Book Review: The Power of Praying for Your Adult Children

Anyone who knows me well, knows about our annual trek to a nine-day Bible camp, CBLI, at the end of July. Several years ago, when my two younger sons were quite small, I took a class at the camp called "The Power of a Praying Parent" based on Stormie Omartian's book of the same name. It was a wonderful class and I came away feeling super-charged to exert a positive influence on my children through my prayers on their behalf. Now, my oldest son is no longer a child. Indeed, as he moves away and embarks on a new path beginning his work assignment with the Solvay company in Ohio, I feel a strong desire to cover him with prayer just as intensely as I did when he was younger.

I think anyone who has an adult child knows the typical inner desires for their benefit - their career choices, relationships, financial security and wisdom, spiritual and physical health and well-being, and guidance through the inevitable storms they will face in life. In that sense, The Power of Praying for Your Adult Children will not suddenly stir in you an insight of something you should be praying for but haven't. No, the benefit of this book lies primarily in Omartian's clear language expressing those desires in heartfelt prayers and Scripture passages. I listened to the book in audio form, but would like to seek out the physical book to jot down some of the Scripture passages she references, the prayers she expresses, and the format for the final letter she composes to give to an adult child.

I was pleasantly surprised that while I walked and prayed those prayers for my oldest son, I couldn't help but think of myself as an adult child, as well. I recognized that several of those prayers could be just as important to pray for myself. I fully believe in the tangible, trustworthy power of prayer. My life bears evidence of it through my miracle story and through the many times when I've experienced my own parents praying for me through bad circumstances and difficult roads. I vow to continue to lift my sons to the Lord and ask his protection, provision, and purpose for their lives. My prayers for them have already taken fruit, as they express their own intentions to pray for me when I approach challenges in my own life. How fortunate I am to know that both my parents and my children are bringing me to the foot of the Lord for His best purposes.