When You Need the Words to Pray Against Your Child’s Fear {MomentsofHope}

It was the in the quiet of the night. Everyone was asleep at last. Now it was my time. The time I used for refueling and recharging.

Me time.

Creative time.

But as each evening arrived I could do no more than collapse into my bed. I craved mindless activities. Researching adoption transitions and medical options were just too much for me. No longer could my mind reach into depth-filled content. Things which once invigorated me now had no appeal. Mental and emotional exhaustion was all I knew.

But underneath the exhaustion, there was a whisper.

You know where your hope comes from. Push through with Me.

It was time to tiptoe through their rooms, lay a hand upon their sweet heads, and do the only thing I knew to do in those moments.

Pray.

After leaving the boys’ rooms, I opened the door to my daughter’s room. The nightlight caught her beautiful profile. The round little cheeks. The rosy glow of her skin that not very long ago had been pale and paper thin.

Sleep had finally come and peace rested over her spirit. The anxiety no longer written across her face. I kneeled down alongside her bed, but knew better than to touch her. My touch would cause the screaming to return. So, with hands outstretched, I searched for the words to pray. Instead, I only found my tears.

What do I pray? Where do I even start?

The truth is that God doesn’t need our words. He only needs the cries of our hearts. The Spirit intercedes on our behalf.

Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know what to pray for as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words.  And he who searches hearts knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God. -Romans 8:26-27 (ESV)

But I wanted words. Real words to lay before Him. Authentic conversation with the only One who could help me in my need right now.

I wanted the right words with the right details. The specifics. Not just strength, comfort, peace, and wisdom. But real words that fit our situation. Words that expressed the desires of my heart for my daughter and for our family. Words as therapy for my aching soul.

As I sat on the floor at the edge of the bed, the glow of her nightlight caught a little stack of books on the floor. In it lay one I had purchased long before our daughter came home to us. Prayers and Promises for My Little Girl by Stormie Omartian.

As I skimmed through the book nougats of treasured prayers and scripture gave me a start to the words I was missing in that moment. I began whispering those prayers as I sat in the glow of the nightlight and the presence of God settled in.

You see, that’s how God is. He meets us where we are, giving us all that we need for just one more step.  And each new step is a new beginning because that’s what God promises us.

New beginnings.

New mercies fresh every morning.

The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.” -Lamentations 3:22-24 (ESV)

God meets us where we are giving us all we need for just one more step #prayer #mentalillness…
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So friends, just as I needed help that night long ago, you may need help in your situation tonight with your child. My prayer that night petitioned God to remove a spirit of fear from my daughter. Maybe you are searching for the words and Scripture to pray against the fear rising up in your child as well. May my prayer be the tool God uses to give you the start for which you long.

(Looking for more on defeating fear? Check here and here!)

#MomentsofHope Featured Post

Those years ago when I longed for the words to the prayers of my heart, I struggled because I was very much alone in my journey. Our daughter’s needs went beyond a simple adoption transition. She is a little girl whose start to life was traumatic. And much like most children coming from hard places, the lack of love, attention, and care had taken it’s toll on her mental health. It had gravely effected the way in which she could love.

Very few understood that. They saw her beautiful brown eyes and smile that could light up the room. Much of the world’s opinion then and even now believe that love conquers all.

What they don’t realize is that love doesn’t always look the way we envision.

Love doesn't always look as we envision it #MomentsofHope #parenting #mentalillness #hope
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So when friends and family, with hearts filled with compassion, saw the outside beauty, they couldn’t wrap their minds around my life behind the closed doors. What they saw and what was real were not the same. My daughter knew how to charm others, but she didn’t know how to be loved. Love was dangerous. It was something to fight.

So as friends disappeared and help no where, I was lonely. I was grieving the daughter I loved and the life I’d had. I was trying desperately to save her life and hold onto our family and marriage. And no one seemed to get it.

But today I’ve come to know I’m not alone in this anymore. Awareness has increased yet still not enough. Mental illness still today is judged more often than it is helped. Those caring for loved ones with mental health issues are often isolated, and even worse, targeted.

This week, Maree Dee of Embracing the Unexpected, opens our eyes to judgement and mental illness. Her words resonated with me and I know they will encourage and challenge you as well. If you have never experienced mental illness, her words will challenge you to examine your thoughts and actions, as well as inspire you to promote awareness. If you are living with mental illness in some way or another, her words will give you hope.

Are You Judging Others In the Midst of Mental Illness?

Just in case this is your first visit here and you have yet to tune into the #ChosenandWorthy series, you can find the posts HERE and then subscribe below so that you don’t miss any of what’s to come!

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#MomentsofHope Link-Up

Welcome back to #MomentsofHope! Thank you for joining me here each week to share the hope given to us through Christ. Whether your words come from a story that points to the full healing you have experienced in Christ, or its a story of the journey along the road to the healing you know He is working in you, it is giving hope to others. Your words matter and I am honored to have you share them here in this space!

NEW NEW NEW – Featured here at #MomentsofHope?Grab the new Happily Featured button! Just stop by the #MomentsofHope page in the menu above or here to find it!

Thank you so much for joining me each week in this place where we share and soak HOPE! Your hearts are a gift to me.♥

What I ask of you:

1. Share up to 2 URLs  (to a blog post, not the actual blog) that resonates with the topic of HOPE. Anything that gives us hope for tomorrow. Hope for victory. The little things and the big. Anything that inspires us to lean into Jesus and let Him carry us through.

2. Important: If you don’t have a blog post or podcast that resonates with HOPE, join in other ways as you pray and encourage others with a comment or a prayer.

3. *Please leave a comment on the link just before each of your links. Would you love them well? Encourage them in their efforts to share the hope of Jesus. If you have time, stop by more than one sweet writer’s little corner of the blog world!

4. Of course, I would love it if you would follow me via my blog and/or social media channels! Signing up to join the Searching for Moments Community gets you access to the Library of Hope along with post updates and freebies!

5. If this gives you hope, would you consider sharing it with others to give them hope, too?

6. Please either grab the #MomentsofHope button found here or link back to me to encourage new linkers.

Find me linking up with these encouraging places!

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