Melissa Edgington offers some great thoughts on parenting and prayer that, as a father of a 28 week old (still cooking in the belly), stir my heart in all the right ways.

(John Newton) remembered clearly times when (his mother) would pull him into her prayer closet and lay her hand on his head, praying aloud all of her passionate pleas for her little boy.  Later in life when he came to his rather dramatic conversion, he said that he could still almost feel his mother’s hand resting on his head like it had in her prayer closet so many years before.

When I heard this story and thought of my generic let’s-hurry-up-and-pray bedtimes with my kids, I felt sure that I was meant to do more.  I believe in the power of those off the beaten path moments of individual prayer.  But, why unintentionally hide all of my impassioned cries to God from my children?  Why reserve those only for my prayer closet moments when I can bless their lives and stir their very hearts and souls with my words to the Father on their behalf?  Why miss the opportunity to impact them so much?

When my children emulate how I taught them to pray, I don’t want them to be able to recall nothing more than a let’s-get-this-over-with recitation.  I want them to remember the passion in my voice, the warmth of my touch, and the blessing of a praying mother who leaves no doubt that God is real and He is listening.  That He is more than just a good luck charm.

Amen and amen.

Read the whole post here.