The Art of Intentional Prayer

Prayer can transform your homeschool by changing you, your husband, and your kids.  I know this power personally.

Not to mention the medical evidence to the power of prayer over our health; specifically depression, anxiety, and high blood pressure.

Consider this, The Lord commands us to pray and He listens. “In my distress I called to the LORD; I cried to my God for help. From his temple he heard my voice; my cry came before him, into his ears” Psalm 18:6

Being independent, it was difficult to come to a place where I am dependent on God.  I now know that I cannot do this life in my own power.  Especially homeschooling.

Have you ever heard the saying, “Fail to plan and you plan to fail.”?  I have found this to be true when talking about prayer.  You have to make time for it.  I have always admired faiths that pray at regular set times. There is something about honoring that time for God. I also appreciate the freedom of our faith that lacks rigidity but is most powerful when it is consistent.

Time for prayer, devotion, and talking with God must be placed as a top priority in our schedules if we are to be consistent. I know that if I don’t plan for it, then it doesn’t happen.

Having tried all possible times and schedules with this, I have found no other time quite as easy as the mornings.  I am fresh, it is quiet, and it is a way of giving my first part of the day to God.

Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed. Mark 1:35

If I wait too late, I crash in mid prayer or am distracted by a million little things, or just forget altogether.

Start small.  Set aside 15 minutes a day.

The Art of Intentional Prayer

Because learning to number your days is an art form.

15 Ideas to artfully weave and incorporate prayer into your life:

1. Ask your husband to pray over your family every morning.  This has had such a powerful affect on our family. And it is a wonderful way to connect with each other and start the day.
2. Pray with out ceasing.  Pray in the shower, the car, your closet, washing dishes where ever you mindfully happen to be. Think of it as conversation as you navigate through your day.
3. Begin with a time of thanksgiving. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” Philippians 4:6 NIV  (Boldness is mine)
4. Teach your kids to respect this honored time you have set aside.  Be frank when you make mistakes, asking for forgiveness and praying on the spot.
5. Pray over your kids when they are injured or are worried or anxious over something.  Beginning this when they are young will impart the importance of going to God, first.  I have a little one who often reminds me when I lose money or something important to stop and pray.  Sometimes they will pray on the spot.  It is humbling for your children to remind you to pray and a beautiful thing to witness.
6. Pray over your meals, intentionally.  Wait to begin eating until after the prayer. Have everyone take turns saying the prayer.  Even Especially the kids.  Sometimes we shout out a quick prayer over ice cream treats while in the car or for some other blessing. It is powerful to hear your kids do this.
7. Pray before your car rides to errands and trips.
8. Pray when you see ambulances or a wreck or someone broken down on the side of the road.
9. Pray for like minded moms on a similar journey to cross your path and encourage your prayer life.
10. Set your phone alarm for prayer reminders.  After seeing a friend set their phone alarm to remind them to pray for someone, I too have tried this with much success.
11. Pray before bedtime.  There is nothing quite like going to sleep with the peace of being prayed over. Regularly ask your kids if there is anyone they would like to pray for; friend or enemy. Pray over your kids while they sleep.   I do not do this as regularly as I did when my girls were babies but I have been praying for their future husbands since they were tiny.
12. Pray before beginning your homeschool; during the summer while planning and every day before beginning the school day.  Pray for patience, wisdom, and teachable spirits.
13. Start a monthly prayer group.  One of the moms in our homeschool play group began a monthly prayer meeting she called Hunger & Thirst that has remained even after she left.  It is amazing to read our prayer requests over the last 12 years to see how God answered our prayers.  We have prayed (and are praying) each other through babies, blessings, homeschooling, M.S., alcoholism, adoption, death, divorce, depression, health issues, mission trips, financial struggles, opportunities, and more.  Nothing is more powerful than coming together to pray over one another. The biggest benefit is praying over each other as we homeschool.  “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” Matthew 18:20 NIV
14. Pray for others.  Our pastor suggested this: Ask your waitress, “We are about to pray before we eat and wanted to know if there is anything we could pray for you?” This is a game changer. Once we did this at Texas Roadhouse and the waitress got teary eyed.  She was a single mom with a 4 year old trying to put herself through school.  And just last Saturday, I was at a yard sale and the owner of the house looked so downtrodden, I started some small talk.  When I asked about her dog, she mentioned she was sick and her tears flowed.  I asked her if I could pray for her, and then did. I have no idea what I prayed but believe the Holy Spirit interceded.  She began weeping, telling me that her husband had shot her (she was in ICU & the hospital for 3 months) and then had shot himself in the mouth while they were driving on the highway.  It was a miracle she was alive and has been incapacitated for the last 7 years with PTSD, unable to work, now selling her house and moving.  We all need prayer.  And you just never know what burden people carry.
15. Pray during the good times and the bad.  When things are going well, we sometimes forget to pray and praise.

Don’t just make prayer a part of your day.  Make it a part of who you are.  It will rub off on those around you.

Do you have any ideas you use to incorporate prayer in your home?