Author: DeVonne White

A Jesus follower, wife, mother, daughter, friend, passionate teacher of the Bible
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Home

DeVonne WhiteLeave a comment

Here most of us are, sitting at home.  On any normal day isn’t this the place we long to be?

Here is a little reminder of the beauty of Home –

 

Home

A place of solitude

The building of a sanctuary

Where peace is found

 

A place of communion

The ringing of laughter

Where joy is shared

 

A place of gathering

The keeping of conversations

Where bonds are made

 

A place of meals

The filling of the empty

Where hearts are warmed  

 

A place where wisdom is taught

The falling of tears

Where grace is given

 

A place of warm blankets

The drifting off to sleep

Where rest is found 

 

A place of understanding

The art of listening close

Where knowledge is known

 

A holy place

Where rooms are filled

With precious and pleasant riches

 

D.E. White 

Protection
Scripture Shaped Prayer

Protection

DeVonne WhiteLeave a comment
The prayer of a mama for her children’s protection is a prayer that never ends. My boys are twenty-seven and twenty-four and I’m still praying for their protection every day.
 
Today we are all praying for protection from a virus that is crawling through this world, and tomorrow will bring new prayers for protection. The hazards in this world that threaten our children’s well-being are endless.
 
Think for a moment about today’s prayers coming from mother’s lips all over the world.
 
Mamas praying prayers of protection from contaminated water, starvation, violence, from those who seek to prey upon their children. They pray protection from broken systems and corrupt governments, protection in the midst of war-torn countries and war-torn lives.
 
The list is long, our concerns over our children deep. We can rest in this today, God’s love and concern over children is longer, it is deeper and it is wider. ❤
 
That Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. – Ephesians 3:17-19
Let’s join together and pray over one anothers children today. 
 
Praise
 
“Because he loves me,” says the Lord, “I will rescue him; I will protect him, for he acknowledges my name. Psalm 91:14
 
Thank God today that He is the One who rescues and protects.
 
Confession
 
Help us, O God our Savior, for the glory of your name; deliver us and forgive our sins for your name’s sake. Psalm 79:9
 
Take a moment and examine your heart, remind yourself that you have been forgiven.
 
Give Thanks
 
But the Lord is faithful, and he will strengthen and protect you from the evil one. 2 Thessalonians 3:3
 
Thank God today for His faithfulness to you, as well as the strength and protection He gives.
 
Shaping Your Prayers with God’s Word
 
Father, I thank you that you go before __________ today, that You, the God of Israel, will be _________ ‘s rear guard. Isaiah 52:12
Putting Feet to your Prayers
 
Remind your children often that you are praying for their protection. Ask them about moments that they remember God protecting them. This will be a great reminder to them, and you, that God protects.
 
 
 
 
Physical Healing
Scripture Shaped Prayer

Physical Healing

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It is heart wrenching when our children are sick in body.  Just the thought of an ear infection, cold, or the flu can make a mama shudder.  If you have a houseful of kids, you could be looking at almost a month of sickness by the time it runs through everyone.

Maybe you are a mama with a chronically ill child, or your child is facing a terminal illness and you have prayed, until you feel you can pray no more.  May you feel the arms of God wrap around you in this moment, holding you close, holding you tight.

We live in a fallen and broken world and it is a place where disease lives, where bones break and accidents happen.   One moment a child’s body can seem so strong and resilient, the next moment as weak as a baby bird.

We know this about Jesus, He is in the healing business.  With one touch the blind saw, the deaf heard and the dead were raised to life.  Those are not small things, they are life changing miracles.

There is one thing that those who were healed had in common,  they asked, or someone asked on their behalf.

As mamas who follow Jesus, we ask, and then we ask again on behalf of our children. We remind ourselves of the healing touch of Jesus and then we trust in the One who hides them under the shadow of His wing.

Let’s Pray  

Praise

Praise the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits- who forgives all your sins and heals all your diseases, who redeems your life from the pit and crowns you with love and compassion.  Psalm 103: 2-4

Praise God today for all of His benefits, this includes the benefit of healing.

