s twice widowed mother. My grandfather was the one who prayed and read bible stories to us, making them come alive with stories of Jacob’s ladder, poor Lazarus and the rich man, Noah’s ark, and so many more.

I wholeheartedly believed those stories as a child, fled them as a young adult and returned to their wonder after marriage, like rediscovering a long lost and faithful friend.

My grandpa prayed, we all knew he did. If we went to his upstairs office and saw him lying prostrate across the day-bed, we knew not to disturb his praying. I have no idea what he prayed, but I believe his prayers were key to me entering the Kingdom.

Who knew having grandchildren would be such a delight? I’ve seen a tee-shirt that says something like, “If I’d known having grandchildren would be so fun, I’d have had them first!”

As a grandmother, I consider those babies a precious gift and with them comes a unique and weighty responsibility. Because we aren’t the parents but  one degree removed from parenthood, we have a unique perspective as we watch our grandchildren grow. We tend to see the big picture, the gifts and talents, personality developments, habits and behavioral quirks mom and dad might miss.

As God reveals those things, add them to your prayer list. I aim to be very nonjudgmental as a grandparent. It’s not my place to offer an opinion unless I’m specifically asked as I’m not on the front lines of raising them. If I’m concerned about something the best thing I can do is pray!

So, what’s the best way to pray for your grandchildren? There’s no one foolproof method but I can share with you a few tips that work for me.

How to pray for you grandchildren

1. Write your prayers down. I use a journal where I’ve taken the time to handwrite my prayers for all the important people in my life. I find writing down my prayers gives me a guide as I pray for that person. As life presents new challenges, I can add them to the list and as prayers are answered I check them off and write down the date. If I ever get discouraged or weary, I take time to go through my journal and I can see plainly in black and white, God’s history of faithfulness in my life! Every answered prayer is God’s reminder to me of His faithfulness. He really does answer prayer! Remember, “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man (or woman!) availeth much.” James 5:16 I love these journals from Rifle paper company 🙂
2. Pray out loud. “So then faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of God.” Romans 10:17 God called the universe into existence with a word. “God said, let there be light and there was light.” Genesis 1:3 God simply spoke and it was done. He tells us to “call those things that are not as though they are…” Romans 4:17,  and when we pray we can speak the Word of truth over what we say even if we don’t yet see. For example, one of my standard prayers for my grandchildren (and pretty much all my loved ones) is that God will help them “…grow in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and man.” Luke 2:52  Speak words that agree with God’s Word. Here’s a cool fact: the word spoke or speak is in the King James version more than 1400 times!
3. Pray Scripture. Ask the Lord to point out scripture that’s appropriate for your family and situation. Do you have grandchildren who are possibly in harm’s way, maybe in the military? Or teens making dangerous or foolish choices? Pray Psalm 91. Maybe you’re eagerly anticipating your first grandchild. Pray Psalm 139:13-14 “For you formed my inward parts, you knitted me together in my mother’s womb, I praise You for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.” Put it in your own words and make it your own!
4. Pray detailed and specific prayers. God loves details! Just look at how many species of birds or butterflies He’s created! How many blades of grass in your own yard, each one different from the next. God is all about details and I don’t believe He minds detailed and specific prayers one bit. I pray very specifically for each one on my list. Pray for your grandchildren’s teachers, classes they’re taking, coaches, sports they’re in, their health and protection from sickness, their healing if they do get sick. Ask God to put a hedge of protection around them to keep them from evil. In fact, ask Him to “deliver them from evil” every day!
5. Pray bold prayers. I believe each of my grandchildren are world-changers and yours are too. Before your grandchild’s birth, his destiny and the plan for his life were determined. God has already dreamed a big dream for that child. We can dig deep with God to discover clues to His dream and pray what we see as He reveals it. If you tell them they’re world-changers, they will be!
6. Pray short-term and long-term prayers. Some prayers are only for a day or a season–today’s baseball game, this year’s teachers–others will come much later like praying now for their spouse and career choice. It’s never too early to begin praying for the one they will spend their lives with!
7. Pray for their parents. One of them is your child so hopefully, you’re praying for them already. Pray God will give them wisdom and deep discernment as they raise their children.
8. Pray they will accept Christ as savior early in life and follow Him all their days. Pray that they will live a life that pleases the Lord and that they will find their purpose early in life and follow faithfully, delighting in Him their entire lives.

I have two previous posts about praying for my grandson and praying for my granddaughter that have specific prayers for each. Also Twenty Promises for my Grandchildren.

These strategies  have worked for me over the years. I pray you will pray strategically and continuously for your grandchildren. I love what it says in Isaiah 44:3. God said, “I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring and my blessing on your descendants.”  This is His promise and we know God keeps His promises!

xoxo

Kate