One Surefire Way to Know You’re Doing This Parenting-Thing Right

I went off to sleep in my usual style.

Slipped under the covers. Snuggled up against my man.

And crashed.

My sleeping technique is rather simple these days. You might call it the Totally-Exhausted-Mom Technique.

Or maybe the I-Can’t-Keep-My-Eyes-Open-Any-Longer approach.

Whatever you call it, this mom knows how to crash. And she likes to stay that way for as long as possible.

But then something happened the other night soon after I’d fallen into a deep sleep.

I was awakened by a strong sense that I needed to pray for a particular child of ours. Like right then and there and with all my might. No waiting for the morning or some other convenient time.

So I prayed.

And called out.

And cried out.

At 11:17 pm and 2:23 am and again at 4:12 am.

The strange part about this pressing need for prayer is that I had no specifics. No special situation or immediate problem. I only felt an urgent impulse to pray.

And over the years, I’ve learned to take that prayer-nudge seriously. Very seriously.

Pray first. Ask questions later.

After a mostly restless night of vigilant prayer, I finally dozed off shortly before dawn. When I awoke, I fumbled for my phone so I could see the time and that’s when I saw her text message. Sent at 2:32 am.

IF YOU WAKE UP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT, I NEED PRAYER.

That was it. A short, direct message without explanation.

I messaged her back at 6:17 am.

JUST GOT YOUR MESSAGE, BUT PRAYED FOR YOU THROUGHOUT THE NIGHT.

This child doesn’t even live at home anymore and yet I’m still the praying parent in her life.

So can I tell you something? Mom-to-Mom?

You are going to find yourself on your knees for that child of yours more than you might think.

And you might be tempted to wonder whether you’ve done something wrong.

Something.

Somewhere.

Sometime.

I mean, why else would you find yourself in fervent prayer for your child? So often and quite so desperate? But the truth is this:

Prayer is an essential part of parenting.

You’ll pray for health and safety when she’s only an infant in her crib.

You’ll be praying again when she’s throwing fits when she turns two.

You’ll ask for insight and patience when he’s running around at ten.

You’ll cry out for wisdom – and perseverance – when he or she reaches thirteen.

And you’ll call on the God Who Moves Mountains when your child hits eighteen.

But it doesn’t stop there.

Because even after they move out and live on their own, you’ll be responding to text messages at all hours. Needing you to pray. And by then you should know that there’s nothing better you could do as their parent.

So if you spend a lot of time on your knees? It doesn’t mean you’ve done something wrong.

It means you’re doing something right.

So keep praying, my friend.

You already know I am. Throughout the night.

It’s what parents do.

In His grace,

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