Prayer Time

One of the commitments we have made as a family is to pray before meals. Mia usually leads prayer and then Josh follows up by praying for the family. This has been such a blessing to us. We have started doing this at family holiday dinner with extended family and even in public at restaurants as we are trying to be more intentional and bold in our faith. Mia does a great job praying and loves to also pray before nap and bed. Recently Roman has started trying to sing the prayer that Mia does at meals and will usually end with a rousing "AAAA-men!" It's adorable and melts my heart everytime.

We realized that we had not been praying WITH Roman before bed, we pray for him but not with him. So I have started praying with him at night before bed, we go in his room, get his "bankie" and he cuddles up on my shoulder while I pray. It is sweet and reminds me of how great God is in those moments.

The other night, Roman was throwing a fit for bedtime. I asked if he wanted to do prayers with mommy and he said no, I told him that he would need to go in his crib then, he clung to me, laid down and as I started to pray he instantly calmed. I am amazed at how even in a young child, the comfort of God can do overwhelming things.

I then sing the chorus of "You are Stronger" to him and he goes to bed calm and quiet. Mia has also been asking me to sing her this song more and more. She has now starting singing with me while I sing. This song is the one I sang to her as we endured a lot of testing when she was young and going through horrible procedures. I would sing loudly in her ear and she would calm down. I have started singing it again and have enjoyed watching her relax and enjoy the song as much as I do.

We sang it at church the other day, and I can't help but sing it and start to cry. It reminds me of how God brought us through a really rough path, how He taught us to enjoy and treasure every moment of our children, how He blessed her with health and healing and how He lives in their hearts at such a young age.

I don't know the plans God has for them long term and I don't know the path they will take to follow the Lord, but I know today that I will foster and enjoy every moment that they pray, sing or praise from the innocence of their childhood.