Grandparents Praying with Purpose

I hope the you had a blessed Thanksgiving whether you were with friends and family or spending a quiet day yourself reflecting how good God is and how fortunate we are to be His children.

Speaking of children, many of us have grandchildren. Dave and I are grandparents to eleven ranging in age from nine to twenty-one. As part of my morning quiet time, I pray God’s Word for these precious ones. It doesn’t mean they haven’t encountered trials and hardships, but they do each know Jesus as their Savior and I find comfort and confidence that God is watching over each one.

But I’m not fooling myself that in today’s culture there will be many temptations and the evil one is targeting the next generation. Satan does not want us producing more Christians in our families and the family of God.

So I want to introduce to you my dear friend Lillian Penner, Co-prayer director for Christian Grandparenting Network, and her new book The New “Revised and Expanded” Grandparenting with a Purpose.

If you’re a grandparent, you’re going to want a copy of this book. If there are grandparents in your life, this would make a great gift. If you’re a parent you need all the help you can get and what a gift to have your parents praying for your children, their grandchildren.

I asked Lillian to tell you about her new book . . . here is a message from Lillian Penner!

Today, there are over 70 million grandparents in the United States plus many more around the world. Grandparents represent one-third of the population with 1.7 million new grandparents added to the ranks every year in the U.S. Grandparents lead 37% of all U.S. households in this country — that’s 44 million households nationwide. (Google) [email protected]

How GRANDPARENTS CAN IMPACT THE WORLD?

[Tweet “We have reached a time in history when the grandparents must rise as one to cry to God.”]

It is estimated that there are over 30 million Christian grandparents. We have reached a time in history when the grandparents must rise as one to cry to God.  I believe if 30 million Christian Grandparents who believe in the power of prayer and deliberately praying the enemy will be crushed.

[Tweet “Satan is relentless in his aggressive attack to desensitize our children to truth and righteousness. This is a spiritual battle requiring spiritual weapons.”]

Satan is relentless in his aggressive attack to desensitize our children to truth and righteousness. This is a spiritual battle requiring spiritual weapons. Our grandchildren and their parents not only need our support, they need our earnest and united prayers. They need our united prayer, a genuine, unified prayer for our hope and dreams for the next generation to be realized.

Grandparenting with a Purpose: Effective Ways to Pray for Your Grandchildren - Revised & Expanded

The “Revised and Expanded” Grandparenting with a Purpose, Effective Ways to Pray for Your Grandchildren is designed to encourage and equip grandparents to intentionally pray for their grandchildren and their parents.

Since I have had many requests for a study guide to go with the chapters, I have expanded the book with additional chapters and a study guide for each chapter, which you will find useful.

  • I have found there are many hurting estranged grandparents today with heavy hearts, so I am addressing that issue in a chapter. Is your grandparenting painful or a blessing?
  • I include a section looking at a view of the culture our grandchildren and their parents are navigating today.
  • God’s Design for grandparenting plus several additional chapters and Scriptures to Pray for Teens and Scriptures for Grandparents to pray for themselves.

The book retails for $14.99, however, on my website it is available for a discounted price of $15.00, including shipping and handling costs in the U. S. for a limited time.  A bonus of Scriptural Prayer resource will be included with your purchase. The book will be available in EBook format for $3.99 for those who would prefer the EBook format or live outside the U. S. to save on shipping costs.

[Tweet ““Revised and Expanded” Grandparenting with a Purpose, Effective Ways to Pray for Your Grandchildren will show grandparents how to be intentional disciple-makers and prayer warriors to impact the next generation.”]

This book will challenge you and give you resources for this spiritual battle with the enemy. It will show you how to be an intentional disciple-maker and prayer warrior to impact the next generation.

Written by Lillian Penner, Co-prayer director for Christian Grandparenting Network. [email protected]

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Grandparents Uniting in Prayer on Grandparents’ Day  

Today’s guest blogger is my dear friend and fellow author, Lillian Penner, the author of Grandparenting with a Purpose: Effective Ways to Pray for Your Grandchildren and national co-director for Christian Grandparenting Network’s prayer ministry. The 2018 Grandparent’s Day is coming up September 9! Lillian has ideas and suggestions for how your church can participate in promoting and honoring grandparents and grandchildren in your church. Whether or not you’re a grandparent or parent, every church has grandparents and grandchildren. We all need to be in prayer for families and children facing today’s culture.

