Book Club Thursday: Mama Made the Difference- Lesson Seven

Mamas Teach Us to Pray

One of the greatest lessons that I learned from my mother was how to get on my knees and pray.  Mom believed in the power of prayer and taught to believe in it also.  We learned early on that we serve a God who hears our prayers and answers. 

My mother prayed in many ways.  Sometimes she would wake up in the middle of the night and have her time with the Lord.  Sometimes, she would close herself up in her room and pray.  During those times we knew that we were not too interrupt her unless there was an emergency.  Sometimes, she would write out her prayers word for word.  Sometimes, she would just make a list.

My mother prayed about everything.  She prayed about needs and wants.  She prayed about mountains and molehills.  She prayed about her family and and strangers.  She prayed about the simple and what seemed impossible.  And we saw God move in every area.

This chapter made me seriously think about how I am teaching Addie to pray.  Because my personal prayer time happens while she is sleeping, I have to make a conscious effort to make sure that she knows the priority that prayer plays in my life.  Before we have our Bible and school time, we pray together (she is still learning to close her eyes when we pray).  We pray before we eat our meals.  When we get a text or Face Book message asking for prayer, we stop what we are doing and pray for the specific request.  And when our prayers are answered, I try explaining to Addie that God answered our prayer and I give her as many specifics as she can understand. 

Is she picking anything up from this?  I have heard her praying with her dolls during her playtime.  At meals, she has offered to pray.  There have been times when she has just come out and said that wanted to pray- and we let her. 

What she doesn't know yet is that she has a heritage of prayer.  Her mother learned from her mother, and Addie's namesake, Grandma Adelaida, was known for her spirit of prayer.  Every day, she prayed for each of her children and their spouses, her grandchildren and their spouses, and her great-grandchildren by name.

Prayer is the most valuable lesson that we can teach our children.  We teach them how to talk and converse with others, but the most important conversations they will ever have will be with the Lord.  May we teach them well.