Thank you, Lord, for Soldiers, Parents and My children

Lord, today I want to thank you for letting me be born in a place in the world that has sheltered me from the persecution of living my faith. But, I know the time of reckoning is coming soon, and we will all be called to stand up and proclaim Your majesty in the face of terror. I pray that when that day comes, that You will give me strength to stand strong, even if it may cost me my life. There is no freedom without You.

I thank You for all of those who have gone before us, for us, to parts of the world we have never seen, to fight enemies that we are unaware of here in our cozy homes as we live our lives and raise our children in peace and comfort. I pray that the apathy that comes with that is somehow diminished as we realize how important these souls, our veterans, our heroes are. Give me the opportunity to thank them in a way that makes a difference to them when they come home to a different kind of war. Help us to have their backs as they have had ours.

I pray for the parents on this list who need to realize the importance of what they do on our future, and our children's future. What we teach them they will carry on to teach their children. May we teach them to be true to You, to have integrity, to be brave, and to succeed in being who YOU created them to be. May they honor us in the way we honor You.

I pray for my children, who have gone out into the world to make their own way. They are searching for themselves, and trying to find common ground with what they were taught, and what they wish to believe and practice. May their paths lead straight into YOUR arms, whatever it takes. And may they one day find peace in their hearts with understanding of the gifts they have been given by You, and use them to honor You. Nothing would make me prouder as a parent. Whether they succeed or fail in this world is not important to me. Rather, I pray they will succeed in finding their purpose in You, in storing up the riches in YOUR Kingdom that will maintain them for eternity is all that matters to me.

Thank you for helping me to see what REALLY matters in this life, and for showing me that all my ambitions in life are but nothing without You in it.

In Jesus' Holy Name I pray, Amen