Pray-Along. The 15th Part

(If you're just joining me now, I'm in the midst of a day-long intentional time of prayer. Please join me. I'm praying for my kids, and all those kids that God has laid on my heart to love.) (I`m also praying for people. Not just kids. Not that kids aren`t people... but sometimes they`re really not.)

On Friday night, a few of us with cameras went to TWU to take some pics of the `famous' Cherry Tree Grove. (Famous because every spring, it seems that facebook gets cluttered with pics of girls in their fancy schmancy dresses under the pink blossoms.) And seeing every other Cherry tree in the Lower Mainland is exploding with color, we set out to capture the beauty of that sacred grove.

Yes, you totally guessed right. None of THOSE trees were in bloom. In fact, they looked dead. So plan B was to mosey along Glover Street in Fort Langley and browse in the shops. Yes, you totally guessed right. None of the shops were open. So we had pizza. And went to Home Sense to get inspired. (Well, actually I was already inspired... remember? Seven solid days of watching HGTV? Hello? I'm ready for a home makeover.) But it closed 10 minutes after we arrived. So we all went to our respective homes and read books.

Anyways, my friend, Janice posted a pic on fb (taken with her iphone) of her driveway and it made drool. So I talked to her about our epic fail on Friday night and I asked her if I could come over to her house and borrow her daughter for a photo shoot. (Interestingly enough, guess what? That "famous" cherry tree grove? SHE was the person behind it! She was a student at Trinity, 20-something years ago and one spring, 6 pilots died in a plane crash. She suggested to someone (someone official, someone with authority) that they should plant a living memorial ... and the rest is history. (After she reads this, she may call me and fill in some of the details. But for now, this is how I remember her telling it.)

Back to today - Virginia was game, God supplied some sunshine (we've had storm clouds, wind, snow, hail and rain these past 8 hours), I had a charged battery and an empty memory card - so an hour ago, I zipped over there to take a few photos.  Here are some of my favorites, along with this hour's prayer: Have I mentioned that Virginia loves to read? I love that in a person. :)
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Lord,
You have said in Your word that You have "dealt to each person a measure of faith" (Romans 12:3) . I pray that You would take that faith You have planted in my child and multiply it. May the truth of Your word be firmly established in his heart so that faith will grow daily and navigate his life.

Help him to trust You at all times as he looks to You for truth, guidance, and transformation into Your likeness. I know that trusting You is a choice we make.

Enable him to make that choice. I pray that he will look to You for everything, knowing that he is never without hope. May his faith be the "substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1) I pray he will have faith strong enough to life him above his circumstances and limitations knowing that everything will work together for good. (Romans 8:28)

I pray that he will be so strong in faith that his relationship with You supersedes all else in his life - even my influence as a parent. In other words, may he have a relationship with You Lord, that is truly his own - not an extension of mine or anyone else's.

I want the comfort of knowing that when I'm no longer on this earth, his faith will be strong enough to keep him "steadfast, immovable, always bounding in the work of the Lord." (I Cor. 15:58)

As he walks in faith, may he have Your heart of love that overflows to others, a heart that is willing to give of self and possessions according to Your leading. May he see that giving out of love is actually giving back to You in faith and that he will never lose anything by doing so. I pray he will take the "shield of faith" in order to "quench all the fiery darts of the wicked one" (Eph 6:16), and thereby be able to stand strong in faith and say,

"I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful." (I Tim 1:12)

I also pray that You would give the gifts of wisdom, discernment and revelation to my kids. Help them to trust You will all their hearts not depending on their own understanding, but acknowledging You in all their ways so that they may hear Your clear direction as to which path to take. (Prov 3:5)

Help them to discern good from evil and be sensitive to the voice of the Holy Spirit saying, "This is the way, walk in it." (Is 30:21) I know that much of their happiness in life depends on gaining wisdom and discernment, which Your word says brings long life, wealth, recognition, protection, enjoyment, contentment and happiness. I want all those things for them, but I want them to come as blessings from you.

May they turn to You for all decisions so that they don't make poor choices. Help them to see that all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in You and that You give them freely when we ask for them. As they seek wisdom from You, Lord, pour it liberally upon them so that all their paths will be peace and life.

Amen.