Family Matters: Tyler mom Jennifer Flanders on raising 12 children

My husband and I welcomed our 10th grandchild in May and have two more on the way. We love babies in general, but it has been especially sweet to watch our (now grown) babies raise babies of their own.

God has been very gracious to us. Most of our grandkids live in or very near our hometown. So we get to see them often.

Hardly a day goes by without them dropping in to say hello. Or eat a meal. Or share a story. Or play with our children who still live at home — aunts and uncles who aren’t much older than they (and, in a couple of cases, are even younger).

But a few of our grandchildren live some distance away.

We have a brand-new grandson four hours away in the heart of Houston. And a delightful little granddaughter who’s spent her entire life half a world away in Germany.

Whether near or far, one of the best ways grandparents can invest in the lives of their children’s children is to pray for them. Fervently. Frequently.

Here are some of the prayers I pray for mine, conveniently organized in a handy acrostic to spell “GRANDS.”

The next generation needs our prayers. Won’t you join me today in petitioning our heavenly Father on their behalf?

G is for Grace.

Lift up each of your grandchildren by name. Ask the Lord to lavish His grace upon them. All worldly success will be for naught if they never possess a saving knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. Pray that God will reveal Himself to them through His written Word, through the glories of His creation, and through the proclamation of the Gospel. In loving kindness, may He draw them to repentance and mature them in their faith, conforming them to the blessed image of His dear Son. (Philemon 1:3-4; Ephesians 1:7-8; Mark 8:36; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; Psalm 19:1-2; Romans 10:14; 2 Corinthians 7:9-10; Philippians 1:6)

R is for Relationships.

Ask God to watch over each grandchild’s relationships. Pray that He would grant their parents wisdom and endurance as they train up their children. That He would help them love their family well. That He would provide good teachers who’ll challenge, inspire and stir up in your grandkids a deep thirst for knowledge and truth. Beg God to protect your grandchildren from evil influences. To send godly friends who will build them up and point them to Jesus. And to teach them to be kind, compassionate, and encouraging to others, as well. (James 1:5; Isaiah 40:29; John 13:34-35; Luke 6:40; Proverbs 5:1-2, 6:22, 22:6; 2 Timothy 2:22; 1 Thessalonians 5:11; Ephesians 4:32)

A is for Appetites.

This world offers an endless array of junk — some of it pure poison. Ask God to cultivate in your grandchildren a taste for wholesome fare. Pray that He would guard them against addiction to anything that would be detrimental to their physical, mental or emotional health. That He would help them make wise choices. Would teach them to hunger and thirst after righteousness. And would nourish them with physical and spiritual food to help them grow in wisdom, in stature, and in favor with God and man. (1 John 2:16-17; Romans 3:13; Psalm 34:8; Titus3:3-5; Proverbs 2:10-11; Matthew 5:6; John 4:32-34; Luke 2:52)

N is for Needs.

Ask God to teach your grandchildren to look to Him to supply all their needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus. Pray for neither poverty nor riches, but that the Lord would feed them with the bread that is their portion, so they’ll have neither too much and deny Him nor too little and dishonor Him. Instead, ask God to develop in them a heart of contentment. To teach them perseverance. To finish in them the good work He began, so they’ll be mature and complete, lacking in nothing. (Philippians 1:6, 4:11-2, 4:19; Proverbs 30:8-9; Matthew 6:11; 1 Timothy 6:6; James 1:4; Psalm 23:1)

D is for Discernment.

Pray that the Lord would grant your grandchildren a spirit of discernment. That He would keep them humble and teachable, yet wise beyond their years. That they’d learn to trust in Him with all their hearts, rather than pridefully leaning on their own understanding. That they wouldn’t walk in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in the seat of scorners, but would delight, instead, in God’s precious Word and weigh everything they hear against its unchanging truth. (Romans 12:2; Psalm 1:1-2, 25:9-10, 119: 98-100; Proverbs 1:5, 3:5; Acts 17:11; Hebrews 4:12)

S is for Safety.

Ask God to stand watch over your grandchildren and protect them from harm. May they lie down and sleep in peace, trusting in Him alone to make them dwell in safety. Pray that they would not adopt a spirit of timidity or fear, but would be strong in spirit, boldly speaking the truth in love, demonstrating a sound mind, exercising self-control, freely forgiving offenders, praying for those who malign or mistreat them, and extending grace to all. (Psalm 4:8, 121:7, 127:1; 2 Timothy 1:7; Ephesians 4:15, 4:32, 6:10; Luke 6:27-28; Romans 12:14)

Jennifer Flanders offers a printable version of this prayer guide on her website. To download your free copy, visit https://lovinglifeathome.com/2019/07/09/praying-for-my-grandchildren/.