The Gift Every
Child Needs . . .
By Shelly Roark
Are
you a parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, neighbor or member of a church family?
If so, you can impact a child’s future with a single, priceless gift.
Oh,
it won’t cost you a dime. But the benefits cannot be measured.
The
gift? Sharing with them the power of prayer.
That’s
why I wrote my debut children’s picture book, The Bubble Who Would Not POP! In it, one determined little bubble
embarks on an adventure to take a child’s prayer to heaven. He faces surprising
challenges along the way but discovers some simple truths about prayer that
every child should know.
· God hears our
prayers and knows our needs before we even utter them. (“Before they call I will answer; while they are still speaking I will
hear” Isaiah 65:24 NIV).
· He loves us and
wants what is best for us. Always. (“How
great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called
children of God! And that is what we are!” 1 John 3:1 NIV)
Here
are some simple ways you can offer the children in your simple but important
lessons on the power of prayer:
Pray with your child. Let them hear you
pray in faith and then show them how to talk with God. We all love bedtime
prayers, but you can teach your precious little one that you can talk with God
anytime and anywhere by praying other times and places together—on a walk, on
the ride to school, after naptime.
Share Bible stories about prayer. Some of my
favorites include:
Hannah Prays for a
Child, 1 Samuel 1
Elijah Prays for
Fire, 1 Kings 18
Jesus Prays for
Lazarus, John 11
Paul and Silas
Prayed from Jail, Acts 16
Start a prayer journal together. Give your child a
notebook or spiral and decorate it together. Write out a prayer list of needs
or people that they want to pray for daily. They can even draw their prayers if
they aren’t old enough to write. Include favorite Scripture verses about prayer
or stories. Be sure to make a note of answered prayers and give thanks!
Make prayer fun! Take a cue from
my book and blow prayers into bubbles, watching them rise to heaven. Write out
prayers on slips of paper and attach them to helium balloons. Clap and
celebrate as the prayers go up and up!
Surround your child with prayer. Use dry-erase
markers to write out prayers or Scriptures on windows or mirrors. Pen a small
prayer of blessing on a scrap of paper or napkin and include it in their lunch.
Most importantly, pray for your child daily!
Whatever
you do to reinforce and share prayer with the little one in your life is an
investment in their spirit and future. In fact, I believe a legacy of prayer is
one of the greatest gifts you can offer a child.
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Here’s
a little about Shelly’s debut picture book:- Book Title – The Bubble Who Would Not POP!
- Author – Shelly Roark
- Illustrator – Simone Krüger
- Publisher – Little Lamb Books
- Release Date – September 12, 2017
- Genre – Children’s Christian Fiction
Book
Synopsis -- Billy Bubble is ready to burst! The excitement of finally being
out of his bottle on a beautiful, sunny day is everything he’s hoped for. But
someone else has bigger plans for Billy. The green-eyed girl with the bubble
wand has a special message that needs to get to heaven pronto. Billy’s secret
mission through the dangers of the sky – pointy branches, bird beaks, oh my! –
will bring him before God, where he’ll learn an important lesson about God’s
love and compassion. Join Billy Bubble on his journey of faith, and discover
the power of prayer for yourself using the helpful prayer journal in the back
of this book! Our Heavenly Father knows every hair on our heads, every bubble
in the sky, and every prayer we offer with a sincere heart.
How can I get this book? You can pre-order
The Bubble Who Would Not POP! on Amazon today…right now…this instant.
Free giveaway! Find out how you
can win prizes, including a grand prize valued at over $150, in the BIG
BUBBLETASTIC CONTEST at http://littlelambbooks.com/2017/05/big-bubbletastic-news/
Website – shellyroarkauthor.com
This book sounds darling! I think my grandkids are too old for it, unfortunately. I do encourage them; send a prayer and often a Bible verse to the 12 and 10 year olds on their iPhones each morning. I wish they were younger. I would definitely order it.
ReplyDeleteBonnie
Thanks for posting, Bonnie. My grandkids are all adults, and all but two of my great-grands are too old. Unfortunately, I rarely see those two greats and have little interaction with them. (They don't live near me)
DeleteThis sounds like a wonderful idea, Shelly. I know a little boy and girl who might benefit from a sit-down read w/mom! Keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleteHi, Gail, thanks for dropping in. I agree ... Shelly's article is well thought-out. Hugs, my friend.
DeleteLove this Shelly! Great ideas!
ReplyDeleteHi, Noel, thanks so much for stopping by. I, too, love Shelly's ideas.
DeleteShelly, thank you a million times for sharing this with my readers. Teaching children to pray at a young age is a crucial step in grounding them in the power of prayer through life. God bless you.
ReplyDeleteThank you so much, Peggy, for sharing my thoughts with your friends! I'm grateful for the encouraging comments. Much love and God bless you!
Delete