Confession

I said, “O LORD, have mercy on me; heal me, for I have sinned against you.”  Psalm 41:4

Take a moment an confess sin that could stand in the way of healing.

Give Thanks  

And when the men of that place recognized Him, they sent out into all that surrounding region, brought to Him all who were sick, and begged Him that they might only touch the hem of His garment and as many as touched it were made perfectly well.  Matthew 14: 35-16

Thank the Lord today, that in prayer you can touch the hem of His garment, where His healing virtue flows.

Shaping Your Prayers with God’s Word  

Father I ask that you restore health to ________ and that you would heal ___________ of his/her wounds. Jeremiah 30:17

Putting Feet to Our Prayers

When your child is sick or injured remember the power of touch.  A back rub, a kiss, a cool cloth on their forehead. They will remember those moments of tender loving care.

A Love for Others
Scripture Shaped Prayer

A Love for Others

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A Love for Others

One summer at church camp my boys met a young lady, and for weeks after returning home all I heard about was Britney.   I had never seen my boys so taken with someone.

The camp theme that summer had been Standing in the Gap Through Prayer.  Every evening during chapel the children had the opportunity to pray for one another’s needs.

They boys told me about Britney’s request for her family.  Her sister, who had strayed far from her family, had found herself pregnant and in the grip of addiction. Then I understood what was going on. The boy’s hearts had been expended through prayer.

They had never been faced with a prayer request as monumental as this and they took it very seriously. Faithfully they prayed for Britney’s sister and her baby.  It was as if they were treading on holy ground during those daily prayers. Never knowing how things would all turn out yet trusting in a God who they knew could intervene.

Prayer was the place where their love grew for their dear friend and her family.  Nothing opens a heart to love others quite like prayer does.  Suddenly their eyes were off themselves and set on the needs of another.

Let’s Pray!

Praise

 For great is his love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord.  Psalm 117:12

 Praise the Lord for His Great Love for you.

Confession

And live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God. Ephesians 5:2

 Maybe you haven’t been living a life of love, confess that to the Lord today.

Give Thanks

Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will.  Ephesians 1:3-5

 In love you were adopted by Christ, throw up your hands and give thanks today.

Shaping Your Prayers with God’s Word

I thank you Lord for _______.  I thank you that his/her faith is growing more and more; and the love that _______ has for others is increasing.  2 Thessalonians 1:3

Putting Feet to Our Prayers

As prayer requests become known to you share them with your children, big and small. Take a few minutes each day and pray for others together.

A Love for God’s Word
Scripture Shaped Prayer

A Love for God’s Word

DeVonne WhiteLeave a comment
Pat was a dear and much older friend. I admired her passion for scripture and how she applied it to her life.
One afternoon while she and I were chatting, she shared with me how important it is that we not only read the Word of God, but that we hide His Word in our hearts.
That doesn’t only consist of memorizing, but meditating upon it, letting it stir around in our hearts and minds.
Pat found out this truth in a very critical way several years ago. She suffered a massive heart attack and was in the hospital for several months recovering.
During her first month she did not have the ability to speak or to read. That meant that she could not find comfort in reading her Bible that laid on the stand nearby. In frustration she cried out to the Lord.
As she lay in her bed crying, the Lord began to bring scriptures to her mind, scriptures that she had hidden in her heart years ago. This brought her great comfort during those difficult days.
The Word of God is alive, powerful and life changing. Even Jesus when tempted would refer to God’s Word saying, “It is written…”
When we pray that God gives our children a love for His word them to treasure it and hide it in their hearts, it will be there when they reach for it.
Let’s Pray
Praise
The unfolding of Your word gives light; it gives understanding to the simple. Psalm 119:130
Can you remember a time when God’s Word brought light into your darkness? Give Him praise for that today.
Confession
Therefore, get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which can save you. James 1:21
Pause and purpose to get rid yourself of dirty sin. (Don’t worry we’ve all got it) Then trust that The Word, Jesus, planted in you, can and will save you.
Give Thanks
Your word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.
Psalm: 119:105
Thank God for time in you life when His Word was a light to your path.
Shaping Your Prayers with God’s Word
I ask that _______ will be one who reads the word, that he/she will be blessed when he/she hears it and will take to heart what is written in it, because the time in near.
Revelation 1:3
Put Feet to Your Prayers
Introduce your child to a new Bible verse every week. Print out three copies of the verse and place place them strategically around the house. Make a point to talk about the verse each day. By the end of the week it will be hidden in their hearts and yours!
A Love for God
Prayer

A Love for God

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A Love for God

 We had many good car talks, when my boys were young.  On one trip I asked my two sons a big question, “Do you love God?”

