I believe my greatest calling in this season of my life is to be a prayer warrior grandma over our five grandkids (4 boys and a girl right in the middle). For my 60th birthday, Rick gave me a beautiful, yet simple necklace with five small pendants that have our grandkids’ first initials on them. The necklace often reminds me throughout the day to pray over these precious five souls.
Whenever I am holding one of the babies or toddlers, they often hold or tug on the pendants. Three-year-old Wim recently found the “W” pendant and as he looked at it, I told him that I pray for him when I look at my necklace. He didn’t miss a beat and said, “I feel so much better now!”
So do I, precious Wim, so do I.
In my new book, The Loudest Roar, I open with a story of our oldest grandson Liam when he was just two years old and encountered a roaring lion at the zoo. Liam was strong and courageous only because of the protective barrier between him and the massive, towering lion over him. He knocked on the barrier and said, “Hey, you!” as if to say, “You don’t scare me!”
Liam is now five-years-old and just started kindergarten this fall. My daughter texted me on his first morning, “Please be praying for courage and peace for his little heart in all the newness.”
You better believe I’m going to be praying that over Liam in the coming days!
You never forget those first days of kindergarten, do you? I still remember my first day way back in 1965, wearing my red and navy plaid dress, bow in my hair, and red socks and black shiny shoes. And I especially remember when Liam’s mama, my firstborn, went to her first day of kindergarten right after we moved to Beijing, China.
Don’t we all need whispered prayers for courage and peace to reign over us each day?
Perhaps you’re a mom of a new first grader or a college freshman, and your house is way too quiet right now. Perhaps you’re worried for your child’s health or safety. Or maybe you have a prodigal child (or grandchild) who has strayed from the faith or even cut off all contact with you and all you can do is pray for him.
The best gift you can give them is to consistently pray for them. Together, let’s rise up as prayer warriors for our children and grandchildren!
In my book, I include some written prayers in the back that you can pray over your own children or grandchildren. And, if you subscribe to my website at judydunagan.com, you’ll get a free download of a bonus prayer resource called “The Power of Praying Scripture” — I’ve found that one of the best ways to calm my anxious heart when praying for loved ones is to pray Scripture prayers for them.
I’d also love to hear from you. Please leave a comment to share how prayer has helped give you courage as a parent or grandparent.
14 Responses
God gave me another chance at life. Since then I have been praying fervently for my children and grandchildren that they may all know Jesus. Each day I see blessings from above! Love your book. Am going to order and share with friends. Thank you Judy. God bless you.
(Janean shared your book with me!)
Remember our days playing at your Grandma and Grandpa Bubeck’s farm. And our visit to Colorado. Great memories 🙏
Jolene! How wonderful to find you here! Thank you for sharing about God’s faithfulness in your life!
I love your heart and your book . Your dad and Father God are pleased! The way you bring scripture alive in daily life is perfect .
The fact that we have the Iowa connection makes it also fun personally. I want everyone to read this book and grow in their walk with our God .
Thank you so much, Renee! So encouraging!
Subscribe and receive free resource, The Power of Praying Scripture”
Dear Judy,
I just purchased your book on Amazon after reading about it on Asheritah’s “From One Thing Alone”. I’ve subscribed to your newsletter and downloaded the “Loudest Roar_Praying Scriptures Book” I love having this resource.
When I read the excerpt-Chapter 1 and saw your dad is Mark Bubeck I was so excited. I actually knew him from Fruitdale Baptist Church. My husband Tim knew him from his time at Central Baptist Church. We have ALL of his books.
We live in Monument. I’m curious where the park is that you speak about.
I know your dad is now with Jesus!
Indeed, your dad’s ministry is still far reaching and life changing.
Thank you Judy,
Annie
Annie,
How lovely to hear from you! How wonderful you went to Fruitdale. We moved from there in 1968 when my sisters were 13 and 15 and I was 8 years old. The pond I mentioned is at Garden of the gods. It’s behind the white chapel, closer to the small historical farm area. You’ll have to go. There are several benches bordering the pond. It was especially beautiful a few weeks ago when the sunflowers were in their full bloom. And how ironic your husband knew my dad from Central. They moved there when I was a senior in college and that’s where I met my husband Rick 40 years ago.
Thank you Judy, I will visit the pond!
Praying for you, your family & ministry.
Annie
Thank you for your prayers, dear Annie!
thank you for your prayers….my son is involved with drugs….has been for a very long time….i pray for him continually….i love the prayers you put on the email….i pray them everyday….it is so hard…..but without prayer and God I dont think I wo uld still be here…thank you so much
Oh, Susan,
I’m so sorry to hear about your son. I am praying for him!
In 1988, my first child Emily reverted to crawling as a 15 month old. The initial possible diagnosis was not what any parent wants to hear. I knew that my Heavenly Father loved my daughter even more than I did. That truth meant I knew that He would be with us in this storm. We were living in Sioux City and worshiping at Central Baptist. We had faithful friends that we knew were praying with us. As in many cases the unknown and the waiting is the hardest part. It was 6 months of praying for Wisdom for the doctors and many different kinds of doctor before it was determined that she had juvenile rheumatoid arthritis in her ankle and her eye. Stepping into the medical world, I prayed for courage to be relentless in the search for answers for my daughter. God has been so merciful to her and she is now a young mom herself with few limitations.
Amy, Thank you for sharing your story here. I loved hearing about your journey with your daughter and am grateful to know she is doing so well. Faithful and merciful God, indeed!
Thanks so much for this blog, Judy. I am praying daily, hourly sometimes, for my prodigal son. I really appreciate your encouragement and insight.