Bedtime Prayer

Every nigth while my children are sleeping I stand at their door, over their bed, or over them asleep on the couch and say a simple prayer. But, in my opinion no prayer is a simple prayer. Have you ever listened to a child pray?
Recently when I was sick with a migrane headache sprawled out on the couch like an injured walruss my beauiful four year old came over and asked me if I was sick. "Yes baby, daddy has a bad headache." Gabby replied, "I will pray for you daddy." I thought she was just saying what she had heard mommy and daddy say  a million times in the past to various people. Then she did something I didn't expect. She put her hand on my head and said what to her was a simple prayer of faith. "Jesus, daddy's sick. Heal his sick head. AMEN!"

Now I'm not a small guy so the common misconception people have about me is that I am this tough, bear of a guy who doen't like to show emotion. But, get to know me and talk to those who do (my wife) and you'll find I may be big but to them I am a teddy bear.

With that said, I was shaken to tears which in turn caused my head to throb and eyes to close. Before long I was fast asleep for what seemed to be hours. In reality only about twenty minutes had gone by. When I opened my eyes the migrane was gone. No headache, only the effects of being warn out from the long day of pain draining my strength and energy.

I am a firm believer in the power of prayer. I have seen prayer change lives and am a changed man because of the prayers of my wife. I have seen prayer heal the broken bones, broken hearts, and so many other miricles. But, there is no prayer more powerful than the prayer of a child.

I have realized that our children have been taught to pray before meals, before bed, and when someone is sick or hurt. When I was a kid in little league baseball during the hot summers in Nebraska I prayed a lot. One day I went outside about 2 hours before our game. Waiting on momma to come home and take me to the field I looked up and saw the sky begin to grow dark. I was already out of eagerness dressed to play and had glove in hand.
I wanted to play so bad. So I prayed, "Please God, take away the clouds and don't let it rain. I want to play." I went back inside and sat in the living room watching TV. I played in a sunny game that evening.

God answers the prayers of children. I guess what I am trying to say is this: Teach your kids how to pray but more importantly let them see and hear you praying. As I put our youngest Gracie to sleep every night before I sing to her, I hold her close and pray over her and Gabby.

My desire is the be a great husband and daddy. Through prayer I am on my way... Are you?

Blessings,


Mike III AKA: Big Daddy