April 8, 2016, marked the one-year anniversary of my father’s death. Tomorrow would have been his 80th birthday. As I reflect on my loss, I want to share with you what I miss most.
One of Dad’s spiritual gifts was intercessory prayer. A day didn’t go by without him lifting me up before the Lord. He was my prayer warrior.
If you are a parent, I want to suggest that the most important gift you give your children every day is prayer covering.
Dad understood the power of prayer and always reminded me that he prayed for me daily and considered it a privilege to do so. Each time I prepared to drive to Kansas on business, he paused and prayed over me, often over the phone. I heard these words often: “Lord, protect Lee Ann every step of the way. May there be no car trouble, accidents, or weather that could cause harm. May your angels hem her in from the north, south, east and west. May her week be productive and continue to bless her practice. Please bring her home safely.” Hearing him pray those words over me was a blessing. His prayers expressed his love, care and concern for me.
If you’re a parent, take time to pray aloud so that your children hear your love for them as you take them before the Father.
Dad cared deeply for my spiritual well being and growth. When I was a child, he centered his prayers on helping me discover salvation in Jesus. 3 John 4 says, “I have no greater joy than to hear that my children are walking in the truth.” If you’re a parent, I bet there were times in your children’s life when you wondered if God was drawing them to Jesus. But once your child placed their faith in Christ, you experienced “great joy” knowing that your child asked Jesus to forgive their sin and commit to follow Him.
Pray daily for your children’s salvation until they make their decision for Jesus. No matter how old they are, keep praying for this!
When I made my decision to place my faith in Christ at age ten, Dad’s prayer ministry continued to grow. He lived out the Biblical examples and instruction regarding intercessory prayer. Colossians 4:12-13 states “Epaphras….is always wrestling in prayer for you, that you may stand firm in all the will of God, mature and fully assured.” In Colossians 1:9, “For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding….” Dad upheld Scripture by praying continually for me.
“Wrestle in prayer” for your children. Ask God to “fill your children with all spiritual wisdom and understanding.”
When I became a Christ-follower, Dad and I shared a new bond in Christ. We no longer had just a “father-daughter” relationship. We prayed together, resulting in some of my most precious memories. We shared spiritual intimacy as we expressed our thoughts together before the Lord. I learned more about prayer from my Dad than any other Christian because he modeled it regularly. He didn’t stop with “I will pray for you,” but prayed with me as soon as the need was expressed! He allowed me to hear his prayer before God, just as Jesus did praying out loud to His Father in front of His disciples (John 17) right before He faced the cross.
Pray with your children to build a deeper relationship with them.
I am Dad’s living legacy. I love praying for others. Intercessory prayer is the most important ministry I have because of Dad’s strong influence in my life. As he sowed spiritual seeds in me through prayer, the Lord found many ways to water them so that I could bear fruit for His glory. I believe Dad went to his heavenly home “having no greater joy” than seeing me walk in truth.
If you desire to strengthen your prayer ministry for your children, what would your next step look like? I realize many of you already pray for your kids, but maybe your next step is to pray over them in their presence. Let them hear your heart. Maybe your next step is to find a time when you can consistently pray together to deepen your relationship with your children. For those of us who are single, let’s pray over our family daily. There are plenty of spiritual children in our faith family who can use our intercessory prayer.
If you have any insights, thoughts or reactions you’d like to share, please locate the Comment box below. I bet some of you have a vibrant prayer ministry for you kids that our readership would love to hear about!
May God richly bless you as you allow your daily prayer for your children to be the greatest gift you give them.
Blessings,
Lee Ann
This is a blessed testimony. Thanks. May more people have an example like you did.
Thanks, Alanda. My Dad selflessly gave this great gift of prayer to me every day!
Blessings,
Lee Ann
Dear Lee Ann
Thank you for your beautiful message with a memorable photo. It is great to receive words from you on the special day for your family.
You and your father’s truth, tenderness and doing things you put with love, will remain in people’s heart for ever.
Regards, Akiko Shibata
Dear Akiko:
Thank you so much for your kind words. I realize that Dad’s intercessory prayer ministry extended to you as well! We’ll both get to see him again for eternity when God calls us home. I am so grateful that the separation is temporary.
Blessings,
Lee Ann
Lee Ann,
I understand how you are feeling on this one year anniversary!! It never goes away but it does get a little easier. I still expect to see dad drive around the corner in the truck down at the ranch. It still doesn’t happen. That’s ok because I know where he is! Like your dad, pop was a prayer warrior and a wonderful bible scholar!!! I learned so much by his example and I am so thankful to have had him to show me the way. We will always be our daddy’s little girls! Love you!
