21 Days of Prayer for Sons - Goodness (Day 14)

I've really been blessed by praying the daily prayers over my sons right before I go to sleep. It calms my mind and my heart. I end the day thinking good thoughts toward them and focusing on God. How has it been going for you? What works best in your daily routine to pray?

Today's focus of goodness strikes home for me. I am having a difficult time with Luca right now (age 5). It's not the typical "boy stuff" of running around and being loud that bothers me, it's the defiance and anger directed at me for daring to challenge his behavior. I've had to take a lot of time-outs for myself. I think the biggest challenge for me is that I don't necessarily expect them to act perfect or even "good" all the time, but I DO expect them to have a good HEART all the time. I know, I know, I can't change their heart. But, GOD CAN! That's why this prayer challenge is SO good! This battle will be won on my knees.

To close, I want to challenge you with these questions originally posted by Brooke on the M.O.B. Society blog:

• What parenting tools have I been using that only focus on changing behavior and not the heart? Am I willing to lay them down even if they produce what looks like a good child?
• Reaching a child's heart takes time. Behavior modification is much faster! Am I willing to change things about my life so that I have the time to invest in the hearts of my children?
• Most importantly: Am I willing to submit my own heart to God and allow Him to mold me from the inside out?

Goodness

May__________be glad of heart for all the goodness that the LORD had shown to his people (1Kings 8:66)

May goodness and mercy follow__________all the days of his life, and may he dwell in the house of the LORD forever (Psalm 23:6)

Remember not the sins of__________youth or his transgressions; according to Your steadfast love remember__________, for the sake of your goodness, O LORD (Psalm 25:7) 

May__________believe that he shall look upon the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living (Psalm 27:13)

How abundant is Your goodness, which you have stored up for__________and worked for those who take refuge in you, in the sight of the children of mankind (Psalm 31:19) 

May__________be satisfied with the goodness of your house, the holiness of your temple (Psalm 65:4)

May__________taste the goodness of the word of God (Hebrews 6:5) 

It is not good that__________should be alone; Lord, make him a helper fit for him (Genesis 2:18)

May__________do what is right and good in the sight of the LORD, that it may go well with him (Deuteronomy 6:18)

May__________go and celebrate because of all the good things the LORD his God has given to him (Deuteronomy 26:11)