CREATIVE FAMILY PRAYER TIMES

by

Mike & Amy Nappa

We hate to admit but it, but sometimes we get bored by prayer.

Don’t get us wrong, prayer is one of the most powerful forces God has granted us on this earth. And it’s certainly not God’s fault if our minds wander during prayer. There should be nothing more appealing than spending intimate, personal time with God in prayer.

Problem is, we still are sometimes bored by prayer. And we’ll bet that, on occasion, you and your family get bored, too.

It happens all too often, whether you’re praying alone or with others.  Your head is bowed and you’re ready to pray. Perhaps someone else is even praying aloud. Then. . .

You lose your train of thought. You think about work. You think about the last song you heard on the radio. You think about the dog barking in the back yard, whether or not the mail will come early or late, why they don’t make Underoos for adults, whether or not you returned your library book in time to avoid a fine, if you’ll be able to get in a few good spikes during the next volleyball game, and on and on. You’ve forgotten God is listening as you make a mental list of things you must do in the next few hours, days, or weeks.

We know, because we’ve been there. We find ourselves saying, “Well, we have to go pray,” instead of “Wow! we get to go pray!” And this attitude has carried over into our times of family prayer. We quickly ramble through our requests as if reading a shopping list. Our time of thanks before a meal is a race to see if the prayer can be finished before someone starts to eat anyway.

But, instead of assuming that boredom during prayer must be endured, we decided to do something about it.

So What’s In This Article Anyway?

In Creative Family Prayer Times you’ll find a half dozen innovative ideas to help you and your family focus your prayers and add meaning to the words you say. These ideas aren’t meant to replace what you already do in prayers, but to bring a change of pace in a hands-on, involving way to your existing prayer lives.

Since we can talk to God at any time and at any place, we’ve included a wide variety of prayer adventures in this book. There are adventures to be shared at dinner, adventures to experience just before bedtime, adventures for a Saturday morning, and adventures that involve an outing for your family. Some of these adventures can be done alone, while others include the whole gang.

As you read through the ideas here, you’ll find some involve daily participation, while others involve projects that last for a week, a month or even a year. Remember, you don’t have to use these ideas all at once! Perhaps your family will choose one on-going prayer adventure that lasts a month. During this time you might want to include one or two “one-time” prayer adventures. And if your family really enjoys a specific adventure, use it again. Pick and choose the ideas that will work best for your family, or modify others to your liking.

We want prayer to be an exciting part of our everyday lives, and we’re hoping these ideas will make prayer an exciting part of your family life as well. Ready? Then keep reading for your first prayer adventure...

1. BREAKING THROUGH

Focus: Obstacles to prayer

For this adventure you’ll need a sheet of blank newsprint or wrapping paper that will cover a doorway in your home. (You can use the blank side of gift wrap if necessary.) You’ll also need a marker and tape.

Gather your family for a time of prayer. Read James 5:13-16 together and discuss why  God wants us to talk to him.

Then ask, “What things keep you from praying?” As family members share their answers, write these on the large sheet of paper. Share your own reasons as well. Also ask family members what obstacles there are to your family taking time to pray together and write these on the paper.

When everyone has shared and all answers are written, tape the sheet of paper over an open doorway. Then ask your family members to join with you in breaking through these barriers to prayer. (Let younger children break through the paper first.) When everyone has gone through the doorway, gather together on the other side for a time of prayer. Pray that God will help your family overcome the obstacles they shared so that individually and together you can grow closer to God by communicating with him.

You may also want to take this time to plan a regular time to meet together for prayer. Many families pray together at meals, or before school, or before bedtime. If your family already prays at times like these, we encourage you to continue. But you may also want to set aside a short period of time one day a week, such as fifteen minutes every Sunday night, or the 10 minutes following dinner on Mondays, where everyone can come together to share and pray. You’ll find that many of the adventures in this book can be used during times such as these.

2. ABC’s OF ADORATION BOOK

Focus: Adoration of God

Gather 26 sheets of paper, and label each page with one letter of the alphabet. Starting with the page labeled “A,” have your family work together to list all of the things they admire about God that begin with the letter on that page.

For example, on the “A” page, family members might list things like:

•awesome power,

•affectionate love, and

•activity in my life.

The “B” page, might include:

•beautiful creation,

•blessings I’ve received, and

•the Bible that tells me about God.

Once your family has thought of at least one thing to write on each page, bind the 26 pages together for future use.  You could put the pages in a notebook, or simply staple them together. Then use this book as a guide for family prayers.  Open to one of the alphabet pages and begin your family’s prayer by saying, “Lord, You are worthy to be adored. We know because of these things...” and read to God the list for that letter. Let family members take turns choosing a page from the book to pray through. As you and your family pray, explain why the items you listed are things you admire about God.

Keep this book in a convenient place. Encourage everyone to add new things they think of that they’d like to give God praise for, and include them in your prayers as well.

3. COINS IN A FOUNTAIN

Focus: Forgiveness

Collect a handful of coins (such as pennies, nickels, dimes, or quarters) and place them in a small cup or other container. Take this cup and go with your family to a fountain for a time of prayer. (Check a local mall, library, or city building to find a fountain.)

As you stand or sit together in front of the fountain, pass the container of coins and have each person select one. Say, “This is a time for each of us to tell God we’re sorry for things we’ve done wrong.”

Then begin by praying,  “Lord, in this past week I know I’ve disappointed you in this way...” and finish by confessing to God one way you’ve fallen short in your spiritual life. Then toss your coin into the water of the fountain. Encourage each family member to pray in the same manner, ending the prayer by tossing his or her coin into the fountain. If anyone is too embarrassed to share a confession aloud, allow him or her to pray silently before tossing a coin.

