It dawned on me… a ha… that I should make a list of goals for Hudson and Hayes. Not necessarily things that I think they should be trying to do, but things I want to pray for them.
So I was thinking about them and who they are now. And how quickly they’ll change in a year. How much Hudson will be exposed to and what he’ll pick up on. How much Hayes will learn and change.
Raising boys is all I know. But there is a large part of it that I feel strangely unfamiliar with. There is a lot of responsibility to grow them into kind, thoughtful, strong, appreciative, Godly men as they prepare for their lives. This is new territory for me. So I need help. And lots of prayer.
For Hudson…
I’m praying for fewer tantrums and more words.
I’m praying that Hudson will be willing to eat different things and eat more consistently.
I’m praying that he will always know that we are safe and that our arms are always open for him.
I’m praying that as friends become more influential figures in his life, that God will bless him with good friends who are also good influences.
I’m praying that when he sees his Daddy he sees a man that can do anything, fix anything and always has the answers. Right now, he gets a lot of Mommy time, but the day will come when his Daddy is the one he’ll go to when he needs something.
I’m praying that he will continue to learn about his Heavenly Father and gain more of an understanding of how much God loves him.
For Hayes…
I’m praying for the relationship with Hayes and Hudson. That as Hayes grows they will laugh together and depend on each other.
I’m praying that he will develop right on track and will remain our healthy, sweet baby.
I’m praying that he’ll grow to enjoy eating table food more.
I’m praying that he always knows just how special he is to us and how much he has blessed our lives.
For me…
I’m praying that I’ll listen. That I’ll always show them how much they are loved and how much of a privilege it is to be with them. That I’ll give them my undivided attention. That I’ll teach them how to be good listeners.
I’m praying that I’ll always show my kids grace. And that I’ll extend a little bit of that grace to myself on bad days.
I’m praying that I can be conscientious about showing both of them just how much they are loved individually.
Do you have any hopes for your family and children this year?
Oh, I really agree with praying for their friends as the grow. I have 2 boys, too, and my 3 year old is definitely influenced by friends, even at such a young age!
Love this! What a great idea to list out prayer requests for your boys for the year. I also have 2 boys (oldest will be 3 on Feb 5th and youngest is 4 months) so just about every single thing you listed is perfect for my boys. Literally. Time to jot them down and start praying. =) Yay for having a cyber friend I can relate to in so many ways!!
Such a good post. Love it!!
Love this idea of prayer requests for our children! I know I am constantly in prayer for Addison with the current obstacles we are dealing with but I really need to pray about the future as well!
Thank you for this Erin!! You helped me put things into perspective with my own girls- praying is the answer I needed in order to cope with some of their more difficult moments. Thank you!
Such a great post! My dad always says that he prays for us and it’s the greatest gift. I love the specific prayers for your boys. I’m definitely going to do this for my boys too! Thanks for the inspiration, as always!
This is a beautiful post. I will be praying for you and your boys. I know that with your guidance they are certain to grow up to be wonderful gentlemen. If you don’t mind me asking, where do you all go to church. My husband and I are trying to find the right church for us here in Columbia and I can tell just how much you love yours. I’d love to know where you all go. Anyway, hope you have a happy Wednesday 🙂
What a great post Erin. It is so important to pray for our children and I really love the part about how you want them to see their dad. I couldn’t agree more. I thank God everyday I was blessed with my precious little boy!
This year, I pray specifically for Amelia to adjust well to her baby sister…that she’ll love her as much when she’s actually here – as she seems to right now, while Sydney is in my stomach. 🙂
Every night I pray over her and the teenager/young woman she will be one day become. I know that she’ll be making friends before I know it and I always want her to make good, Godly choices. I want her to be a leader – not a follower. To find her self esteem in how her Heavenly Father sees her and no one else. We’re girls…we know how mean girls can be…at every age! Ya know? I could go on and on.
Love this post. Praying for our children is so important. You’re a great Mama!
