21 Days of Prayer - Day 11

My Ben, Rebecca, and Dan
(In those teenage years, 1990s)

"The nights of crying your eyes out give way to days of laughter...You did it! You changed wild lament into whirling dance; You ripped off my black mourning band and decked me with wildflowers. I'm about to burst with song; I can't keep quiet about You! God, my God, I can't thank You enough!" (Psalm 30:5b,11-12 - The Message)

       Just one glimpse of my boys' hairdos in this picture tells you what season of life we were in - those teenage years! I can so relate to the psalmist's nights of crying eyes out and, I might add, gnashing of teeth. Jumping Jehoshaphat! Raising teenagers is NOT for sissies!
       I certainly made many parenting mistakes in those years, but one right thing I did was pray to the One who is able to change wild lamenting to whirling dancing! (I remember the Lord encouraging me, "Jill, did you know that I'm even stronger than a teenager's attitude?")
        From 1 John 5:14-15, I learned: "This is the confidence which we have before Him [in prayer], that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us in whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests which we have asked from [Jesus]!" I figured what better way to pray God's will than to pray God's very WORDS: Scripture!

Exert from my journal during those years:
         O Father, I pray that my children will walk in truth (3 John 4). Lord, please make them lie down in green pastures, lead them beside still waters. Please restore their souls. Guide them down paths of righteousness for Your name's sake (Psalm 23:2-3). Father, in Jesus' name, please help them NOT be conformed to the ways of this world, but transform them by the renewing of their minds, so that they may prove what Your will is, that which is good, acceptable, and perfect (Rom. 12:2)!

          And over time, He did it! Jesus exchanged my groans for glory! and my wild ones for Christ followers. I'm about to burst with song! I can't keep quiet about Him! God, my God, I just can't thank You enough!

O Father, today I intercede for my readers whose souls are groaning. Be the Lifter of their hearts and heads, Lord Jesus! Please put new songs in their hearts and laughter in their mouths. Help them trust You and wait confidently on You as You work their trials for good and glory! In Jesus' name I pray! Amen and Amen!!!