This question was followed by about thirty seconds of silence.  Just for the record thirty seconds can seem like a long time.

Then my eldest son finally piped up, “I know I love Him because I can feel Him tugging at my heart and I try to obey His commands.”

My younger son remained quiet and then he dejectedly asked,

“Mom do you have another question for me?”

“Just think about this one for a while.”  I told him.

Later that evening I heard singing coming from the upstairs shower.

“I love you Lord! I praise you Lord!” He sang at the top of his lungs.

As I tucked him into bed that evening I whispered to him, “I know that you love God.”

“How?”  He whispered back his eyes big and round with wonder.

“I heard you telling Him while you were in the shower.”

He blushed and then he spoke words that melted my heart, “Mom, He makes me happy in my heart and I like to praise Him.”

No two kids are alike, each one will have their own way of expressing their love for God.  We would be wise mamas to encourage them to simply love the Lord in the way He created them to.

Let’s Pray 

Praise

Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me!  Psalm 66:20

Praise the Lord for times when you knew He heard you and responded to you with love.

 Confession

 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out my transgressions.  Psalm 51:1

Rejoice in knowing the Lord’s love and compassion for you, it is big enough to blot out any offence.

Give Thanks

But you, O Lord, are a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness.  Psalm 86:15

Give thanks to the Lord that He is slow to anger and how His  love and faithfulness pour over you.

 Shaping Your Prayers with God’s Word

 Lord, I ask that _______ will love You with all of his/her heart, all of his/her soul and all of his/her mind.  Matthew 22:37

 Put Feet to Your Prayers

Make it a point to express your love for God, in your own unique way, in the presence of your children.

Praying for Your Child’s Salvation
Scripture Shaped Prayer

Praying for Your Child’s Salvation

DeVonne WhiteLeave a comment

Without salvation and the promise of eternal life through Jesus Christ it does not matter what our children become or accomplish here on earth, it will not compare to their salvation.

Earth is their temporary home, salvation promises them an eternal home.

In this verse and everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved; Joel 2:32 I love two words.

The first word is everyone. This verse doesn’t say the rich, the beautiful, the smart, or even the nice. It simply says, everyone who calls on the name of the Lord.

The second word is will, this verse doesn’t say they should, could, or might be saved. It says they will be saved!

Our greatest desire should be to see our children accept the precious gift of salvation that is awaiting them.

God’s Word tells us this in Deuteronomy 11:18-20 … that you must fix these words of mine in your hearts and minds; tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.

Mama, it is you who should be telling your children Bible truths as you go through out your day. Reminding them that God loves them, that He gave his only Son, Jesus that they might be saved.

Until our children accept Jesus as their Lord and Savior, this should be our daily prayer for them. We can trust as we do our part, God does His.

Praise

Sing to the Lord, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day. Psalm 96:2

Praise the Lord for His Gift of Salvation that He has personally given to you.

Confession

Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. 2 Corinthians 7:10

Take a quiet moment allow God, bring to mind anything that you have done or said that would bring Him and you sorrow.

Thanksgiving

I will give you thanks, for you answered me; you have become my salvation.

Psalm 118:21

Give thanks to the Lord, that He heard your cry for salvation and provided the way, by becoming your salvation.

Praying Scripture

Lord, I thank you that when _______ calls on Your name he/she will be saved! Joel 2:32

Putting Feet to Your Prayers

Have you told your children the story of your personal salvation? If you haven’t be sure to share it with them, there is power in your testimony.