Grandparents Are Uniting in Prayer on Grandparents Day of Prayer

Grandparents Day of Prayer September 9, 2018

Grandparents’ Day was designated, by a Senate proclamation signed by President Jimmy Carter in 1978, to be observed the second Sunday in September. The mission of Christian Grandparenting Network is to promote effective grandparenting, with the aim of helping our grandchildren to know and follow Christ wholeheartedly. That is why Christian Grandparenting Network is asking grandparents all over the world to join in prayer for their grandchildren and the parents of their grandchildren on, Sunday, September 9 of this year, making it a Grandparents’ Day of Prayer.

[Tweet “The mission of Christian Grandparenting Network is to promote effective grandparenting, with the aim of helping our grandchildren to know and follow Christ wholeheartedly.”]

[Tweet “Christian Grandparenting Network is joining in prayer with grandparents and churches on Sept. 9,  for a Grandparents’ Day of Prayer.”]

It’s not easy for our grandchildren to navigate in a world hostile to truth in this post-Christian culture. Satan is relentless in his aggressive attack to desensitize our children to truth and righteousness. The enemy wants to disintegrate and divide our families, rendering them chaotic, restless, and unfruitful. Let’s not let the enemy distract us or dull our desires to pray for our grandchildren and their parents intentionally.

[Tweet “Let’s not let the enemy distract us or dull our desires to pray for our grandchildren and their parents intentionally.”]

We are in a spiritual battle requiring spiritual weapons. Prayer is our best weapon to defeat the enemy. It’s our place as grandparents to get on our knees, humble ourselves, seek God’s face, repent of our sin, and intercede for our nations, our children, and grandchildren. Then having done all, we stand firm in our faith that God has heard and will answer our prayers according to His will.

[Tweet “We are in a spiritual battle requiring spiritual weapons. Prayer is our best weapon to defeat the enemy.”]

“Do not be afraid or discouraged . . . . For the battle is not yours but Gods.” II Chronicles 20:15

Our grandchildren and their parents not only need our support, but they also need our earnest prayers. They need our united prayer for our hopes and dreams for the next generation to be realized. Jesus declared, “Again I say to you, that if two believers on earth agree [that is, are of one mind, in harmony] about anything that they ask [within the will of God], it will be done for them by My Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in My name [meeting as My followers], I am there among them” (Matt. 18:19-20).

We believe praying grandparents can win the battle for the hearts and minds of our precious grandchildren and their parents. Many years ago, when the Israelites’ lives were threatened physically, Esther stood in the gap for her people. Today, grandparents can stand in the gap for their grandchildren and their parents as their spiritual lives are threatened.

Christian Grandparenting Network (CGN) would like to invite all praying grandparents to come before God’s throne of grace, to obtain mercy and find grace in our time of need for our grandchildren and their parents. In the past, united prayer has always bridged the gap between a great need and a great awakening! We hope that thousands of churches and groups around the world will participate in this intentional day of prayer on behalf of the next generation.

This event could be held in your church, in your home, in a retirement complex, or any meeting location of your choice. CGN will provide step-by-step guidelines, resources, and online tools to help you create a successful event that will engage grandparents in prayer.

You may want to host a prayer breakfast or a luncheon following your morning worship. Or you may want to offer an afternoon tea or evening dessert in your home. Perhaps your minister is willing to address the importance of praying grandparents and set aside a particular prayer time during the worship service. The possibilities are endless. It is imperative; no matter the format, that grandparents gather to pray for their grandchildren.

Larry Fowler, the Founder and Executive Director for Legacy Coalition writes,

The Legacy Coalition is honored to join the Christian Grandparenting Network in promoting Grandparents Day 2018 as a day devoted to praying for grandchildren.  We strongly recommend that in our churches and in our homes, we take this day to encourage grandparents to intentionally exercise this powerful spiritual discipline. We commend CGN for their leadership in encouraging grandparents everywhere to participate in the Grandparents’ Day of Prayer, and we will be enthusiastically supporting their efforts.

We’re looking for grandparents who believe in the power of prayer to participate in this event. Will you help us call grandparents to join in prayer on September 9th?

To learn more and indicate participation in the movement, or organize a time of grandparents praying, go to our website, http://www.grandparentsdayofprayer.com. You will see endorsements, testimonials, promotional materials, and free downloads.

For additional information, contact Grandparents’ Day of Prayer, Coordinator, Lillian Penner, at [email protected].

