My Prayer Keeper
I am so excited to introduce to you My Prayer Keeper. It is a children’s book designed to help them develop their own prayer life. When prayer time comes, they can grab this book and pray. As they turn the pages, they will be reminded to pray for people, places, and dreams. They can cast their cares on Him and pray about their future. As they continue through the book, they can pray scripture and give thanks and remember answered prayers.
As you fill your book with reminders for prayer, I would encourage you to start slow. Add those prayers that your children are already familiar with praying. Slowly add additional prayers so that it doesn’t overwhelm them to the place that they dread prayer. I would also say that you should not feel like your child must pray every prayer in the book every day, but let their own feelings and relationship with God develop what reminders inspire them to talk about with the Lord that particular day. Watch their prayer life grow as they spend time with this prayer keeper created just for them.
Depending on the child’s age (and your own temperament), you may need to help them add their specific prayers. You can write on each page with a pen, add stickers, or use a glue stick to add pictures.
On the PEOPLE title page you will find plenty of inspiration on what names to add in this section. Consider adding pictures for those young ones who cannot read. Add your family and friends to the circle “frames” on the family tree. Use the deer antler “plates” to add more names or pictures of people that are in your children’s lives. When they read their names or see their faces, they will be reminded to pray for those particular people.
On the PLACES title page are ideas of places that your child can talk to the Lord about. In this section, mark on the maps particular places. Add pictures, flags, or logos to pray for businesses, schools, churches, etc. This is a good section to add missionaries and the places they minister.
In the DREAMS section, you can add dreams or visions from God. Some may need interpretation while others may be daydreams and aspirations of how God can use your child. It is never too early to dream big dreams for the kingdom.
The Bible tells us to cast all our cares on Him, for He cares for us. Use the CARES section to write down things the child may be struggling to deal with and understand. In writing down their struggles, be sure to write down an antidote from God that helps us overcome. Write on the “rays” (lines) that shine around the Lion to add your cares. For instance, if the child is dealing with grief, you could write down grief on one of the lines, but also a sentence that speaks of God being our comfort. When they pray, they will be able to remind God and themselves that even when they feel grief, they believe and know He will give them comfort. Another example might be a child who is dealing with lying. Write down that struggle and with it an antidote that speaks about God being truth and hating lies. When the child prays, they will ask God for help with lies because He is truth and they want to please Him by not lying. No matter what struggle the dragon breathes, our Lion of Judah roars an answer with overcoming power.
As the child grows and thinks about who they want to be when they grow up, you can add their desires in the I WANT TO BE section. Asking God to be part of their future is a great precedent to set. On the title page is a lot of inspiration on characteristics of God we can add to our lives: peace, strength, health, wisdom, patience, forgiveness, joy, etc. Use each section of the honeycomb to add aspirations and characteristics to become.
In the WORD section add scriptures! Praying the Word of God is powerful even for our little ones. If God has spoken a prophecy or word of faith over your child, add that too!
In the last section, the child will have an opportunity to thank God for anything and everything! Answered prayers are a testimony to the power of God through prayer! Blessings are a great addition to this section titled GRATITUDE TESTIMONIES. Write down everyday blessings like food, a home, family and church to the pennant banners.