In every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. Philippians 4:6

What is a mom to do when her son’s pediatrician tells her that her son has a heart murmur and he recommends an appointment for an echocardiogram? She prays. What is a mom to do when her other son is potty training? She prays. These are just two examples taken from my prayer journal that I began when I became a mom.
Before I had children, my prayer life consisted of sporadic, shallow blurbs. Oh, I would pray for people if they asked, but I did not seriously believe that my prayers could make a difference. Then God blessed my husband and me with two boys who are just fourteen months apart in age. This was the turning point in my prayer life.
After having the boys so close together, and coming from a household of four girls, I realized I could not properly parent without some (OK…a lot of) divine intervention. At first, I began to jot down various simple requests. “Please help Mitchell sleep through the night.” “Please help Daniel learn to love and accept his new baby brother.”
After weeks and months of developing a set time devoted to praying for my children, I began to recognize God’s answers. However, God was not only working in the lives of my children, He was also molding me into a better mom each day. I was learning that my husband and I do not have to parent alone. God is there to guide our steps. All I have to do is ask Him. Am I a perfect mom? Of course not. Do I make mistakes? Every day! Am I the best mom for Daniel and Mitchell? Absolutely!
What I pray about is different each day. Sometimes I pray for particular character traits. Other times I am praying for current problems or situations. Many times I pray for myself as their mom. I especially pray that the Lord would give me the wisdom to raise Daniel and Mitchell according to His will. Often I am writing a thank you for the answered prayers. As certain prayers are answered, God gently directs me to other needs. Praying daily for my children has given me peace as a parent because I confidently know God is in control, and He truly cares about every detail of our lives.
While I have learned many lessons since I became a mom, none of these life lessons supersedes the importance of learning the necessity of praying for my children. God surprised me by showing me that He cares more for my children than I ever could. The Almighty has taught me that one of the best things that I can do for my boys is to take every need, concern, and blessing to Him in prayer. This alone empowers my family with the strength and endurance we need each day.