THE PRAYER BASKET - Guest Post

Please welcome Camille. We met, as most do in Blogland, when we had gone back and forth a few times encouraging each other in the ways of the Lord. I love Camille's music on her blogsite and I often tell her that I leave it on all day. She in turn, found out that I was in need of prayer for a health issue of my back and feet and offered one day to add me to the Prayer "Basket" in her home so her children and family could pray for me. I was so overwhelmed, I asked her more about what the "Prayer Basket" was all about. She graciously agreed to do a guest post about it, but first take a moment to meet Camille and hear what the Lord has done in her life.

My name is Camille. I have been married to my Sweetheart ~ Howie, for 19 years. We were both fortunate to have been raised in Christian homes and attended church from birth. BUT ~ Christianity does not transfer to the child from the parent. We also must be saved. The LORD graciously drew me to Himself and saved me when I was still a child. I came under conviction of sin and realised the need for the Saviour. He it is that saved me and since has continued to work in my heart to sanctify me. I do not depend on ANY of my goodness, for the Bible says ~ “...all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags...”( Isaiah 64:6a), it is ALL of Jesus Christ and HIS completed work on my behalf. “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6) “All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.” (John 6:37) Since becoming a wife and a mother I am more and more aware of my NEED for the LORD in the everyday workings of life! What a blessing that HE promises NEVER to leave us nor forsake us!

We have been blessed with four children. Our oldest is 15 and our youngest is 8. We began our journey of home education only four years ago. Prior to that time, the first three attended a local Christian school. I am a full-time stay at home Mum and am so thankful that the LORD has given me the opportunity to do this for “work”. In another life (it seems), I was a Certified Dental Assistant. I forfeited my license when I began my career as Mum. We live in BC, Canada ~ In fact, both my husband and I were born here. Most of our extended family is also nearby ~ we are very thankful for these great blessings!

~ Here is the Post I wanted Camille to share with you ~

How often do we forget to pray for those things or people we’ve promised to?
To my shame, although I had good intentions, there have been those that I said I would pray for that I forgot about!
I came across this wonderful idea nearly a year ago and it was a great blessing to my heart. We had always prayed with our children, but this gave a tangible and do-able system by which we could go about implementing it with the joyful knowledge that we would not inadvertently miss someone! I trust it will be a blessing to your family as it has been to us.
We have what we call a “Prayer Basket” in our kitchen. In it go the names of loved ones and friends who have specific needs and requests. I write out the request with the person’s name on a little piece of paper and fold it up and drop it into the “Basket”. A request may be ~ “Aunt Minnie has to go for surgery on August 16th”, or “John needs a new job”.

Each time I tell someone that we will be praying for them, I write out the request and add it in.
We have family devotions with our children each day. Our four children range in age from 15 down to 8. They have enjoyed this system of praying for others and it is very beneficial to remember those specific things we desire to pray for. It is very easy to get into the habit of praying that the LORD would generally bless “all our friends and family” because of the sheer magnitude of praying for them ALL specifically EACH time we sit down with our children to pray! This eliminates the erroneous thinking that this is the only way all will be “covered” in prayer. How precious it is to teach our children to take the burdens of others to the Throne of Grace in a specific and purposeful way.

How do we do this? Generally, we each draw a slip of paper out at the evening devotional time and each of us takes a turn praying for the request that we have drawn. We instruct the children on the order of who will pray first, second, etc...prior to beginning, so that the prayer time flows smoothly without interruption. If your children are unable to read, or are very little, drawing a picture to help demonstrate the request would be helpful, as would guiding them in a “pray after me” approach. Thank you Stephanie for this wonderful idea!

We pray aloud. We pray purposefully. We pray specifically.

Once the slips of paper have been “prayed for” they go into a “holding bin” until such a time as the basket is empty. It may take a few weeks to get through the basket or only a few days, depending on the number of times in a day you draw a slip of paper out and the number of people doing the praying. This “system” could be implemented at mealtimes or bedtime ~ anytime is fine! We don’t necessarily pull from the “basket” every day, but it is always there and available for use. It is a very flexible system.

Eventually the basket will be empty. At that time, the papers are all placed back into the “Basket” and the requests go through another cycle. If a prayer request is no longer applicable ~ it was answered definitively, then praise and thanksgiving should be offered, and that slip of paper would be discarded and replaced by another (or two or three). Add more at any time! We have thoroughly enjoyed this system of teaching our young ones to be in the habit of intercessory prayer.

Prayer, of course, is a large subject. And it encompasses many things. We are to take to heart the pattern of prayer laid out for us by the LORD Jesus Christ. He taught His disciples to pray using what is known as “The Lord’s Prayer.” It can be found in Matthew 6:9-13. The LORD was not saying we should necessarily pray this prayer word for word ~ notice He says, “After this manner, therefore pray ye...” Matthew 6:9a. The implication here is that it is a pattern of prayer. He first worships the Father in Heaven and asks for HIS will to be done. He then requests that the basic needs of life be met, and asks for forgiveness and the strength to forgive others. The LORD ends with praise once again.

We ought to be teaching our children to pray, just as the LORD taught his disciples to pray. We are the ones that are called to teach and train our children. We are not to leave this responsibility to the Sunday school teacher or the pastor. All those who are involved in the Spiritual lives of our children are a blessing, for sure, but they are not the ones called to “Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6
As Christians, we are called to “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. ” ~ Galatians 6:2, and “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.” ~ I Peter 5:7
Let’s teach our children to pray by leading them to do it! How precious they are, and how precious are these fleeting days we have been given in which to nurture and train them. Let us be faithful to lead them in HIS paths!

In Him,
Camille

You can join Camille on her own blog website at:
flowersinhisgarden.blogspot.com

Please thank Camille for her inspiring and practical methods of teaching prayer to our children and grandchildren.

Choosing JOY, Stephanie