How to pray like a child

Isabel and I read another chapter in the Jesus Storybook Bible that I was really impacted by. The chapter was from Matthew 6 and included a child-like paraphrase of The Lord's Prayer. The Storybook Bible quotes Jesus as saying to His followers, "So when you pray, pray in your normal voice, just like when you're talking to someone you love very much. Like this...

Hello Daddy!

We want to know you.

And be close to you.

Please show us how.

Make everything in the world right again.

And in our hearts, too.

Do what is best - just like you do in heaven,

And please do it down here, too.

Please give us everything we need today.

Forgive us for doing wrong, for hurting you.

Forgive us just as we forgive other people when they hurt us.

Rescue us! We need you.

We don't want to keep running away and hiding from you.

Keep us safe from our enemies.

You're strong, God.

You can do whatever you want.

You are in charge.

Now and forever and for always!

We think you're great!

Amen!

Yes we do!

I know that I could really benefit in my walk with God, by remembering that I can talk to God very conversationally, throughout the day, using my own normal voice, talking to Him as I would talk to someone I love very much. It is so amazing to me that as a parent, I am learning so much and growing in my own faith journey, by introducing Isabel to Jesus and seeing Him and His teachings through the eyes of a child.

The Lord is my Shepherd

Every night before bed we have been reading a chapter out of The Jesus Storybook Bible to Isabel as her third bedtime story. We hope to instill a habit in her of reading God's Word every day (a habit we still aspire to ourselves as very busy working parents of young children!)  This Bible was a wonderful gift from Josiah's godparents Jenna and Aaron for Josiah's dedication this past April (we actually prefer it to the Bible that we gave Isabel for her first Christmas!). We love the way that it tells the Bible stories in all their accuracy, in childlike language, and that it interweaves the character and story of Jesus through every story, even the stories that are not actually about Jesus. 

Last night we read the story of David, which includes a paraphrase of the 23rd Psalm. Something about the way this paraphrase was written just struck me, and it brought tears to my eyes as I was reading it to Isabel. This Psalm has held a special place in my heart since I accepted Jesus as my Savior at age 19, and I pray that Isabel will also feel the love and provision of God, as described in this Psalm, throughout the ups and downs she will undoubtedly experience in this life.  Oh, if only we could have the heart of a child and remember the following truths each day. It would truly change our lives!

God is my Shepherd
And I am his little lamb.

He feeds me
He guides me
He looks after me.
I have everything I need.

Inside, my heart is very quiet.
As quiet as lying still in soft green grass
In a meadow
By a little stream.

Even when I walk through
the dark, scary, lonely places
I won't be afraid
Because my Shepherd knows where I am.

He is here with me
He keeps me safe
He rescues me

He makes me strong
And brave.

He is getting wonderful things ready for me
Especially for me
Everything I ever dreamed of!

He fills my heart so full of happiness
I can't hold it all inside.

Wherever I go I know
God's Never Stopping, Never Giving Up, Unbreaking,
Always and Forever Love
Will go, too!