This post is written by a sweet friend of mine, Tanya. Her heart beats with mine in her love for our children and teens. Her ministry of prayer challenges me -- I hope it does you, too.
There is no greater message of pain that needs to be shared and acted upon than the turmoil of our broken children. They need a voice. They need prayer. And most of all, they need Jesus. ~Tanya Allison
I realized the need was far greater than I could bear alone. I felt God calling me to start a prayer group. I did so on Facebook through its messaging system and eventually created a private Facebook group where we could all "meet" on a weekly basis. It started with a handful of friends that has grown into a group of 8 wonderful ladies and myself.
Avis Blowers
Rachel Mayhle
Ruth Glick
Noni Knapp
Patricia Miles
Donna Harvey
Linda Kelley
Judith Babilonia
Every Wednesday I post a new list, rotating the children as best I can between the ladies and myself, minus one who prays for special requests that arise at any given time. Upon joining the group, each lady submitted the number of children they would commit to praying for each week. There are 150+ children and teens on our list, but this number is ever growing. We pray for 40 children per week. So each child is being prayed for one week approximately every month.
Because I am Facebook friends with many of the teens on our list, I have gotten a great deal of insight into the lives of these teens and the sad state of "our children." The things I have seen are heart-wrenching. Until we reach into the lives of the children around us, in our public schools, our neighborhoods, our communities, we cannot understand the grave state "our children" are in.
Because I am Facebook friends with many of the teens on our list, I have gotten a great deal of insight into the lives of these teens and the sad state of "our children." The things I have seen are heart-wrenching. Until we reach into the lives of the children around us, in our public schools, our neighborhoods, our communities, we cannot understand the grave state "our children" are in.
I'll be honest, it's painful to go there, to open your eyes to the struggles, family issues, and heartbreak that many children and teens face on a daily basis. Until you share in what these children are going through, you simply cannot imagine it.
In the words of Jeremiah the prophet,
"Arise, cry out in the night: in the beginning of the watches pour out thine heart like water before the face of the Lord: lift up thy hands toward Him for the life of thy young children, that faint for hunger in the top of every street" (Lamentations 2:19 KJV).
Our children today ARE HUNGRY -- hungry for love, hungry for someone to listen, to care, hungry for a voice that will direct them in the way they should go...into the arms of Jesus.
"Broken Seed"
I see the sadness in their eyes,
I hear their deafening silent cries,
I feel that pain that overflows,
Inside their heart that no one knows.
To every tear I hold a jar,
And match each one beside its scar,
There is not one who slips my gaze,
I know their thoughts, I know their ways.
I count the pieces of each break,
My own heart broken by their ache,
I see the ones who pass them by,
I hear their muted cries of, "Why?"
I know the wounds that will not heal,
I see them "cut" so they won't feel,
I hear the words that make them bleed,
I look upon your broken seed...
And write this message loud and clear,
Your children cry, but you won't hear,
You've turned your back on them and me,
Admit your sin and you will see...
The deafening cries that reach my ears,
Of broken ones undone by tears.
I wait with love for your remorse,
To turn to me and change their course.
-Jesus
I see the sadness in their eyes,
I hear their deafening silent cries,
I feel that pain that overflows,
Inside their heart that no one knows.
To every tear I hold a jar,
And match each one beside its scar,
There is not one who slips my gaze,
I know their thoughts, I know their ways.
I count the pieces of each break,
My own heart broken by their ache,
I see the ones who pass them by,
I hear their muted cries of, "Why?"
I know the wounds that will not heal,
I see them "cut" so they won't feel,
I hear the words that make them bleed,
I look upon your broken seed...
And write this message loud and clear,
Your children cry, but you won't hear,
You've turned your back on them and me,
Admit your sin and you will see...
The deafening cries that reach my ears,
Of broken ones undone by tears.
I wait with love for your remorse,
To turn to me and change their course.
-Jesus
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19 comments:
Prayer definitely changes things and we always need more prayer warriors. I am glad you all are doing this.
This was so beautiful. What a wonderful ministry you have. Yes, our young people need our prayers - they are assaulted by this fallen world on a daily basis. And they need Jesus.
And, that poem - I have tears in my eyes.
GOD BLESS!
How perfect it was for you to form a group of wonderful ladies to pray! It's so much better to DO something instead of just complaining about the situation, or sitting still while your heart is breaking. I hope you will keep us updated on the little ones you are praying for, and how the prayer has touched you.
How grateful I am for the privelege of prayer! Also wanted to come by and say thank you for the winning cook book! Your blog is always a blessing!
Thank you, Lynda!
Thank you so much, Sharon!
Thank you very much, Ceil!
Prayer truly is a privilege!
Thanks for touching my heart.
That is very inspiring. I include too in my prayers the children and the youth. That is we all need to do. Bless you sister:)
Thats great! I love it to read. You give me inspiration. To pray ...
Oh, this makes my heart weep. I am so thankful that Tanya has started the FB page for women to pray. Definitely a work from the Lord. Also, thank you for sharing in the link-up...I pray many will see your writing and blog and grow deeper in their walk with the Lord Jesus!
That's wonderful! They need it desperately! Bless you, Joy!
<3
Thank you for your comment, Jacqueline <3
So needed! I started working in the schools and can't blog about things I see due to privacy issues but my heart breaks. I have had my eyes opened and have cried many times over the hurt I see the kids going through and the helplessness I feel. I am only in the Kindergarten class and it has left me feeling overwhelmed I can't imagine what the older kids are facing. I often find myself saying a prayer for them as the day begins or as I answer a raised hand or put a band-aid on an "imagined hurt" they need each prayer said on their behalf....and hugging my own children a little closer each night!
It is terribly heartbreaking! We have one boy, who just turned 17 who sometimes sleeps on the streets because he doesn't want to go home. Some of our teens turned to drugs as 7th & 8th graders and are now in highschool dealing with the devastation of their own addictions. Several have father's who have walked out on them and the pain of that leaves them feeling worthless, unlovable, unwanted. Many are verbally abused. Many of our teen girls and have turned to "cutting" in order to not feel their emotional pain. And many, because they feel so unloved in their home, seek unhealthy destructive "love" from the opposite or same sex to try to fill their emptiness. And the way our teens treat one another is a whole other story in itself. They are so angry! It's beyond sad!
It is terribly heartbreaking! We have one boy, who just turned 17 who sometimes sleeps on the streets because he doesn't want to go home. Some of our teens turned to drugs as 7th & 8th graders and are now in highschool dealing with the devastation of their own addictions. Several have father's who have walked out on them and the pain of that leaves them feeling worthless, unlovable, unwanted. Many are verbally abused. Many of our teen girls and have turned to "cutting" in order to not feel their emotional pain. And many, because they feel so unloved in their home, seek unhealthy destructive "love" from the opposite or same sex to try to fill their emptiness. And the way our teens treat one another is a whole other story in itself. They are so angry! It's beyond sad!
I pray for our youth! Although my own children are good decent kids, two with college educations, two getting there and one with a good work ethic, I don't like the way they speak to each other at times. Young people today think everyone considered a call down is funny and the name calling makes me so sad. My children are blessed to have wonderful parents but all kids are not so fortunate. I am sad for our world today and the kids who deal with bullies and all the other sad things filling our society. I am praying with you. Thank you.
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