A Praying Family…

A Praying Family…7-7-25

I did not grow up in a family with God as the center and prayer as our normal. In fact, my formative years were far from the Christian home. No father who bowed his head to pray over his family. No mother reading stories from the Bible, and teaching her children what it means to be a woman of faith. Other than sporadic church buses, church was not a part of our regular life.

Then at about 14, my dad joined a church and became a deacon. Although his home life did not change much, his outward appearance to the world was a different story. I was hopeful, but wary. I had seen and experienced the real person and real home. Then shortly after I turned 16, I realized through a series of incidences, he had not changed. I then was put into foster care. I met a praying family.

“Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you.” Jeremiah 29:12. I have come to fully understand when we pray, for overselves or others, we are humbling ourselves and seeking His forgiveness, grace, mercy, love, strength, help, and guidance, I understand now that My Savior cares and listens.

Ephesians 6:18, “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.” When we pray for each other, the Lord hears our prayers. 1 Thessalonians 5:17, “pray without ceasing”. I once heard someone talk about the simple, but profound act of praying for others. We often tell each other, “I’ll pray for you.” Do we? How often? Yesterday, an elderly lady at our church was telling my friend and I about her continual pain. She is suffering. We could see it in her eyes. We told her we would pray for her. That’s all we can do, but petitioning God on her behalf is the most essential thing we can do,

I find myself continually calling on the Lord. “Lord help me.” “Lord, help them.” I found out yesterday afternoon that a young man who sat with us, and his family at their vehicle beside us, to watch the fireworks had a horrible accident. Just the night before, we had talked, and he hugged me with a feeling of love (twice). As a child, he had spent some time at my house, not as much as his brother, but, Oh how I love this young man. I immediately said to the person with me, “We need to pray.” She did not hesitate, we bowed, and we prayed. That is a the feeling of our Lord covering the situation when we give it to Him. That is the feeling of “A Praying Family,” a church family.

You see, the man in the picture above is the head of my household. He prays over food, with me when I ask, for me and our children, and for others. He and I have talked of pray. He prays and believes in pray. We raised our boys in a family that prayed. I pray with our grandson, I want him to hear people talk to the Lord.

There is a lady in our church who talks to the Lord as a Father and Friend. I listen and pray when she is leading us in prayer. An inspiration of a praying family. Her husband prays aloud as well, often as our closing prayer on Sunday morning. He speaks from the heart asking for forgiveness and guidance. What Godly examples of A Praying Family.

The ultimate example of prayer, “One of those days, Jesus went out to a mountainside to pray, and spent the night praying to God. (Luke 6:12)” Jesus revealed to us how He prayed to His Father. We see him petitioning for others, even unto death in Luke 23;34.

I will pray without ceasing. I will turn to my Lord. I will seek guidance. My husband and I will continue to be A Praying Family.