A prayer for my son
A prayer for Clayton on his 15th Birthday:
Dear Lord,
Thank you for the privilege of parenting such an amazing young man. It is a big task, and I am finding it daunting to finish it without Jim. Yet I know that you promise to be a Father to the fatherless. I am in awe of Clayton’s gifts, his talents, his persistence, and his steadfast pursuit of You. He is so handsome and kind.
1. I pray that Clayton will stay close to You, God, even when it is the road less travelled. I pray that he will live with integrity and conviction, that he would value people over things, actions over words, and his conscience over the consensus of the crowd.
2. I pray that Clayton will stay pure in his thoughts, words, and actions. Please be his moral compass and gift him with discernment and a desire to live righteously.
3. I thank you for the godly friends and influences you have given to Clayton. He is so blessed. I pray that he would always have good friends who encourage and challenge him, hold him accountable, and help him to be a better person. I pray that he would continue to be a fiercely loyal friend and faithfully love without condition, always expecting the best in others. I pray he would cherish his relationships, especially his sister, and I pray they will always be friends.
4. I pray that Clayton would love the Word of God and that it would be the light on the path he walks.
5. I pray that Clayton would live each day in light of eternity, that he would love justice and speak up for those who need a voice, and that he would always be a blessing.
6. Lord, help Clayton to make a difference, and never lose sight of the goal of leaving the world a better place. I pray he would know the joy of giving his life away and that he would find his life by losing it.
7. I pray for a heart of gratitude for my son. Don’t let him take anything for granted, but instead help him to regularly count his blessings, fill his heart with praise, and help him to notice the daily miracles that make each day a gift.
8. I pray that he would be a man of prayer, learning to listen to your still and tender voice and then obey you wholeheartedly.
9. I know that life without adversity and pain is not good and that both my kids have not experienced it for the last time. But I pray that whatever adversity is still to come Clayton would have the strength and the grace to endure it, and that he would never lose hope.
10. I pray that you will comfort and hold Clayton as he works through the horrible pain and grief of his dad’s death. I ask for the resources to move through the dark lonely places in a healthy way.
11. I pray that one day he will find a godly woman to share life with who shares His passion and helps him become all he is meant to be.
12. I pray that Clayton would respect all of life and hold it carefully, for it is fragile and precious.
13. I pray that he would like himself and the unique ways you have made him. I pray that he would be proud of his heritage and own the responsibility that comes with all he has been given. I pray that he would carry on the legacy his father left for him of a life well-lived.
14. I pray that Clayton would be a leader worth following and that he would put others first, modeling servanthood and generosity.
15. I pray that Clayton will greet each new day with eagerness and sleep each night with peace of mind. Help him to dream big, to go deep, to be a lifelong learner.
I ask these things of the one who hears and readily answers, in the strong name of Jesus. Amen.
Amen.