Praying "Anything" for Our Children

I recently did a bible study with some dear friends based on the book "Anything" by Jennie Allen. It was really good. If you ever have the chance to read it OR do a bible study, I highly suggest "Good Morning Girls!" They are really great. Click here for the link.

The book "Anything" goes into depth about how to totally give your life to God and literally pray, "God, I will do anything! Anything you want." It's a tough prayer to pray, but through this study I have learned so much about how this life is short and dedicating it to what the Lord wants us to do is a small sacrifice in the grand scheme of eternity. This study has really helped my prayer life and I am so thankful for all I have learned. 

Through all of this praying "anything" I have also been growing in the way I pray for Maggie. I really, really make an effort to pray every night for her and I encourage you to do the same with your children. I pray for her salvation, for her behavior, for her husband, for God's plan for her, etc. 

The other night, my eyes were opened a little as I prayed for God's perfect plan for Maggie. I realized that God's plan for her may be different than the one I would plan for her. When I prayed "anything" for myself, the answers I received were totally different than what I would have planned for myself, but I wouldn't have it any other way. This helped me realize that if God's plan for me was different than I would have expected, it may be the same way with Maggie. 

Praying "anything" is hard....but it's even harder when you pray it for your children. 

It may be hard for me as her parent to let go and let her move to Africa to teach children or it may be hard for me when she feels God calling her into a different profession than I would have planned. What if God wants her to do something radical? 

I started realizing that if I am going to pray "anything" for Maggie, I have to remember that it means "anything." 

What it really comes down to for me is that I need to fully trust God with my child....which I do, but you know, I'm like, her mom! I know what's best for her. I know everything about her. I know her personality. Mother knows best, right? 

Nope. 

When Maggie was 3 months old we had her dedicated at our church. And I am going to be honest, I sort of went through the motions.The way I was raised was to have your child dedicated...so that's what we did. But God reminded me the other night that when I had her dedicated, that meant that I am allowing God to do what he wants with my sweet baby. God knows best, not me. He knows the perfect plan for Maggie, the perfect husband, the perfect job. And I have to let go and let him take the reigns. 

It reminds me of the story of Hannah who wanted so much to have a child. In 1 Samuel 1:11 Hannah made a vow saying, "Lord Almighty, if you will only look on your servant's misery and remember me, and not forget your servant but give her a son, then I will give him to the Lord for all the days of his life." 

And guess what. She did. 

She had a son, and she 100% kept her word and dedicated her son, Samuel, to the Lord. To the point where she took him to be raised in the church by Eli. And God had a plan for Samuel. 

Because Hannah kept her word and dedicated her son, God used him. 

How hard must it have been for Hannah to pray so long for a son and then take him to be raised in the church? That would have been hard. But it wasn't her plan, it was God's. And that decision she made to dedicate her son, to pray "anything" for Samuel, changed the course of history.

That's pretty cool. 

As I continue to pray for Maggie throughout the years I will continue to pray "anything." Anything God has for her is the only way I would want it to be for her. Even if it's something different than I would have planned. 

Remember, as much as we love our children, God loves them even more than that. He wants what is best for them. He has the PERFECT plan for them.