The Gift of Praying Parents - Encouragement Café - May 27, 2014

The Gift of Praying Parents

Café Menu for Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Today’s Special is: How My Parents’ Faithful Prayers Worked

Carefully prepared just for you by your friend, Annah Matthews

Main Ingredient:

I never stop giving thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, would give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him.

- Ephesians 1:16-17 HCSB

Entrée:

I was very fickle as a teenage girl. I wasn't sure what type of guy I wanted to date just that I wanted to date someone. I didn't know how to enjoy life without receiving attention from the opposite sex. My behavior screamed insecurity and sent me down a road of heartache and heartbreak. I was a mess. But in between those messy heartbreaking years I had parents who kept praying for me and for my future spouse.

Honestly they probably prayed a few times for God to give them the strength to not strangle me. By the grace of God I ended up making it through high school and college without an engagement ring to someone who would have certainly been so terribly wrong for me.

Then along came my future husband who at the time was cute and seemed pretty much on the straight and narrow path to success. I was still pretty discontent with myself but I was also really tired of dating so many guys that I knew were all wrong for me. Now this guy came along and he was kind, caring, compassionate, smart, funny, and witty and I honestly couldn't believe that he even would date me. I knew in my heart how undeserving I was of him, how many foolish mistakes I had made along the way, but he just seemed to like me for me. I put my best foot forward and quickly fell in love.

Fast forward to 15 years later and this cute, witty, funny, kind and compassionate guy, a fabulous husband and provider who lets me focus on our family and our home, chose me to live this life with him. I stand in awe of where the Lord has brought me.

I will always be remorseful of the years that I thought I didn't deserve better and all the years before I met him that I settled for less than God's best for me. I honestly didn't trust the Lord to give me His best so I took matters into my own hands, spent years of breaking up and making up with all the wrong ones, and I just couldn't be still. But on the other hand I am so thankful that even in my most serious dating relationships that I thought could have turned into something more, there was always a prick in my heart and a check in my spirit that said, "He is just not the right one for you." As stubborn as I was, thank God that I listened.

My parent’s prayers were working. I am so incredibly thankful for the gift of praying parents.

Take Out:

For mamas and daddies, I hope you are praying for the future spouses of your children and for the decisions they will make along the way. I encourage you to pray for the future son or daughter-in-law that will be yours to love one day and for their families. Honestly, without the model my parents set for me and their fervent prayers, who knows where I would have ended up. If you are not praying for your children's future, then who is?

Dessert:

Dear Lord would You keep us mindful to pray for our children’s future, their future spouses, and the families that they will have one day? Let us never cease to pray for the future of our own children.

© 2014 by Annah Matthews. All rights reserved.

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