James 5:16
...The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much.
Tonight I am co-hosting a small couples baby shower for some special friends in our church. This couple had a baby a couple of years ago who died at age 7 months, then a subsequent miscarriage. Tonight's shower is specifically a Baby Shower of Prayer. Whenever I'm involved with a shower I like to make prayer cards for the baby and the couple. Long after the baby clothes are outgrown, diapers used up or items stained or broken, prayer is a lifelong gift that really does keep on giving.
I print out at least a dozen prayer verses evenly on cardstock and cut them in similar-sized rectangles. I have done this many times so I tend to use the same template, occasionally adding another prayer as the Lord brings it to mind. I've gone through passages of Scripture and personalized a Bible verse as a starting point for each prayer. The cards are distributed to the guests and each prays the verse sometimes with an additional topic of their choice. I change the pronouns in each verse so that the child's name or the parents' names are in each prayer.
Afterwards, the person who prayed from that prayer card, signs the back of the card and returns it to me. I have pre-punched small holes in a corner of each card to string them together with blue or pink ribbon. Then I put them in a small box for the family along with a note to the child to read when he is older telling him what was prayed for him even when in his mother's womb. An example from my prayer cards for tonight:
I print out at least a dozen prayer verses evenly on cardstock and cut them in similar-sized rectangles. I have done this many times so I tend to use the same template, occasionally adding another prayer as the Lord brings it to mind. I've gone through passages of Scripture and personalized a Bible verse as a starting point for each prayer. The cards are distributed to the guests and each prays the verse sometimes with an additional topic of their choice. I change the pronouns in each verse so that the child's name or the parents' names are in each prayer.
Afterwards, the person who prayed from that prayer card, signs the back of the card and returns it to me. I have pre-punched small holes in a corner of each card to string them together with blue or pink ribbon. Then I put them in a small box for the family along with a note to the child to read when he is older telling him what was prayed for him even when in his mother's womb. An example from my prayer cards for tonight:
Psalm 119:9-11
How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word.
We pray that ____ would seek you with all his heart.
Do not let him wander from Your commandments.
Help him to treasure Your word in his heart,that he may not sin against You.
This prayer time personalized for the baby to be born is a very tender time at baby showers and usually much appreciated by the parents. I love doing it especially at large showers where the focus usually shifts to the gifts received or the friends who are attending. Try it at your next baby shower.
NOTE: You could also adapt this idea for a bridal shower. I have not done that yet, but it would be relatively easy to do with a Bible software or a good Christian marriage book as your reference.
NOTE: You could also adapt this idea for a bridal shower. I have not done that yet, but it would be relatively easy to do with a Bible software or a good Christian marriage book as your reference.
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