Lillian Penner is the Chairman of National Grandparents 'Day

Lillian Penner

Lillian Penner is the author of Grandparenting with a Purpose: Effective Ways to Pray for Your Grandchildren and national co-director for Christian Grandparenting Network’s prayer ministry. An avid blogger, Lillian breaks into smiles if you ask about her 12 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. She and her husband, John, live in Portland, Oregon, where they are active in church ministries.

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The Wonders of Prayerful Handholding

You’ve probably noticed that I’ve had guest bloggers the past three weeks while I was on vacation and participating in our churches VBS with my grandkids. A big thank you to Julie Sanders and Stephanie Shott for their great guest blogs. In the coming weeks, I’ll be sharing the many God wonders from our vacation and VBS adventures, starting with today’s blog post.

Many, Lord my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can compare with you; were I to speak and tell of your deeds, they would be too many to declare.—Psalm 40:5

 

The Wonders of Prayerful Handholding!

“Bless you both,” I heard as my husband, Dave, and I opened our eyes after praying over our dinner in the Seattle airport food court. I looked up to see an elderly gentleman and his wife beaming at us from the next table. In an instant, we all knew that we shared something in common—God! When we acknowledged the husband’s comment, his wife gleefully added, “And I said to my husband, ‘Look they’re holding hands while they pray!’”.

As we chatted with the couple, we learned that they were waiting to board a plane to Orange County, our former home, and they were traveling from Canada. I later told Dave that I have always wanted to acknowledge others praying over their meal when we’re out to eat, but I never knew exactly what to say that wouldn’t be intrusive—now I knew exactly what to say!

Backing up a bit…earlier that morning, Dave and I had again held hands and prayed as we sat in the Boise airport anticipating a long travel day with a seven hour layover in Seattle on our way to Maui. We asked God to use our long waits and travel times to His glory and that He would have us encounter the people He wanted us to meet. As we said “Amen,” I heard a familiar voice calling my name and it was the sweet receptionist at our Garden Valley Clinic. She was on her way to Texas, and as we chatted together she told us of her friend she was going to help move back to Idaho, and we were able to share with her about a group we are starting in our home that might help her friend.

After sixteen hours of travel and a four hour time change, we finally made it to the beautiful island of Maui ready to enjoy a week at the Love Song Couples Getaway at the Grand Wailea Resort. Since it took us a day of travel and we arrived late at night, we had decided to go two days early and spend our first two nights before the Getaway started at a less expensive hotel near the airport on a different part of the island than the Grand Wailea.

Our first morning in this “tropical paradise,” we headed down to the hotel’s restaurant for my favorite Hawaiian breakfast: pancakes with coconut syrup.  While savoring every bite, I noticed that a couple who had just been seated at the table next to us were holding hands and praying before their meal, as Dave and I had done before they arrived. Here is my chance to try out my acknowledgement greeting.

So when I heard “Amen,” I said to them “Bless you both.” They looked a little surprised at first, but as the conversation ensued, it turned out they too were from Orange County and were also headed to the Love Song Couples Getaway, and like us, had decided to come in two days early and stay near the airport! What are the chances of that? Hmmm, God was really answering our prayer to orchestrate who He wanted us to meet.

The next day at the same restaurant for breakfast, I noticed another couple sitting next to us and they were finishing their meal as we sat down. Dave and I ordered and then held hands and prayed a blessing over our food. As the couple got up to leave, I noticed the husband gave us a kind acknowledging smile.

Later that day, we checked out of our hotel and checked into the Grand Wailea, where the Love Song Couples Getaway was being held. And who should we see in the lobby but the same couple we had seen that morning at breakfast! It turns out that they had watched us pray over our meal and the wife had said to the husband, “Why don’t we hold hands while we pray?”

Thousands of tourists are on the island of Maui ever day…what are the chances that we would meet two couples going to the same retreat we were who were staying the first two night on the same part of the island that we did, and that we would eat breakfast in the same place at the same time, and that holding hands while we prayed would be our connecting factor.

We became great friends with both of these couples while we were at the Getaway and thanks to Facebook and email, we’ll stay friends across the miles. As other couples asked us how we met each other, it gave us another opportunity to share our story of the wonders of God using handholding while praying.

I have so much to tell you about the Love Song Couples Getaway, which I will in upcoming blogs, but let me salt you with saying it was the best, God-filled vacation we have ever had and we’ve already signed up to go next year to the Bahamas with them. This vacation was better than our expectations and a wise investment of our time and resources to enhance our marriage and draw us closer to each other and God.

Do you hold hands with your spouse when you pray?

