New Year's Resolution #1

I really don't make resolutions, but this year I am making some changes at our house.  Several years ago we had family devotions pretty regularly, and then while home schooling we were in the Bible everyday, but as the summer flew by and school started, we haven't really put any new time in place to have family devotions.  So, since, like I said before, we always have dinner together, I decided to use that time for family devotions and family prayer time.  We are using this really cute devotional that actually really fits all the ages we have.

The other thing that I've started began with this little spiral notebook that I got free on Vistaprint!

I designed the cover just special for this purpose.  In it we write down the kids prayer requests in it and anyone else that is on their hearts, and then we divide up the requests and we pray about them.  As each prayer request is answered, we write the date that it was answered next to it!  All of this has been going on for exactly one week, and I am so amazed at the growth in just that one week!  The first night the older two kids were a little hesitant to participate, but in a couple days, after seeing some prayers answered (yes, that fast!), they are sharing their own concerns now.

Out of all the kids, Zach is the one that has amazed me the most, he is such a heart-felt, and passionate little man of prayer, the very first night, his most sincere prayers were sent up and it brought tears to my eyes.  He prays for others to "Get Jesus in their heart and keep Him there", he listens to his brother and sister's concerns and it almost seems like he sees past what their request is to what they really need prayer for, and prays that for them.

The prayer that I find most humorous in a really ironic way, actually, is Faith's prayer, which simply is "Sleep all night, Amen", the deal is that if she sleeps all night and doesn't wake up mommy she gets to choose a treasure from the treasure box, which is full of, essentially, free crap from garage sales last summer, it's little trinkets and toys, and little bit of plastic jewelry, and she wants something out of there so bad that she will do almost anything, anything, that is, but stay in her bed all night!  But we keep praying for her, and as Zach says, "God didn't answer that one yet, I guess we will just have to keep on praying!"

I struggle to give things over to God, I really do, so this is as much for me as it is for them.  I am blessed beyond measure with the opportunity to train these children, they really do let me see a little of what God sees in me, feels for me.  Nothing compares to this love.