I Pray You Enough

Recently a friend sent me a wonderful email about prayer. It's the story of a conversation between a mother and daughter. As they said their good-byes at the airport, they embraced and the mother said, “I love you, and I pray you enough.”

When later questioned by one who had overheard the conversation, she shared that “praying you enough” was a prayer her family had prayed for generations. I have been reflecting on this prayer and its meaning ever since.

As we approach July 4 th , the day that America declared her independence from England , I have also been thinking about our founding fathers. Researching George Washington, Ben Franklin, Thomas Jefferson and others, I am reminded of the freedoms we enjoy and the rights we have been given by our Declaration of Independence and Constitution that have made our country great. But most of all I am reminded of the God who made it all possible.

As I reread the Declaration of Independence and study the history of that time I am more and more convinced that the founding fathers were endowed with great wisdom by God. Most of them were men of great faith. They were educated well read and students of John Locke, Cicero, Adam Smith, and Charles Montesquieu. Reflecting upon what they went through, the decisions made, the sacrifices suffered, has given me much pause for thought.

As a result, I have written my own “I pray you enough” prayer for you and for our grandchildren in honor of and in celebration for our freedom and the men and women who made it all possible. It goes like this:

    I pray you enough faith, to draw you to the God of life

    I pray you enough love, to keep you safe from strife.

    I pray you enough hope, to touch the throne of grace

    I pray you enough courage, to seek him face to face.

    I pray you enough life-experience, of which to testify

    I pray you enough integrity, so that you will never lie.

    I pray you enough ears, to hear his call and might

    I pray you enough diligence, to keep him in your sight.

    I pray you enough voice to sing to him your praise

    I pray you enough strength, to stand firm through these days.

    I pray you enough sight, so that your eyes might see

    I pray you enough pruning, to keep you on your knees.

    I pray you enough curiosity, the pearl of treasure found

    I pray you enough prayer, to stand on holy ground.

    I pray you enough years, in order to give back

    I pray you enough wisdom, to not stray or go off track

    I pray you enough discernment, to know of right and wrong

    I pray you enough boldness, to make your faith stand strong.

    I pray you enough perseverance, to reach the Promised Land

    I pray you enough humility, to hold Jesus by the hand.

    I pray you enough freedom, to be able to forgive,

    I pray you enough equality, so that you're not afraid to live.

    I pray you enough words, that truth you may confess

    In thanksgiving for life and liberty, may you pursue your happiness.

    I declare these truths to you, gifts given by the Lord

    Self evident and endowed, may you defend with might and sword.

With our country and history in danger of being revised and rewritten, I encourage all grandmothers to take a stand for freedom. Study history. Learn it. Memorize it. Shout it from the rooftops. And pray very hard for our children and grandchildren, that they may enjoy that which we have been so privileged to enjoy.

On this July 4 th I pray you enough courage to step out and hold our liberty high for the entire world to see. A gift given by many to be passed on to even many more.

Many blessings and God bless you. And may God continue to bless America .

Marty Norman is a wife, mother, and grandmother, who lives in Fort Worth , Texas . She is the author of “Generation G – Advice for Savvy Grandmothers Who Will Never Go Gray.”