The main thing learned from this latest situation

Do you feel out of control when it comes to the decisions your kids are making?  I'm here to tell you that even if your "kids" are 32 years old, you are not helpless.  The main thing I've learned through this latest situation with Jordan is that the person who prays has the power...period.

We've never pushed our children toward the ministry - EVER.  Instilling a passion for God and faithfulness to the house of God has always been top priority, but to full time vocational ministry, absolutely not. I've always said if you can do anything else and you don't really have a divine call - don't do it!  It's too hard and you won't have the grace to do it and to say your days will be a challenge is an understatement.  But if you are called to it, there won't be anything else that satisfies. 

My role as a mother has simply been to pray that God's will would be made clear to our children, with whatever they are supposed to do.  Along with that it's my call to pray that nothing would hinder their God-given purpose being fulfilled.  

Why do I talk about prayer so much?  Because IT WORKS. 

Intercession has always been our greatest tool in parenting.  Prayer is not an afterthought - it's our main tool in the box.  We've always been blessed that our children have served God.  They all accepted Jesus at an early age.   However, there are times that they have gotten involved in situations particularly in relationships that have threatened to pull them away from a passion for Jesus and the destiny for their lives.   The enemy hates it in general when young people sell out to God with a passion and He will put people and situations in their lives to distract them from their purpose.  Just as God can and does put people in our lives to move us toward our destiny, so the enemy does the opposite.   I believe it is even greater with PK's because spiritual warfare is much worse in a pastor's home.

Seeing your adult children set free from situations and relationships that negatively affect destiny has to be handled very delicately or you will push them even further away into the arms of the enemy.   When the boys were younger we laid down rules that kept them away from such things as much as possible.  When they were under 18 and I saw things that were a danger to them, I just said no.  Once they turned of age and made these decisions for themselves we had to pray and fast things or even people out or into their lives.  Both Dustin and Jordan faced situations that were a pull away from the call from God they were sensing.  We prayed constantly for their release from any situation that would affect their destiny in a negative way.  God has been faithful and the victory won through intercession.  

I attribute all that has transpired with Jordan to the power of prayer.  Turning to God is the only answer for our children.   I have tried my best to be a good parent, but despite that I have made a lot of mistakes.  It's this way with most parents - we are only  human.  But prayer covers a multitude of mistakes.(Tons of love doesn't hurt either, as the Bible says love covers a multitude of sins, but that's another post for another day.)

If you are reading this today and you are a parent I beg you to get the book, The Power of a Praying Parent, by Stormie Omartian.  This book has been an invaluable resource to me in parenting and makes a perfect guide to praying for your kids if you don't know where to start.  If your children are adults and you think it's too late because you are beyond their formative years and think  you  have no control, think again!  You can see great change through prayer and I highly recommend Stormie's book, The Power of Praying for Your Adult Children. 

Speaking of prayer and our children, Savanna is becoming quite the prophetic intercessor.  She doesn't understand it all and wouldn't even put that label on herself and would probably be mortified that I'm doing it!   A while back I became concerned about something with one of the boys and Savanna could sense it.  She came to me and said, "Mom, don't worry about it.  God already told me it's over."   Just a few weeks after she told me that, the word she received came to pass!!  It's been about a year now that she has come to us repeatedly telling us God has told her certain things.  I must admit although a believer in all the gifts some of the things she told us seemed impossible.   However she was right each time!  Interestingly enough, Monday night she set her alarm to get up with us at to see Jordan off  at MEPS.  Once I knew he wasn't going on Tuesday morning I went to tell her that he wasn't going and she could just continue to sleep.  She said, "Oh I already know, Mom.  I shut my alarm off a while ago."  I said, "how did you know, honey?"  She said, "I was crying last night when I was laying in my bed, realizing that Jordan was leaving in the morning and would never be living with us at home again.  It hit me that he was going to be gone.  Then Jesus spoke to me and said, "Savanna, don't cry.  It's alright, because he's not leaving."  So I shut my alarm off and stopped crying and went to sleep. 

Whatever the situation your kids are in, it is NOT hopeless because of PRAYER.  Proverbs 21:1 tells us that He has turned the heart of kings.  He can certainly turn the heart of your child.  He can change a situation that previously looked like a done deal.  He can change the situation even if they are an adult.  He can change the situation even if they have signed papers.  He can change the situation even if a ring is on their finger.  He can change the situation even if the police came to your door.   He can change the situation even if you don't know where they are right now.  

If a Mom decides to pray her kid might as well give up right now, and if Mom and grandma both decide to pray, it's all over but the shouting!