The Power of Prayer

Over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, the children’s team would encourage GA, RA, and CA leaders to focus on encouraging children to pray for workers, their community, and their families. Consider using some of these prayer ideas to share with children and families as you reach out them during this time.

Each month, we learn about missionaries who show true courage, determination, and obedience to God. This is an opportunity for children to learn how to put these characteristics into practice in their own lives through prayer. God’s power is evident in the lives of the missionaries who depend on Him each day. Their testimonies attest to the power of prayer. Guide children to see the power of prayer and how God keeps His promises as they pray effectively for others.

• Stand-up Silhouette—Guide children to cut out a simple person outline. Instruct children to decorate the outline and add the word courage. On the back, they should write the name of someone who has been bullied. Help children use a clip clothespin to make the silhouette “stand.” Encourage children to take the person home to pray for the “bully” situation each day. Pray for God to help the person they are praying for to “take a stand” and have courage.
  
  
• Prayer by Letter—Guide each child to write the letters of his or her first name down one side of a file card or piece of paper. Challenge children to try to come up with positive words for each letter to pray for themselves or a friend. (Ex: J-O-H-N; Joy, Obey, Hope, News.)
  
  
• Smile a Prayer—Have each child make five “smile” cards from yellow paper or yellow dot stickers. Instruct them to write Smile, I prayed for you today on each one. Suggest they find five friends for whom to pray and encourage this week and to give a card to each person.
  
  
• Pass a Prayer Baton—Instruct children to use a half sheet of white paper and write the message Please pray for people in darkness to hear about Jesus. Add a large black circle or square at the end. Show how to roll the paper into a tight “baton” (May roll around a pencil.) Tape or tie with string. Tell children to pass the prayer “baton” to someone else to pray.
  
  
• Prayer Packet—Write missionaries’ prayer requests on a 6- or 8-inch square piece of paper. When complete, fold each corner to the center of the square. Before sealing with a sticker or piece of tape, invite children to stand in a square formation and pray for the requests listed. Then seal and share with someone in your church family.
  
  
• Practice Prayers—Before prayertime, allow each child to choose several grains of rice from a small container. Place a clear cup or vase in the middle of the room, preferably small. Say: Sometimes we may feel that our prayers are not important and as small as a grain of rice. Once we finish praying today, notice how quickly our prayers add up to more than one prayer. Guide children to say simple sentence prayers, placing the rice in the clear container. Show how prayers add up quickly when finished.

by Judith K. Moore