Here are some prayers our staff and host parents wrote for us to share with you. Please contact us if you would like to share a favorite prayer here, too.
Deuteronomy 23:5- I always pray that God will turn the tables of their lives and radically change the outcome for their future! I pray that he will turn their curses into blessings and give them an abundant life in the midst of difficult circumstances. Because He LOVES them, and He is a God who loves to reverse destinies and dramatically change outcomes.
Dear Heavenly Father,
Thank you for these treasured children – those that live here now and those that we are hosting. Although you have entrusted them to me, I know they belong to you. I dedicate these children to you, Lord. I recognize that they are always in your care.
Help me parent them as you would, Lord. Give me strength and godly wisdom to raise these children according to your Holy Word. Please supply what I lack. Keep these children walking on the path that leads to eternal life. Help them to overcome the temptations in this world and the sin that would so easily entangle them.
Dear God, send your Holy Spirit daily to lead and guide me as I show them your love towards them. Assist them to grow in wisdom and stature, in grace and knowledge, in kindness, compassion and love. May they serve you faithfully with their whole heart devoted to you. May they each discover the joy of your presence through daily relationship with your Son, Jesus.
Help me never to hold on too tightly to these children, nor neglect my responsibilities before you as a parent. Lord, let my commitment to raise these children for the glory of your name cause their lives to forever testify of your faithfulness. And if it is not your will Lord that these hosted children remain in my family as permanent members, use me to plant seeds of faith that would lead each of these hosted children to their forever families.
In Jesus’ name I pray.
Amen.
Lord, you already know the child or children that we will be hosting. You’ve picked them out, you’ve called them by name. We pray Your hand of protection on them. Prepare their hearts and ours for a Christmas that will be like none they nor we have ever had.
We ask that the language barrier we will face will not get in the way of the love you want us to show and for them to feel. May we share You with them, Jesus, in a way that they have never known before and may our hearts too, be changed and humbled by this experience.
Help us to truly be Your voice of love to them and if it be Your will, lead us through the steps to make them a part of our family forever. Amen.
In a conversation I was having one time with someone who is very key in orphan ministry, she told me that we need to pray for God’s Will for each child. She was saying that we can oftentimes hurt these children more than help them when we march in with a set agenda. The key is to pray for God’s Will to be released for each child. Oftentimes when I pray for these children, I place my hand on their face (on the screen or on a printed photos if I have it), and I pray for God’s Will for them…for absolutely nothing to stand in the way of His Will for their lives. I also claim His promises about orphans as I pray for them:
“God, you say that You place the lonely in families, so I claim that for this child (I use the child’s name). Lord, place her/him into their forever family.”
It may not be His Will for some children to be adopted. For example, there is an amazing ministry called Watoto in Africa, where the children are rescued and raised in house families with a mom and 6-8 children. They raise them up to be the next generation of Christian leaders in their nation…to stop the cycle of violence and broken families. In that case, adoption isn’t always the best situation. I’ve learned that the only One who knows the best thing for each child is God. So, my biggest prayer for each child is for God’s Will to be released in each life, and then I simply trust that Will…even if it doesn’t make sense to my human mind.