Dear Jana:
Thank you for your words of encouragement. Uncle Bill was a wonderful, godly man. I remember staying in Aunt Kathy’s guest bedroom one Christmas, and Uncle Bill’s Bible was by the bedside. I started glancing through it, and I kept running into wonderful notes of his in the margin! He was clearly a student of God’s Word, and I know you benefited from his prayers and teachings as I did from my own father.
Love and Hugs,
Lee Ann
Thanks, Lee Ann! I pray FOR my adult children every day, but I needed this reminder that they need to hear me pray OVER them.
Thanks, Annette! I was greatly impacted by HEARING Dad’s prayers over me. Those prayer times are some of my most precious memories with Dad.
Blessings,
Lee Ann
Thanks Lee Ann, I do pray for my children but I never thought to pray over them in their presence. What a great idea. Thank you
You’re welcome! When your children hear your tender heart for them as you present them before the Lord is very powerful!
Blessings,
Lee Ann
Lee Ann,
I too can recall numerous instances when your dad prayed for me over the phone or in person. That meant so much in my life. Harry modeled for me what it meant to be in communication with God consistently and faithfully, and his prayers produced so much fruit across the globe. Thanks for the sweet memory and admonition!
Blessings,
Holly
Dear Holly:
Thank you for sharing that Dad prayed for you over the phone or in person. Those times are so precious and I am so glad that you experienced this as well. Because Dad was such a prayer warrior, I, too, believe that his prayers have produced fruit across the globe.
I am so thankful that Dad modeled prayer as openly as he did with genuineness and humility. May our prayer life continue to grow with the Spirit’s power and might!
Blessings,
Lee Ann
That is great, Lee Ann! Great words of wisdom! Thank you!! I know you are missing your sweet Daddy!! Love you!!!
Thank you so much, Laurie! I miss him more than words will ever describe…
Love,
Lee Ann
Lee Ann, I feel like I knew your Dad in so many ways!! I can’t imagine having such a powerful father who would be so incredible with his influence in Faith in God!!! I didn’t say that very well but you get the message. You have such a huge influence in knowing God and seeing his great power. I would have loved to have that in my life! I might not have made so many detours younger. lol!
My family will be coming to Church this Sunday but I will not be at Sunday School. I got sick in Church last Sunday & had to leave afterward. So I will miss you again this Sunday. Give all of my love to everyone and will see you in a week!!!
God Bless and Love you, Debbie
Dear Debbie:
I am heartened to know that it feels like you know my Dad! His powerful prayer ministry was recognized by all who knew him. He understood that prayer was the most important thing he did no matter what task was at hand for ministry or otherwise! I realize that not everyone grew up with a parent like my Dad who bathed his children in prayer every day, but it’s a reminder that for all of us who are Christians, we can start TODAY to immerse children, family members, or whoever God lays on our heart and keep them coming!
Have fun with your family this Sunday! I’m sorry to hear that you got ill last week. It sounds like you’re doing much better.
Love and Hugs, Friend
Lee Ann
Thank you, Lee Ann, for that sweet post. It’s such a blessing to me to hear of your relationship with your father. It encouraged me to pray more regularly for my children.
I lost one son (Gerald, my 2nd born child) of retirement age just this year on April 1! The other son, Joey, lives in Euless near DFW airport & I saw him last Sunday. May I ask your class to please pray for him in a special way for he has never attended church since he left home as a young man, though he went regularly then and made profession of faith, etc. but he has lost the WAY: no dependence on God anymore, bad temper is his only fault, for he is one sweet male, but he has been angry since he lost his father in 1986 in death, then his marriage broke up a few years ago, & he lives alone in his unkempt house, BUT I have my one 23-yr old granddaughter, Carly, from him; right! from four children, I will never have more than the one grandchild. Thank you & the class for your prayers for him!! I have lived in The Conservatory in Wells Branch since March last year & we have Rev.James Varner from Georgetown holding services on Sundays here in our theater. I love it here, in Senior Living.
Love & Blessings to all of you!
Dear Murlene:
I am so sorry to hear about the loss of your son, Gerald, this year. I’ve always been told that losing children who predecease a parent is a much more difficult grief to deal with. I will gladly present your prayer requests for your children to our SS class!
You are not far from me if you’re in the Wells Branch area! Maybe we could have coffee in the near future!
Blessings,
Lee Ann