Repeat this confessing and coin-tossing process as many times as you like. When everyone is done, ask family members to dip their hands in the fountain’s water for a quick washing.

Then close your family prayer by saying, “Thank you, God, for the promise of your forgiveness that buries our sins as this fountain has ‘buried’ our coins, and that washes our hearts as this water has washed our hands. In Jesus’ name, amen.”

4. THANKS FOR THE MEMORIES

Focus: Thanking God for responding to prayers

Start a box of memories in which you will collect mementos to remind you and your family of God’s active presence in your lives.

Begin by taking a shoe box or other similar container and having family members decorate the outside of the box. (You can use items such as wrapping paper, construction paper, stickers, and markers for decorations.)

Then tell your family, “Each time we notice God working in response to one of our prayers, we’ll find something that will remind us of what God has done and put it in this box.”

Give your family examples of what you mean, such as these:

•if a friend recovers from an illness, you might put a get-well card in the box,

•if God provides for you financially, you could drop a check stub in the box,

•if you pray for guidance and God leads you in a certain direction, you may want to add a compass or road map to the box,

•if you pray for help on a test and do well, you might want to put a page of your class notes into the box (after the test!).

After a week of collecting items in your memories box, gather together to look through the box. Use it to remind everyone of reasons for thanking God. Include in your prayer a time of thanksgiving when you open the box and take out the mementos one by one. As you examine each thing, have the family member who chose the item thank God for what it represents and for the way God has worked in his or her life in the past week.

At this point the box can be emptied and your family can start over, or you may wish to leave these mementos in the box to serve as long-term reminders of God’s work. Continue to add to the box as often as you like, using it whenever you all need a reminder of how God has answered the prayers of your family.

5. GOD’S INSTRUCTIONS

Focus: Praying as the Bible directs

This prayer adventure is great for families with older kids in junior or senior high. During the next week, read a different passage from the following list each day. Discuss the questions together, then pray as you are directed in the Bible.

Day One: Psalm 122––The peace of Jerusalem

•What is the significance of Jerusalem in this passage?

•Why does the psalmist command the reader to “Pray for the peace of             Jerusalem”?

•What meaning does this command have for us today?

•Pray according to what you have learned.

 Day Two: Matthew 5:43-48 and Luke 6:27-36––Persecutors

•What prayer is commanded in these passages?

•Why is it important to pray for our enemies?

•Discuss and answer the questions in both passages.

•How can you bless an enemy?

•Pray as you are instructed.

Day Three: Mark 13:32-37––Watch and pray

•What is this passage discussing?

•Why is it necessary to be alert and praying?

•How should you be acting and praying according to this passage?

•Let your prayers be guided by what you have discovered today.

Day Four: 2 Thessalonians 3:1-2 and Hebrews 13:18––Prayer for missionaries

•Who is requesting prayer in these passages and why?

•Who do you know in similar positions to the writers of these             passages?

•How can your prayers help these people?

•Pray for these people as directed here.

Day Five: Matthew 9:36-38––Harvest

•What kind of harvest is Jesus referring to?

•Who are the workers Jesus wants us to pray God will send?

•Are you a worker?

•Use this passage as a guide to prayer.

Day Six: Matthew 6:5-8––Pray in secret

•What different kinds of people are described here?

•Which are you most like and why?

•Today, pray individually, as this verse instructs.

Day Seven: Luke 18:1-8––Persistence in prayer

•What is the main point of this story?

•Why did Jesus tell it?

•In what areas do you need to be more persistent in prayer?

•Determine how to be consistent and persistent in your prayers,             beginning today.

After the week of studying and obeying the Bibles instructions on prayer, what have you learned? If you like, continue this project by having family members find other references to prayer. (You may want to use a concordance or other reference books.) As you learn more about God’s instructions for prayer, you may find your understanding of prayer and your actual prayers changing!

6. M & M PRAYERS

Focus: Praying for others

Use M & M’s to help focus your family’s prayers of intercession for others.

Pass around a bag or bowl of M & M’s the next time your family is gathered for prayer. Let each person take a handful, but don’t let anyone eat the candies yet. Explain that the color of the candies will indicate the direction of the families’ prayers. Lead your family in prayer using this guide and stopping for prayer after explaining each color. Say:

•“For every green M & M you chose, pray for your spouse (present or future) or some other significant person in your life.” This is a great way to get kids thinking about what qualities they want to find in a future mate. Encourage them to pray for this person’s safety, spiritual and physical growth, and so on.)

•“For every red M & M you chose, pray for a member of your family by name (a parent, son, daughter, brother, sister, grandchild, niece, nephew, cousin, aunt, uncle, and so on).”

•“For every orange M & M you chose, pray for a teacher in your life (a co-worker, a professor, a pastor, a Bible study leader, a child’s school teacher, a mentor, or another teacher).”

•“For every yellow M & M you chose, pray for one of your neighbors (a neighbor near your home, an office-mate, a person whose desk is near yours at school, or a neighbor close to your church).”

•“For every dark brown M & M you chose, pray for a leader in your life (a politician, a local businessperson, a celebrity, a member of your church’s staff, the President, or another leader).”

•“For every light brown M & M you chose, pray for Christians in other countries.”

This might be best used as an after dinner prayer time. Repeat this process as often as you family’s calorie intake allows!

☺☺☺

"Creative Family Prayer Times" is excerpted from the book Creative Family Prayer Times: 52 Fun Ways to Pray Together by Mike & Amy Nappa. Copyright © 2007 Nappaland Communications Inc. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission. Published by NavPress. For more information, or to order copies of this book, please visit www.NavPress.com.