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Praying for Your Adult Children - A Book Review

As a mother of four adult children, I am thankful to have this wonderful prayer reference at my fingertips.  Jodie Berndt’s soon-to-be released book [Dec. 5, 2017], Praying the Scriptures for Your Adult Children:  Trusting God with the Ones You Love, has exceeded my expectations, and I appreciate the privilege of getting an early preview copy to review.

Yes, Jodie includes Scripture-based prayers on twenty different topics to pray over our grown children and the unique circumstances that mark their various seasons of life, but she also includes true life testimonies from parents who have faced, prayed over, and seen God work in their own adult children’s lives.  These fellow empty-nesters come from Jodie’s friends & acquaintances as well as Bible characters.  Each has sought God through prayer on behalf of their adult children. Life situation topics include relationships (friends & marriage), milestones such as jobs, finding a place to live, and having their own children, health, safety, well-being and victory over temptations.

Testimonies of Praying for Adult Children

One mom shares her struggle to accept her son’s choice of a wife to marry; the young lady was not what she had expected.  Her wise husband shares how our role as parents has changed from protectors of our children to turning to God in prayer and trusting Him.  At this season of life, praying for our children is the greatest way we can continue to protect and love them.

Another family struggled with praying for their forty-eight year old daughter who was left in a comma for four months after a stroke.  God does not always choose to heal immediately.  Jodie shares, “I have to believe it is because God is not just interested in results; He wants relationship.  He knows how we feel when our children are hurting, and He wants to carry that weight.”

From relationships, to health issues, to addictions and more, our grown children face hurdles in life.  This little book both equips and urges us as parents of adult children to call out to God in prayer.  He can do what we cannot.

Jodie begins each chapter with a powerful Bible verse and wisdom she as gleaned from other Bible teachers, scholars & mentors.  Within each section “Prayer Principles” are highlighted and set apart for quick reference.  One such nugget of truth from chapter twelve is: 

“Sometimes the key to praying with perseverance is simply to stop looking at your problems and focus instead on Who God is and what He has done.”


Scripture Based Prayers

Each chapter includes a section with fifteen Scripture-based prayers to pray for our adult children and also for ourselves.  These are set apart in a blocked section for quick and easy reference.  Two of these include:


For yourself:  “Heavenly Father, when I am weak or frightened, help me remember that your grace is sufficient for me and that your power is made perfect in weakness.” [2 Corinthians 12:9]


For your children:  “Father, lead _________________ by ways she has not known; guide her along the unfamiliar paths.  Turn her darkness into light, and make the rough places smooth.  Do not forsake her.” [Isaiah 42:16]

Poised for Prayer

Finally she includes a portion labeled “Poised for Prayer” in which she highlights not only how God answered the prayers of other parents but also the “over-and-beyond” lessons He taught throughout the process of praying.

This little book is a treasure of encouragement from those who have gone before us, lessons on God’s faithfulness through the process of praying, and as a wonderful reference tool to keep close at hand. 

When our children were small, they were under our roof, within our reach.  They were with us for about eighteen years.  Now as they have become adults leaving the family nest, praying for them is even more essential.  They never outgrow being our children. They face greater trials and temptations.  And they are adults outside of our home for far longer than they were children under our roof.  Through prayer we can be assured that they continue to be under God’s grace, love and protection as we lift them up daily and continually in prayer to our Father Who loves them even more than we do.


Now available from Christianbook.com:

Praying the Scriptures for Your Adult Children: Trusting God with the Ones You Love
By Jodie Berndt / Zondervan

Whether you're children are just leaving the nest, flying well on their own, or struggling to take off, you'll find confidence and peace in these powerful prayers rooted in God's Word! Focusing on a different aspect of adulthood in each chapter, Berndt offers encouraging stories from parents who have seen God's amazing answers. Paperback.

Special note: We do preview the websites to which we link, but are unable to peruse them completely. We try to check others' faith statements and make sure they do profess Jesus Christ as God's Son and salvation is found only in Him. It must, however, be your responsibility to personally dig into God's Word and allow the Holy Spirit to be your first and final teacher on all subjects.

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