Saturday Story Time – Contagious Authenticity – Prayer

 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. 1 John 3:18 NIV

Pam and I have been doing some, actually, a lot of deep cleaning. We have been uncovering memories in the form of pictures, papers, toys, books and more. I found one book that I thought Jimbob and Wally should re-read as it was instrumental with our own children. Teach Your Children to Pray by Keith Wooden.

The first chapter introduces the concept of Contagious Authenticity. This idea agrees with the axiom that “things are caught much easier than taught.” In other words, your children will learn to pray easier by following your example rather than books and lectures about praying.

When prayer is a regular practice for you to do throughout all of your day, your children will notice that God is always present. When you turn and talk to God quickly about events as they happen, your child will learn God’s accessibility. When you pray at other times beside scheduled meal times, your child will learn to invite God into all activities of life. When you reveal what God has been saying to you, your child will learn how God speaks and wants to dialogue with you.

If you were blessed with parents who prayed in front of you beyond meal time and bedtime prayers, you have a better understanding of “contagious authenticity”.  If not, then you can begin the practice for your own children. 

Contagious authenticity for prayer will include the following plus more:

• Verbalized prayer – kids need to hear your voice.
• Engaged emotions in prayer – appropriate times of joy, tears, laughter, and reverence.
• Honest appeals – asking for God’s help and wisdom when you truly don’t know the answer or when He will give the answer develops faith and trust.
• Questions and answers – reveals how God speaks back to you in a dialogue of talking to God.
• Vulnerability – We all approach God as children, so you child stands equal with youth voice prayers.

Perfect praying is not the goal of contagious authenticity. It is to teach your child that God is always approachable, He listens and He speaks back to each of us. 

What was your childhood experience regarding prayer? Who did you model your prayer life after? Who taught you what the voice of God sounds like? Answering these questions will help you understand how contagious authenticity impacted you.

Have fun interacting with God all day long

Blessings Love y’all