What a beautiful post…and what powerful prayers you have for your little ones! I especially love the part about Grace and being able to show yourself Grace on the bad days. This is so hard to do as a mama, but a great reminder that we are all human! Thanks for this post…I need to workon my own prayers for my 16-month old daughter!
I’m praying my 11 month old son will finally take table foods. *sigh* He only has 2 teeth and he chokes or gags on everything. Scares me to death. I’m praying that he will learn how to pick up his food and not be afraid of it. I want him to progress and move forward, not be still taking baby foods. I’m praying that I’ll know Heavenly Father won’t take my sweet baby away from me when he’s trying to eat his food. It could all happen so fast.
I know I sound like a crazy woman, but this is such a stress for me right now.
I pray that you post more pics of Hayes!
This is a great piece of advice. To pray specifically for our children and their needs. I try to pray at my boys’ bedsides every night. I tend to pray the same thing. But I definitely will be praying that my 3.5 year old’s tantrums go away. Because yeah, it’s hard on ALL of us to see him get so upset.
Wonderful goals. I think the best gift you can give your children is praying for them. You are a great mom, Erin!
You are such a wonderful, caring, well rounded parent.
I love this idea. You are so right. I should be much more specific in what I pray for with regard to our son!
You blessed my heart with this, Erin! It’s so refreshing to hear of young moms concerned enough about this small ones to pray for them and especially to make a list of important things TO pray for!!
I really want to be a prayer warrior for the Lord..but it’s so easy for me to get distracted from my prayer time! I know that our Lord wants us to talk to Him and spend time with Him..and He tells us sooo many times in His Word, that when we have needs and even wants to bring them before Him.
In our devotions this morning, part of it talked about Jesus praying to His Father for us when He was still here on Earth & now that He is in Heaven, I know that He intercedes to the Father for us and is our Advocate when the devil tries to accuse us. What an awesome, ‘hard to take in’ thought..that JESUS intercedes for US! Wow!
It is such a blessing that we can go straight to Him and pray ..talk to HIm like we would our own fathers.. I am so grateful for His love!
My children are all adults now..and I am trying very hard to remember to pray for them every day and remember them throughout the day in prayer when I know there is something they are especially going through… It is such a blessing to be able to pray for them..and for each other!
Please feel free to ask if there is ever anything you would like me to pray for you and your family about.. I would love to help you pray and would feel honored..
Love in Him, Ms Lynn
I have had that same burden and urgency to pray for my boys too. Here’s a book that my mom gave me on the day Riggins was born that has been such a great guide for praying for him: http://www.amazon.com/Prayers-Promises-My-Little-Boy/dp/0736921591
So true and such a great idea. Thanks for posting because I often forget to pray for Fenn’s future. I mostly just thank God for his health, because I am so lucky in that regard but I need to start looking ahead as well! Fewer tantrums and more words will be agood one to add! He tried to pull my hair out today when he was mad!!
I’m currently expecting our first child–a baby boy. Mason Paul will join us sometime around March 8th. My husband and I pray daily that he’ll be saved at an early age (and that his future wife will be as well), remain pure and be used by God. Those are my hearts greatest desires for him at this time.
Love that you’ve done this for your babies. =)
I constantly pray that God will protect Julia from the things that I cannot. I pray for her health and safety and that she’ll know how much she is loved. I pray that she’ll live a long and rich life and be a light to all that she meets. I pray that Jason and I will be strong examples for our children and will raise them in a house centered around God.
This is such a beautiful post.
Erin, I’ve been trying to follow you on Twitter but every time it says you blocked me. I hope it’s a mistake?
Great post friend. You are a good momma!! These prayers are so important and crucial in our children’s lives. Prayer is the best thing we can do for them. Love ya!
I pray that my Mason will grow up knowing he is special, how to love, how to be loved, knowing that we love him in good and bad, that he will be honest and live true and that he will know how to be a good friend and of course that he has good and respectable friends. Oh man….so many things I hope and pray for.
Lord, I pray for my boys to listen to me. Sometimes I feel overhelmed, but I know God is helping me to continue doing a great job with my two boys. I need financial support, guidance, great listeners from my boys. I only want the best for them.AMEN