On Friday nights I let the kids sleep in my kingsize bed. Last Friday after the playing around by them and the cajoling by me for them to settle down and lay still was all finished, the daze of sleep began to overtake them.

Suddenly, Kenzie rolled over and laid one hand on my chest and whispered very quietly in my ear, “Oh God, Lord please give me strength…”

She was so sincere, I had to chuckle. And, I smiled to myself because she was saying the words I have often prayed as I knelt down beside her bed on particularly challenging days when I haven’t done so well as a parent.

I’ve cried out to God to help me be a better parent and cover them with His love when my patience has seemed to wear thin: “Oh God, My God, help me! Lord, strengthen me to be the parent they need and deserve!”

So, the prayer that she was now praying for me, I’ve often prayed for the kids while they were asleep. Or at least, I thought they were asleep!

You’ve heard the saying, “Prayer Changes Things!” I believe there is a lot of truth to that adage. But, it’s really more like “Prayer Changes People!” Because God doesn’t always change our circumstances, He just changes our perspective about them!

So, the real power of prayer is that it empowers us to willingly accept and align our own will with God’s will with joy and hope for the future that He has prepared for us!

So, I don’t know if my prayers have changed them into better children. But, hopefully, they’ve changed me into a better parent…