YA Friday: PRAY: Prayer for Mothers of Teens/Young Adults
Women of all ages look forward to it, celebrate it, and hate it. What’s the occasion?
Mother’s Day.
As a young wife struggling to conceive her first child, I dreaded this holiday. When our smiling pastor encouraged every mother to stand and receive a rose, I sat in my pew and blinked back the tears. As the mother of a son born too early, I didn’t try to hide my tears. As the often-harried mother of five little ones, I cherished each handprint picture or scribbled “I Love You” card.
Today, I’m the mother of teens and young adults. Two of mine have left the nest. One is poised on its edge. And the other two are busy strengthening their wings.
I’m hijacking my normal YA Friday post for teens to offer this prayer for moms like me. Tomorrow and Sunday, I’ll post two more Mother’s Day prayers. You need them, you deserve them, and—like most moms—you don’t often take time to pray them for yourself.
Father of all, I thank you for the gift of motherhood. I’m honored to share in this glorious heritage. Without your intervention, I’d still be weeping as others received their roses.
But with you, Father, I have gifts so much greater than roses. You’ve made the barren woman rejoice as a joyful mother of children. I want to thank you for each of my children and their unique gifts. Each one is precious. Each one drives me crazy. And each one (as I told them growing up) is my favorite every day.
Father, I lift up those moms who are discouraged in their parenting of teens and young adults. Remind them to take the long look, that a bad day does not mean a horrible life. Give them sweet memories of the past and powerful dreams for the future. When the skies darken, help them to find light in your Word. Give them a peace that passes understanding and love that knows no limits. Live in them and through them so they can do the work— the tremendous, terrible, wonderful work——of being a mom.
Lord God, I ask you to help each one of us who has teen/YA children to let them grow up. Help us surround our children not with barbed wire and electric fences, but with bonds of love. Give us as much joy in seeing them drive and date as we did in watching those toddling first steps. Grant us patience when they test our boundaries and wisdom to know when those boundaries must expand. Pour out your spirit to guide us when we speak, your strength to help us remain silent, and wisdom to know when to do which.
For these my mother-sisters, I ask your gifts of grace to endure, mercy to cover, and love to continue when we don’t think we can. Thank you again for the blessing of motherhood. And thank you for the blessing of knowing you. In your holy name I pray—AMEN.
Do you have a special request for a child or mother today? Feel free to comment below or email me here. I’ll be honored to join you in prayer.
