A Simple Way to Connect With Adult Children Through Prayer

We all want ways to connect with our young adults, right? I mean, as parents we are in this funky land of “moving to the bleachers” in our parenting. I wanted to share a simple way to connect with adult children through prayer.

While Claire was out serving her mission I felt so far away. I mean, she was in Australia for crying out loud, and that is FAR! Not only was she far away, but she had times of struggle, as most missionaries do. Oh there are beautiful highs in missionary work to be sure. But there are also pretty devastating lows. Missionary work is tough. And guess, what? As most missionary mamas out there can attest, being a missionary mama is tough too. So I wanted to share a really special way I found to connect with her while she was away.

Because I’ve found it works not only when our young adults are far away serving missions. It can help even when your young adult moves down the street.

A Simple Way to Connect With Adult Children Through Prayer

It is a way to connect through prayer.

Because sometimes all you can do is just pray your guts out. Wrestle with God to let the right “angels” cross your childs’ path. Please lift them in the ways you may not even know they need to be lifted.

It is really good practice in letting go.

There was one time when Claire was in the midst of a “low” when I was scrambling for ways to connect. Not only with her, but with God. And an idea popped in my mind.

Prayers for Claire

I set my alarm on my phone to ring at 9:00pm every evening. I figured it was a time I wouldn’t be sleeping, but also that wouldn’t most likely be in the middle of the “to-dos” of the day. Each time that alarm went off, I stopped what I was doing and offered up a special prayer for Claire.

If I was with my kids or with Dave, we all stopped. “Prayers for Claire” became just part of my daily practice.

Some evenings I could kneel right down and offer up an uninterrupted, fervent prayer. Other times I was driving or at an event or in the middle of who-knows-what, those prayers were quick and whispered.

But no matter what was happening or in which manner I was able to send up a prayer, that moment each day helped me feel connection even when we couldn’t talk. It gave me a second to remember her. To feel for her. To send energy and so much love her way.

And I loved it.

What Happened when Claire got home?

Well, that daily alarm kept going off. And I couldn’t bear to turn it off forever. I mean, it was such a special way to feel connected even when we couldn’t be together.

So I decided to keep this little motherhood connection idea going.

Every night that alarm still goes off. And when it does, I offer up a little prayer for whichever kid I’m worried about. Or I send up all my gratitude for these kids of mine.

I use that one small moment each day to connect with God and either plea for angels, help, remedies or to spill out love.

Nine o’clock has become a pretty holy moment for me, and I love it.