This morning, I held Jackson as I gently woke him and climbed into bed beside him. He nestled his sleep-warmed body into my arms and dozed back off to dreamland for just a little longer.
I closed my eyes and started praying, thinking of his future. As I sometimes do, I imagined his future wife and asked God to bless her and prepare her heart for Jackson’s love. I thought about her parents and prayed they are modeling a covenant marriage for her. And then statistics came to mind, and I remembered a majority of marriages end in divorce. And then I thought of how so many people I know aren’t married but are raising children outside of marriage. Or maybe they’ve been widowed or orphaned or any number of things Jackson’s Future Wife might be growing up experiencing. And I thought about that sweet, unknown girl and the grief that could be barraging her on this very day. Or maybe today is one of joy. Yes, God, let that be it today! (And I don’t even know her, but I can’t wait to!)
I asked God to let His will be done for Future Wife, knowing that even the deepest dysfunction can be used for His glory. Instead of praying for her parents’ marriage (which I still do), my heart changed and I started praying for Future Wife’s character. I asked God to give her two things: passion and patience.
When I say passion, I don’t mean sexual passion or a fiery personality. The kind of passion I’m asking God to instill in her is a passion to know Him. A passion that chases after God before it ever looks to the heart of a man for fulfillment. I pray that Future Wife has a love affair with her Redeemer before she ever lays eyes on my son. And if she takes the long route to finding Jesus (like yours truly), then I pray her passion is tempered with a curiosity to learn more about the world – because I believe that knowing more about the world will lead you to knowing its Creator.
I also pray for Future Wife’s patience. While I want her to be full of life and spunk, I also know she will require immense heapings of patience in order to temper my son’s tenacity. It’s a tall order, but I know firsthand that it IS possible; my marriage is a reflection of that!
Today, Father, will you bless the people who will impact my son – whether it’s today or ten years from now or even fifty? The ones who haven’t been born, and the ones who have but we haven’t yet met. I know that You are planting seeds today that will grow and ripen and produce fruit for Your kingdom. I pray for Jackson’s future sweetheart and ask You to place people in her life who will help her know You better. I pray for Jackson’s relationships with family and friends and teachers and leaders. May they be people who magnify You, even if they never speak Your name out loud. Help me and Dan to raise a son who is hungry for Your word and aching for Your presence in his life. Thank You for blessing us with a boy who is precious and lively! Amen.
1 comment:
I loved reading this! Its so wonderful that you pray for your little boy's future wife. I feel like you love that little girl wherever she may be and who ever she may be already! I loved when you said this "knowing that even the deepest dysfunction can be used for His glory". There's a scripture I really like that says "I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them." I think the dysfunctions we have help us grow closer to God and can eventually become a strength that truly does glorify God. Keep praying for her and your little ones, I know the prayers my mom said have helped me my whole life. "There are few things more powerful than the faithful prayers of a righteous mother."-Boyd K. Packer
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