“…love one another deeply, from the heart…
All people are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field;
the grass withers, the flowers fall, but the word of the Lord endures forever.”
–I Peter 1: 22, 24, 25

Lord God,
if these children of ours are grass,
flowers fading,
help us to show them Your Word.
Please birth them into the eternal.
Help us to love them deeply.

When our prodigals spew hatred–
help us to love them deeply.
When our little ones’ needs leave us exhausted–
help us to love them deeply.
When the world tells them they’re not good enough, they don’t make the cut–
help us to love them deeply.
When their hormones and emotions and words are raging–
help us to love them deeply.
When all seems right and it’s easy for them to be comfortable–
help us to love them deeply.

We pray for their parents in planes flying away, on ships in big waters, in countries where they are hated. Please keep them safe, bring them home.
We pray for our children’s hearts as they realize they can’t always trust in people. Help them to trust in You. Please calm and guide them with Your incomprehensible peace.
We pray for their friends. May they sharpen and influence each other for good.
We pray for their studies. May they do their best, but find their worth in You.
We pray their lives would glorify You.

Lord we pray for their safety,
for their innocence.
But most of all, we pray they will follow You.

We pray for those who are ill. Lord, please bring Your healing touch to these many with colds and the flu. We pray for the grand baby whose feet need to turn out.
We thank You for good insurance and medicines and doctors and staff.

We pray for those who are newly adopted, and those waiting for a forever home. Hold them close, Lord.

We pray for those about to be born. Lord, please bring them safely.

And we pray for those who are desperately lonely. Lord, please bring friends. May they turn to You.

And Father God, please be with our hurting warriors and their families. Only You can truly touch them.

Eternal God, we thank You for these little creations. We thank You for our days with them. We thank You for the love they bring, and the love we can give. We thank You that though they are as fragile as grass, You can bring eternity.