Dave and I have held hands praying since before we were married…we hold hands whenever we pray whether it be in church, over a meal anywhere and everywhere… yes even over pizza…and when we pray together at home. We also hold hands with our friends, family, kids, grandkids, visitors . . . whoever is in the circle of breaking bread together when we pray over a meal. There’s a unity that comes from clasping our hands in another’s and lifting your heart to the Lord together. And who knows….God just might use it as your witness and help you make new friends!

You might enjoy looking over some tips for Praying as a Couple that I included in Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter.

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40 Years of Love!

“I’m sorry, but you’ll never have children.” Those were the doctor’s words to me at a post-op visit after surgery for a ruptured ovarian cyst. “Your ovaries look like those of a 90 year-old woman.” I was a twenty year-old, newly engaged college student. My life was over. Or so I thought.

After three years of marriage, I was thrilled to hear another doctor congratulate me: “You’re pregnant!” My mother called it a miracle, but I just wanted to be like any normal woman who could get pregnant and have a baby.

The last week of pregnancy, when my baby was a week overdue, everyone kept calling to see if I was “still home.” I enjoyed every moment of those 9 months and one week, and even steeled myself through a natural, long delivery, but nothing could prepare me for what it would feel like to hold my baby girl—instant, unconditional love.

I was a mom at last! But I had no concept of the life-changing responsibility I was undertaking or the importance of my being an exemplary role model for her. After all, she was just an infant and I would have so many years to work out all the details of mothering.

Where did those years go? This week, February 26, my baby girl, Kimberly Michele, turns 40 and she is a mother herself of three precious children. I remember the day I turned 40 and it doesn’t seem that long ago.

Kim and I didn’t have the life journey I anticipated upon first looking into her dark brown eyes. When she was only 2 years-old, her dad and I divorced, and I would spend the next seventeen years as a single mom juggling motherhood and a career. To the outside world, I did a great job as I moved up the career ladder of success; but as I moved further into the world and father away from the Jesus I asked into my heart at eleven, I role modeled the world’s ways to Kim.

Kim loved our life and all that I was able to provide her, even though she often cried that she missed me, as I headed off on another business trip. But we had time, right? She was still young and eighteen years is a long time…. I’ll make up to her the time we’ve been apart.

But in a blink of an eye, she was sixteen and dating. Then within moments, she was nineteen and declaring she was going off to college to live with her boyfriend, and she didn’t care what I had to say about it. I had recently rededicated my life to the Lord and was now trying to tell her this lifestyle was wrong, but she wasn’t buying it.

I mistakenly thought that when I changed my life and returned to God, she would follow right behind me. Wrong! That’s when the Lord assured me that, yes, I had let the first nineteen years of her life slip by without including Him in the parenting, but it wasn’t over yet. And so I began praying—daily, biblically, expectantly, persistently, sacrificially, unceasingly, and thankfully—as I describe in the first seven chapters of my book Praying for Your Prodigal Daughter.

I’d like to say that she instantly changed her ways, but it would be another six years of daily praying before she returned to me and to the Lord.

The Lord graciously restored the years the locust had eaten. I had the opportunity to do what I should have done from the day she was born: mentor her in how to be a godly woman. Today, I am so proud of the woman she has become. We’re now speaking together as “Two About His Work,” and she’s giving her testimony in a few weeks at her MOPS group.

Even through the difficult years, my love for Kim never faltered. She knew I didn’t condone her behavior, but neither did I condemn her. Our relationship has endured and grown stronger in spite of divorce, single parenthood, a traveling mom, both our prodigal years, my remarriage and blending a new family, my breast cancer, her infertility, and all the trials and joys of life.

I thought I would feel terribly old the day she turned 40; but instead, I feel blessed with the 40 years God has given me to love my precious daughter, and I’m grateful that the work He has done in my life will carry on through the work He is doing in her life. She’s my legacy, and I have given her the most valuable of inheritances: belief in Jesus Christ. 40 years is nothing in light of spending eternity together.

Mentoring Words to Moms:

  • Are you the woman today you want your daughter to become?  You’re the closest role model and mentor your daughter has.
  • It’s never too early to pray daily for your children. Pray for them before you have a problem.
  • Praying personalized Scripture—God’s Word back to Him—keeps you praying God’s will and not your own.
  • Enjoy every day of your children’s lives—they never get younger and neither to do you. Make each day count.

Janet-and-Kim

My daughter Kim and I speak together as Two About His Work.

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