This is my granddaughter Jadyn when she was a small child.
During that period as I experienced some very deep emotional struggles, Jadyn had a powerful impact on my life. Here is the story.
Jadyn was a prayer warrior. She wouldn’t let you eat a peanut unless you prayed first. One day I had to stop her from choking the dog because he started gobbling his food without praying. (Please don’t feel badly toward her. She was choking him in Christian love.)
Jadyn was unable to say “Amen.” The closest she could come was “All the men.” So that’s how she closed every prayer… “In Jesus’ name, All the men”
One very difficult day we packed my three granddaughters in the back seat as I headed to get help from the doctor. I had said nothing to any of my grandchildren about the emotional stress I was going through or why we were going to the doctor, but evidently children are more aware than we know.
As we drove in silence, Jadyn’s little voice drifted from the back seat. “I think we need to pray for Grandpa.” With that, she made her older sisters hold hands and began to pray.
“Dear God. Please don’t let grandpa be afraid. Help him to think of bunnies and rainbows and happy faces. Don’t let my grandpa forget about Jesus. Please don’t let him be afraid… All the men.”
That little prayer was the beginning of my healing.
The very next day my friend Chonda Pierce called to tell me I had been on her mind. She didn’t know what was going on, but felt compelled to read this passage of scripture to me:
Don’t be afraid, I’ve redeemed you.
I’ve called your name. You’re mine
When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you.
When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down.
When you’re between a rock and a hard place, it won’t be a dead end.
Because I am God, your personal God,
The Holy of Israel, your Savior.
I paid a huge price for you:
All of Egypt, with rich and Cush and Seba thrown in!
That’s how much you mean to me!
That’s how much I love you!
I’d sell the whole world to get you back, trade creation just for you.
So don’t be afraid. I’m with you. (Isaiah 43 The Message)
Notice the similarity of this scripture to the essence of Jadyn’s prayer. I now have this passage framed and hanging in my home.
Has the prayer of a child or friend ever impacted you?
Do you believe God can use the prayer of a child to touch a life?[reminder]
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Years later Jadyn would impact our lives again when she walked away from a campsite and was lost in the wilderness of Colorado. Every day we thank God that she was rescued and still brings joy to our lives.
You can read the blog post of that adventure here.
The book and DVD that tell the story can be found here.
“May you have a blessed day. All the men!”
Comments
She’s beautiful inside and out, Ken! Faith like a child – if we all would only hold onto that and quit trying to figure everything out. Thanks for sharing.
What a wonderful tale about Jadyn. Children can really bring us back to where we need to be… in the arms of Jesus.
I wrote a blog about an answered prayer– it was a request made by my young daughter for a baby brother. The story is funny and heart-warming. You can find it at [email protected]. It’s titled: “His Name is Ben”.