My second child is a little girl, and I joke that she has been strong-willed and stubborn from her earliest days in my womb. I was incredibly sick during that pregnancy, throwing up sometimes six times a day. I was hospitalized twice for fluids during my first trimester. It was as awful as it sounds, and some days my only prayer was, Please let me survive this.
At thirty-two weeks, we learned she was breech. We prayed she would turn, but with every check-up, she remained butt down. As the weeks went on and delivery drew near, I did everything trying to force her into the right position, including:
- Placing frozen vegetables on my stomach to try to make her flip away from the cold.
- Pointing a flashlight directly on my stomach because some said the light would penetrate, and she would try to move away from it.
- Handstands in the swimming pool (thankfully, it was a warm spring in Nashville).
- My husband, Matthew, talking to my stomach, pleading for her to turn toward his voice.
- Seeing a chiropractor that specialized in prenatal adjustments.
Nothing worked. My stubborn little girl was staying put.
I desperately wanted to avoid a C-section, and at thirty-nine-weeks, we were scheduled an external cephalic version, which is a procedure where doctors use a great deal of pressure on a mother’s stomach to flip the baby.
I remember being so anxious about the procedure and praying for a successful outcome. Would it work? Would it hurt? Some risks were involved, and I prayed I hadn’t made the wrong choice choosing this procedure. I opted to have an epidural after a trusted friend and midwife told me that many mothers can’t handle the pain of the procedure, deciding that my desire not to have a C-section trumped my desire to have a drug-free delivery.
My hospital room was filled with people. Delivering at a teaching hospital meant normally an extra resident or two would be present, but I learned that seeing a version take place that was kind of a big deal meant there were a LOT of students in the room. In addition to my midwife, there were several doctors, Matthew, and my best friend, Angie.
The doctors had my bed tilted in such a way that I couldn’t see much more beyond my belly. As they prepared for the procedure, Angie spoke up, “Before you begin, would y’all mind if I said a prayer?” The doctors said, “Of course,” without hesitation. As she prayed, I felt a calming peace cover the room. The energy completely changed.
Within just a few minutes, the doctors had successfully turned Adeline. Everyone in the room was either cheering or crying. It was a perfect example of the 1 John 5:15 verse, which says, “And if we know that he hears us — whatever we ask — we know that we have what we asked of him.”
I’ve been thinking a lot about that story lately and the way in which a prayer ushered my girl into the world in such a specific, memorable way.
Prayer isn’t always like that with our kids. As a parent, my prayers for them take on many forms, from pats on the head to hugs to evening snuggles and whispered prayers at bedtime. The prayers shift as they grow older, becoming more independent and strong. The moments are holy, messy, ordinary, and extraordinary.
But throughout it all, I believe God is intently listening to the prayers of our mouths and our hearts. In a lot of ways, prayer is the heartbeat of a parent’s life.
In my husband Matthew’s new children’s book, When I Pray for You , he addresses all the ways we pray for our kids and the way our prayers evolve as our kids grow and change. I love these words:
From the moment I saw you, I started to pray.
Big prayers and small ones I have sent God’s way…
I’ll pray where you go, that wherever you land,
you’ll find purpose and meaning and a role in God’s plan.
That you’ll know who you are. And like what you do.
And love yourself fully, as God wants you to.
Prayer is an important part of our parenting DNA because there is an intimacy fostered when our kids hear our prayers for them, as well as when we invite them into those prayers. Though they aren’t usually big moments like the day my daughter was born, praying for our kids is impactful. Prayer is a part of the legacy we can give to our kids.
Are there specific prayers you regularly pray for your kids? Do you talk about how you pray for your kids? How do they respond?
Matthew Paul Turner’s new book, When I Pray for You, celebrates the dreams, hopes, and longings parents pray over their children, and shares with the little ones how much care and concern a loved one feels for them. This is a book you will read to your child again and again. Perfect for any occasion, as well as for milestones including baby showers, birthdays, and graduations.
Click here to order a copy (or two) of When I Pray for You. It’s the perfect bedtime story and way to introduce fresh conversation with your kids about prayer in your home.
GIVEAWAY
Love this topic of prayer? We want to invite you to participate in a special prayer conversation on Instagram. Post a photo of your kids and share one way you pray for them. Be sure to include the hashtag #WhenIPrayforYou and tag us at @incourage. On Friday, we will choose 5 winners to receive signed copies of When I Pray for You.
In a lot of ways, prayer is the heartbeat of a parent's life. -@JessicaNTurner #WhenIPrayforYou: Click To Tweet Leave a Comment
Jessica,The
Prayer is powerful. God hears ALL our prayers for everyone-children, family, etc. Praying for others is impactful. Our children/family can learn from our legacy of consistent prayers. The movie War Room got me to thinking about & praying for my husband. God hears our prayers & will answer them in His ways & timing. Once we pray for something we can have a sense of peace & calm in our lives.
Blessings :
I love the poem but can’t find the original author. Any help would be greatly appreciated as I would like to share it with our kids! Thanks
Maria, the poem is from the new book mentioned in the post – When I Pray for You – by Matthew Paul Turner. You can get a copy at DaySpring.com.
