A Heart of Prayer

Walking down memory lane on Wednesdays is so much fun for me! Join me and all the other sentimental ladies at Lynnette's blog: Dancing Barefoot, if you want to start your own walk.

This week, I am actually sitting on the beach in Florida with my entire family for our spring break trip. However, I planned ahead and wrote my post before we left. Yeah! I can plan ahead still. I had started to think I lost that ability. Anyway, as I tried to decide what to write about this week, a few pictures popped up in my mind and suddenly I knew I had to write about the power of prayer and child-like faith.

About five years ago, my girls had taken care of a critter thinking they could save it. They even had their cousins working with them on this project. They made a little home for it. They found a spot that would give it water and brought leaves to it. What they didn't realize was it was already dead. Now, my sister-in-law and I could not bare to tell them this information. They were so sure they would be able to make this little friend happy. So we watched and waited. Days passed and by that time, they knew this little guy was gone. So, they buried it in the home they had made for him. They spent some time talking about him, then they did something that made me grab my camera and wipe a tear at the same time. These four girls gathered around the tree and prayed for this critter. They thanked God for bringing him to our home and for caring for it. They asked God to keep the little guy safe in heaven now. My sister-in-law and I were so touched.

Here are all four girls praying for their little critter friend.

Fast forward about four years and we have a similar situation with different friends. My girls purchased turtles when we were in Florida with my sister and her friend. We had no idea what all would be part of caring for these baby turtles. We also found that the other children we went with had lost their turtles. The little guys just couldn't make it. So, my husband and I decided to set the turtles free to give them a chance to live. I knew that broke our girls hearts but they were such troopers. We gave them plenty of heads up that we were going to do this and let them help decide where to set them free. So, we chose a good friends lake. After talking with my friend, we agreed to bring them over that summer and let them go so they could have a chance to live. Once the kids put the turtles where they wanted them in the lake, again they gathered together and began to pray without prompting.

Here are Doodle, Bean and their two friends praying for turtles.

That brings me to my life. Their simple examples of feeling prompted to pray makes me wonder: What spurs me on to hit my knees and pray? When do I seek God for comfort or guidance? It seems to me that there was not one second delay in these children going through whatever it was at the time to turn to God in prayer. They knew they could not handle this or do this alone. It was all over their head. Therein is the secret to childlike faith. Realize we can't handle it without him and give it over right away. Talk about letting the little children lead them....hmmm.