Newborn Babies come with an Assignment

Guest blog by Barbara Prichard

Do you remember the first time you held your darling grandchild in your arms? I certainly can. Her skin was soft as velvet and it was all I could do to stop touching her. Rather than put her down, I removed her mittens and her booties and kissed each finger and toe to make certain they were all attached. God had given my child a child; a delightful blessing with ten tiny fingers and ten tiny toes. She was perfect in every way and fit perfectly in the cradle of my arms.

After wrapping her in her blanket and placing her back in her mother’s arms, I prayed for her entire family. I prayed that her mother and father would remain strong in their faith and would train her to grow up to be a godly woman. I remember thinking of what an overwhelming responsibility it is to train a child in the way she or he should go. It seems like only yesterday that I was changing diapers for my own children.

The privilege of caring for Kaiden when her mother went to work was granted to me. I watched her all day while she slept, her little lips would move, and her expressions were priceless. I loved holding her, singing to her, and praying for her. Babies are so easy during that first few months if you are the grandmother.

Being a grandparent is challenging in many ways, but this was a real eye opener when I realized that I could not control what she heard or saw. I could not control her home, her day care, her church environment, and certainly not her friends or school environment. Then it hit me that I had no control, I would have to pray and trust God for her well-being.

I am not sure, but maybe God gives us children and grandchildren so we can learn to depend on Him more deeply. Praise God, he is just a prayer away and can handle all our problems. I had to let go and give this precious grandchild to God. I can only imagine what Abraham felt when God told him to sacrifice Isaac.  At that point, I fell to my knees and prayed for God to take her under His wing and train her in the way she should go.

I now have ten grandchildren, and three great grandchildren and I pray they will continue to grow in God’s grace and truth and in spirit.

Train a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

Proverbs 22:6 KJV

Guest blogger: Barbara Prichard, an Oklahoma native is married with six children, ten grandchildren, and three
great grandchildren. She leads a Grandparent in Prayer (G@P) group at Southern Hills Baptist Church, Oklahoma City, OK. She also  serves on the Prayer Task force for Christian Grandparenting Network. Barbara earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in Education from Northeastern Oklahoma State University and Master of Education degree from the University of Oklahoma. 

 Barbara, a reading specialist, taught reading from first grade through master level students until she retired in
2011. She now enjoys her family, reading, and writing. Her passion is prayer as she seeks God’s direction in her life