A Mother’s Prayer for Fruit

Dear Father,

I pray that You would guide each of my actions and thoughts today. Sometimes staying at home with our two little babes can be tiring and bring out the worst in me.

I love my family so much, and I don’t want this to be the case. It’s my human nature to be selfish and just think about myself all day long. But please give me the fruit of the Spirit. Let this fruit be evident in my life. These are not attributes of me. They are attributes of You, but I pray that You would let them shine through me.

Today I pray for…

love

Give me a love for people. For my son, for my daughter, for my husband, and for everyone that you put in my life.

You know I already love my family so much, but it’s my love not Yours. And Your love is so much better than mine. It’s pure, unselfish, and unconditional. Give me that same love to give to others.

joy

Today, as I’m feeding mouths, washing dishes, and wiping noses and bottoms, give me JOY in these tasks that can become so mundane to me! Help me to see the happiness that is all around me. Give me joy in caring for my family and my home.

peace

I am prone to worry and fear. You already know this. But fear is not from You, only peace is from You.

I pray that you would please give me the peace that only you can bring – sweet, sweet, peace.

patience

Lord, you know that I need patience. More and more of it every day, actually.

As I sit at the lunch table with my 2 year old who takes SO. LONG. to finish his meal, give me patience.

As I nurse my baby girl, and then change her diaper for what seems like the twenty-ninth time today, give me patience.

As I read the same book about trains over and over…and over, give me patience.

As I live this life of being a mom, give me patience.

kindness

While you give me patience, could I have a little kindness to go along with that?

When I’m disciplining my son for throwing his fork on the floor for the fifth time, please give me Your kindness. Help me not to be harsh. Help me to be kind.

When my husband comes home from work, and I’m rushing to get dinner finished and keep babies happy (why is right before dinner the crankiest time of the day, by the way?), please help me to be kind to him. It’s so easy for me to get frustrated at this time of day. I need Your kindness to rule my actions rather than my rushed, short, and cold attitude that I usually have.

goodness

You are good. I am not. I pray that the goodness that is You would shine through me. To my kids, to my husband, and to everyone else that my path crosses.

faithfulness

I’m unfaithful to spend time with You. I’m unfaithful to intentionally love my husband. I’m unfaithful to share my life with others. Basically, I’m just plain unfaithful.

But you are faithful in everything, day after day after day. I pray that your faithfulness would become a part of me.

gentleness

I rush. I push. I hurry.

Help me to slow down, and be gentle. Gentle with my kids, gentle with my husband, and even gentle with myself.

self-control

This is a big one for me, God. And I’ve finally come to the conclusion that I can’t control self. I need to rely on you for this.

I want what I want when I want it. Take this attitude from me, and give me an attitude of self-control. An attitude of service instead of selfishness.

In Your Name, Amen