I agree that praying for others is impactful – for us and for them.
So thankful for the pressure release valve of prayer for my kids! One specific request that I’ve prayed for my kids since they were babies is that they would live in such a way that when they come to the end of their lives they will have few regrets. It feels so good to put their future in God’s hands.
What a powerful prayer. Thank you for sharing!
I’m so bummed to miss the giveaway, but I don’t have Instagram. 🙁
I love this story. It is well-written and strong in faith. “I couldn’t put it down.” However, one thing that disturbed me but maybe it is just me, due to much heartache from my children (now 41 and 50) resulting in constant prayer for more than 50 years and continuing.
Here is the sentence you started with, Jessica: “My second child was a little girl, and I joke that she was strong-willed and stubborn from her earliest days in my womb.” May I suggest you change the wording of that sentence to: “My second child IS a little girl, and I joke that she HAS BEEN strong-willed and stubborn from her earliest days in my womb.” I read this entire piece waiting for and steeling myself for the “other shoe” to drop that your “little girl” had died. I am so glad that is not the case and it is just a grammatical error we all often make in using the past tense in are remembrance about someone who is still living. We even erroneously ask people, “What was your name?” Guilty! It IS the same as it was. Lol. Love this story, though, Jessica.
I love this story, friend!
Thank you, Dawn!
Jessica,
Thank you so much for sharing this. I have always struggled to let anyone else be in control (even Jesus). I know for a fact they are so much better in his hands than mine. I pray he will help me let go too! They are 25,24 and 16 now and I pray for them and their hearts and decisions everyday. I mostly pray that he will give me the “right” words for them.Either through small talk in my head, on my knees or over them when they sleep and it is obvious to me that he hears us mom’s.
Yes, He does!
I couldn’t agree more and actually your story today affirms how God answered prayers for a young to be mother of a dear friend of mine whose baby was in the breech position yesterday, and she was going to have that procedure. After they gave her the epidural and left the room wsiting for her to numb up, the baby turned. “I could just imagine God’s tender hand gently turning her.” “Or maybe He just called her name, and she turned.” However He answers our need we certainly rejoice in our loving Father that hears our prayers and is good, faithful and kind in helping us.
What a wonderful story!
Jessica, this is beautiful. I needed to read 1John5:15 because it’s been a very long road of very difficult. Thank you! Joanne Peterson
Peace be with you during this time.
Excellent article and sounds like a wonderful book! No, we NEVER stop praying for our kids! Ours are 46, 45 and 39 now, and still need our daily prayers. I was also very impacted by the movie “War Room”. At the time I watched the movie, our saved daughter was in a serious relationship with a man who is not a Christian. I claimed the verse, “Satan comes to steal, kill and destroy, but Jesus comes to give life more abundantly”. John 10:10. I prayed this for my daughter daily, in real earnest, and the Lord answered our prayers when, 5 months later, they broke up! God LOVES to answer prayer.
Love hearing from parents who are further along in the journey!
This is a beautful story about how prayer CAN, & WILL make a difference in somebody’s life, even if it’s your own life. Sadly, when my children were small, I wasn’t serving God. But, since Dec 3rd of 1990 I haven’t stopped following Him. My boys are grown, but all 3 have seen the difference in my life. I’m not the person I used to be, nor the person that I want to be, but am working on becoming the person that God wants me to be. And, as my grandchilren have grown up, most of them are in church, & serving the Lord. But, I pray for them just as much as I pray for the ones that are out of church & living in sin. We can only teach them about God, but can’t make them follow Him, or live by His teachings. My aunts prayed for me when I was growing up, & although it took a lot of years for me to see the Light, I finally did. No matter what, one of the most IMPORTANT things we can teach our children is that prayer actually works. And, while we may not always receive what we asked for, we can trust that God sees our future so He knows what’s best for each of us. God bless you & your family!
Thank you for sharing your own story. I’m sure you have had quite an impact on your family.
I love this post and this new book. I have seen the book via social media twice in two days. What a gift of writing you both have! There is no better gift we can give our children than to pray for them!
Thank you for your kind words!
My hearts desire is to marry and to have had children but at 57 years old Papa God has chosen not to answer that prayer, yet. So I may not have my own children to pray for or over but I have 2 nephews, 1 niece and a nephew in love that I pray for and over daily and they know I do. I have worked with kids at my church for over 30 years and have prayed for and over many of them also. Love watching Papa God work in and through the lives of the kids, young people and some now adults that I pray for and over.
My book arrived over the weekend, and as a belated Valentine’s gift, I was able to snuggle and share it with each of my three girls, one at a time on the couch during a snow day yesterday. It was such a blessing, a beautiful gift, and a special reminder of the gift that God has given us to be able to pray for others, especially those we love. Thank you!
As a step mama I am reminded to pray for my “bonus” kiddos. Praying for them releases my anxiety and tendency to compare myself and put the pressure on me “am I doing it right, do they like me, etc”. My husband is very supportive and it is a great blessing that hubby, his kiddos, and their mama know and love Jesus. Thank you for you word this morning.
A friend just sent this to me! I just gave birth to my second – a little girl named Adeline! Just born three weeks ago! And we also had a successful version procedure! Crazy! God is good!