I have been studying that, meditating on it, and trying to practice that responsibility in my everyday life. "For out of the overflow of the heart, the mouth speaks," (Luke 6:45) so if the Word is not strong, alive and active in my heart, how will it flow easily from my mouth? And if you know me, you know that my mouth is almost always moving. So if it is not spilling out blessings over my daughter and pouring words of encouragement into her life, what will come out? That's a scary thought. How powerful are our words!!
I found a little guide online awhile ago for simple prayers to speak over your child each day. It is a great spring board and gets my mind going in a direction of prayer to pray for Julia.
Today, Compassion. "Therefore, as God's chosen people holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion...."
Julia,
You are a dearly loved little girl. God has chosen you and He loves you greatly. I pray that you will hear His words and clothe yourself with compassion.
You have such a sweet, special little heart and I love to watch you interact with other kids. You love to hug and kiss the babies. You like to help the aunties take care of the little ones. You like to play with the big babies and teach the little babies how to play. You have a heart that sees the needs of others. You have a heart that looks into another's eyes and sees their hurt, their pain, or their freight. (Yes, I am talking about Miah there!)
I remember the first time we walked into Nairobi Children's Home to see David. You were just 19 months old. You were very clingy to me at that time, and very leery of strangers. You did not like crowds, not even crowds of children. Yet, that day, as we walked into the nursery, into a crowd of toddlers, you wiggled out of my arms, walked off ahead of me, into that room, and made a bee-line for David. I had not even noticed him yet and I wondered where you were going with such determination. A lady (the only one in the room full of almost 20 toddlers) was holding him in some blankets. You went right to him, and reached your tiny hand out towards his even tinier body and touched him. The lady holding him was so taken aback she didn't even stop you. He was an emaciated skeleton of transparent skin. He was three months old and weighted 3lbs, 7oz. To be truthfully honest, I was actually surprised that you recognized him as a baby. Yet, you stared at him with the softest eyes ever. You just looked up at me with confused eyes and I wept. I was weeping over this poor, lifeless baby, but also at an overwhelming love for you and your love for him.
Then, you turned and walked away. Once again, I was surprised by your sudden independence. You walked right to a bed where a baby was lying. You reached your hand inside the bars, touched his arm and said, "toto." All of this right in the middle of your super clingly, "I-don't-want-to-talk-to-anyone," "don't-put-me-down" stage. You just looked into that crib with loving eyes. It was the bed I first found you in seven months before.
I knew after that visit to Nairobi Children's Home that your heart was full of compassion. You have a special relation to babies in need. I know that you will be able to use your experience of your early months, though you may not even remember it, to touch others' lives.
I pray that you will always clothe yourself with compassion. I pray that you will allow God's Holy Spirit to fill your heart all the days of your life. I pray that your love for other babies will never waiver or fade. May God dwell richly within you, and may He make His face shine upon you, and may you always show compassion to all of God's cherished children.
I love you, baby girl!
~Mama
Helping Eli blow bubbles
getting on the floor with Lizzy to play on her level
sharing your favorite book with your birth-cousin
taking a new friend to play
holding hands to take Lizzy on a walk
Yep, you're a special little girl!
And to everyone else - I promise my Letter to Julia will not always be so long!
1 comments:
Could you share the link to the prayers? Thank you.
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