We trust God to give our adult children eyes to see the truth about their own hearts’ affection.

A Fruitful Life from a Heart of Love

Posted on by Michele Morin

Roots and wings are the gift Christian parents pass on to our children. We establish rules, give them responsibilities that build confidence and skill, and we water those deep roots with lots of love and prayer, knowing that strengthening wings will soon carry our children away from home, out of reach of our influence and our protection. Now, in my family, there is one more full-fledged adult as my third son has graduated from college.

In my prayers for the four young men who are so close to my heart, I’m taking my cues from the book of Philippians. Writing from a Roman prison, Paul the missionary church planter tips his hand and opens his heart to reveal Paul the spiritual father. His prayers for new believers and leaders in faraway fledgling churches have fueled my own prayer life as one-by-one my sons leave the nest to make independent lives and decisions in a world very different from the one I encountered at their age.

Prayers for strong marriages, safety on the job, or wisdom in college selection are all good and specific requests from the heart of a Christian mum, but Paul’s three-verse, single-sentence out pouring to God challenges me to lift my sights to motivation, to pray about the drive behind my adult children’s following lives—and to take a careful look at my own.

In this season of graduations and weddings, many of us are releasing freshly minted adults into the world. It’s always a delight to partner with Desiring God where, today, I’m writing about praying for our adult children, and the ways we can find ourselves being continually shaped and stretched by our prayers.

Join me there?

Photo by Dane Deaner on Unsplash

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Published by Michele Morin

Michele Morin is a Bible teacher, writer, reader, and gardener committed to the truth that women can become confident Christ-followers and students of God's Word. She has been married to an unreasonably patient husband for thirty-plus years, and together they have four sons, four daughters-in-love, and six adorable grandchildren. Michele loves hot tea and well-crafted sentences, poems that stop her in her tracks, and days at the ocean with the whole family. She laments biblical illiteracy and advocates for the prudent use of “little minutes.” She blogs at Living Our Days, and you can connect with her on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter.

51 thoughts on “A Fruitful Life from a Heart of Love”

  1. Awww, Michele, what powerful prayers! I have never thought to pray for my boys’ loves. That was a bit of a brain-bender for me. I’m definitely beginning to pray about that, as of today. You have so much insight. Thanks for sharing this wisdom!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Oh, Lord have mercy, you are going to discover so many things in the coming years, Jeanne, that you never thought to pray for, but suddenly it’s front and center in your life. God is good, and he carries the parenting load alongside us, and for this I am very grateful.

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  2. So wise. Paul’s prayers are good for our every day lives and especially for our children. My youngest will be 40 this year and letting go was the hardest part of being a mother….still is. I know that as a mother I have a powerful voice of prayer before my Heavenly Father for my children. In His Word He speaks often of parents and grandparents and as we honor Him He honors us…in our daily lives, our daily prayers and blesses our children, their children and their children’s children(Deut. 28). So thankful for a loving God who cares for our families.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Yes, a “powerful voice of prayer.” That’s good for me to hear, Michelle, as sometimes we feel unheard as we parent teens, and I know for a fact that God hears well.

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  4. This is such grounded sound counsel, my friend. Thank you for your well-thought-out words here. I forwarded this to our daughter and daughter-in-law. Our daughter just had someone graduate from college who is off to medical school and a daughter bound for college many miles away after graduating from high school.

    Liked by 1 person

  8. Great advice, Michele. I have never been married or had children, but I do pray for other people’s children and watch them as they grow and mature. There are so many things to pray for starting before they are born, and there is no end of the things they will need throughout their lives even when they are on their own. Your boys are blessed to have a praying mom. Many don’t have that privilege. May the Lord bless you as you continue to pray for them and their futures.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Some of our family’s most faithful supporters and prayer warriors have been single women and childless couples, so I know from experience that YOU are a blessing to the people in your life.

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  10. I love your first line, Michele! So true. Congratulations to your college graduate son. You must be a good teacher both in and out of homeschool. Your children are learning to use their wings, which is what we want and pray for!

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Oh, thanks, Laurie! You can thank the editors at DG for dredging that first line out of my brain. I was going to jump right into the part about Paul, but they asked me for a story to begin with, and that’s what come of it.

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  12. It is just a few short years until I will be seeing my oldest off into the world. I know it will be here before I know it. It is such a peaceful thing to remember that they will not go alone since God goes before them.

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    1. Yes, a number of the larger sites do not have comments open, which I suppose is a way of protecting themselves, but I do miss the dialogue. Thank you for making the effort to circle back around here. I appreciate your presence.

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  16. Michele,
    I’m right there with you! We have four adult “children” and it’s such a precarious stage for them all. So many decisions to make that are shaping their future. Our prayers are the most powerful gift we can give them at this stage.
    Praying you Stay Blessed & Refreshed Today!
    ~Sherry
    xoxo

    Liked by 1 person

  17. Michele,
    I am especially praying for #2 – my children’s integrity. Right now, I am not their friend, because I am standing firm in my beliefs and will not cave to or appease their worldly viewpoints. It is really hard to be estranged from those you love with all your heart. But, God…He is able to soften their hearts. More than a relationship with me, I pray for my children to have an intimate relationship with their Lord and Savior. Great prayers for me to pray today and encouragement to help me remain strong in the Lord.
    Blessings,
    Bev xx

    Liked by 1 person

    1. Thanks, Bev, for reading here–I know this post hits on a tender spot for you, and appreciate your brave interaction. Continuing to pray along with you for your heart’s desire.

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  18. This is great, Michele! Prayer is one of the least utilized tools in the Christian toolbelt, yet it is one of the most powerful. How ironic. I love the thought you began with, “Roots and wings are the gifts Christian parents pass on to their children.” I once heard a man I have a great deal of respect for say, “Children are a message sent to a place we’ll never go.” It’s so true, isn’t it? I love the Desiring God ministry and all that they do over there. Headed over to read the rest of your post. Thanks so much for linking up at InstaEncouragements! May God bless your family!

    Liked by 1 person

  19. As a mama whose oldest child is about to move out into her own apartment this was particularly encouraging to me. Our daughter is a wonderful godly your woman and I am so delighted to see what God has in store for her in this new season of life but it is bittersweet at times. So happy to have found you via Candidly Christian this morning!

    Liked by 1 person

  20. Adult children & grandchildren add a whole new dimension to our world’s & prayer life Michele! I have 3 daughters, 3 step daughter’s & 10 grandchildren + their partners so my prayer life is very full 😉
    Bless you,
    Jennifer

    Liked by 1 person

  22. I love the opening to this post, it is true inset it we begin with giving them the roots, like a plant hoping we have planted the seed in the best soil, watered it, given it sun and nurtured and loved it enough to grow, and then we also want to give them wings and the courage to use them. I haven’t hatter to the stage yet in motherhood where mine are ready to fly, but I hope and I pray I am doing enough so when they are ready to fly they will soar. Thanks for linking up for #ABLOGGINGGOODTIME

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  23. My children are both adults now, and I’ve now realised that you never stop worrying about them and wishing the very best for them
    #abitofeverything

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