Special Book Offer During October

This week I want to give my blog readers an opportunity to receive Grandparenting with a Purpose at a special offer. I am giving
you the first chapter of titled “Reflecting on My Journey of Praying for My Grandchildren.” The book challenges grandparents to pray
intentionally for their grandchildren and provides suggestions of how to pray for them.

The soft cover book retails for $11.99. However, I would like to give you a special offer during the month of October of $10.50 including shipping. To purchase the book click on “Purchase”.

E-books are available at Amazon for those Baby Boomers and beyond who would like to read it on their Kindle or I-pad.

This book will make an excellent Christmas gift for your grandparents or your friends who are grandparents. The retail stores are
reminding us that Christmas is less than two months away so it’s not too early to get started with your Christmas shopping.

To learn more about the book, check out the The Book, Endorsements and Preview the book on the menu bar of this website.

Reflecting on My Journey of Praying  for My Grandchildren

God blessed my husband and me with nine grandchildren ranging in age from seven to twenty-eight years of age. For many years, I felt
my prayers for them were too general because, as a long-distance grandmother, I was often unaware of what was going on in their lives. I prayed that God would bless them, but, ultimately, I grew frustrated. Something was lacking in my vague, general prayers. I asked God to show me how to become intentional in praying for them.

 Encouragement                                                                         

My prayers for my grandchildren changed dramatically after I read Grandma, I Need Your Prayers, by Quin Sheerer & Ruthanne Garlock, and When Mothers Pray, by Cheri Fuller. Both are full of practical advice and encouraged me to use specific scriptures in my prayers. As a result, God’s Word became a manual, not only teaching me to pray more effectively, but also reminding me that prayer is connecting me to the creator of the universe. Praying God’s Word enabled me to pray with more confidence and boldness. It also motivated me to pray regularly and specifically for the emotional, physical, and spiritual well-being of my grandchildren.

 Primary Prayer

My primary prayer for my grandchildren is that they will come to realize God loves them, to accept Jesus Christ as their personal Savior, and to follow Christ wholeheartedly throughout their lives.

God has created each of my grandchildren for a unique purpose. I pray that they will discover their purpose, be motivated to pursue it, and trust him to provide the resources to enable them to do so. Only God can provide fulfillment. The world cannot. 

Holy Spirit Intercedes

I learned from Romans 8:26 that the Holy Spirit intercedes for me when I do not know exactly what or how to pray for someone, and my prayers took on new meaning. The Holy Spirit knows the needs of my grandchildren, so I ask him to intercede for me according to his will. It is comforting to know I can put my concerns in God’s hands instead of carrying them myself.

Often, my prayers are not answered as I ask or on my timetable. However, in the waiting God does amazing things, both in my life and in the lives of my grandchildren.

Communication

New channels of communication opened with my older grandchildren when I started asking how I might pray for them. In the case of the young ones, I consulted with their parents to keep abreast of specific concerns. That enabled me to pray more specifically for them. Calling or sending holiday greetings offers encouragement and reminds them that I love and pray for them. The electronic age offers new opportunities to stay in touch with e-cards, e-mail, and texts. The first time I texted my oldest granddaughter, she texted back a surprised, “WOW! You are incredible!” I continue to text my older grandchildren occasionally, just to let them know I’m thinking of them and praying for them.

It is important for me to communicate my love and acceptance, even though I may not agree with their life choices at times. My interest in the details of their lives, along with my desire to pray over those details, speaks accepting love to their hearts.

Photo Prayer Journal

In her book, When Mother’s Pray, Cheri Fuller suggests making a photo prayer journal for your grandchildren. The photo prayer journal is a working document to help you pray intentionally and effectively for your grandchildren. I developed a photo
prayer journal in a three-ring binder, which features a section for each grandchild. Each section includes a profile sheet with the grandchild’s
photograph, other personal information, and pages on which to write prayer concerns, hopes, and dreams for that grandchild. (See the Appendix for more on
the photo prayer journal.)

Blessings as a Result

A note from my oldest granddaughter confirms that praying for our precious grandchildren is never a wasted effort: “Your phone calls, cards, and e-mails were encouraging and made a significant impact on my life, especially in my teenage and college years. Your prayers and encouragement have been rock-solid reminders of God’s truth in my incredible, crazy life-shaping years, and now in my married life. Your prayers help me surrender the craziness of my life to God.”

Using a photo prayer journal in my prayer time has strengthened my relationships with my grandchildren. Whether they live nearby or far away,
praying for them intentionally keeps me in touch. When I let them know I am praying for them, my prayers can often be as powerful as my presence,
especially when they are older and busy with school and work.

As a grandparent, I can have a major role in stabilizing and influencing the lives of my grandchildren, both through my personal example and through my prayers for them during these turbulent years. Praying intentionally for my grandchildren has given me purpose and fulfillment. I believe that the seeds of prayer I plant today will yield a harvest of blessing for them in the future.

“No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has conceived what
God has prepared for those who love him”

(I Corinthians 2:9).

“The Lord … hears the prayer of the righteous”

(Proverbs 15:29).

©2010 Lillian Ann Penner.  All rights reserved