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Praying during impossible times as parents

Prayers for Parenting in Impossible Times

By Laura Kelly Fanucci | February 24, 2023

School shootings. Pandemic parenting. Racial violence, wars, natural disasters, civil unrest.Parenting right now can feel impossible. When you’re fumbling for the words to pray, our Mothering Spirit writers have powerful prayers to give voice to your deepest fears and hopes as a parent.A Prayer for Gun Violence in Schools by Kayla CraigA Benediction for Calling…

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lent parent

3 Ways to Prepare for Lent (When You’re A Parent)

By Laura Kelly Fanucci | February 17, 2023

1. Focus on what’s simple Try these 3 easy approaches for Lent: Read the details here: How To Live Lent as a Busy Mother. 2. Find a good book: for yourself and for your child Here is a list of our favorite Lenten books for children (and more ideas for Easter basket books for birth-6 years and 6-12 years). Don’t forget…

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hard days of parenting prayers

Prayers for the Hard Days of Parenting

By Laura Kelly Fanucci | February 10, 2023

Angry? Frustrated? Stressed out? We’ve been there. We’ve prayed through it, too. Here are a few words for when you feel like you’re going to lose it as a parent. 1. Breath prayers Inhale: Breathe in peace (love, hope, joy).Exhale: Breathe out fear (anger, grief, stress). Inhale: You are with me, God.Exhale: I am not…

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prayers for sick child

Prayers for When Your Child is Sick

By Laura Kelly Fanucci | February 3, 2023

1. A Breath Prayer The easiest prayers for a sick child, to pray at their bedside as you keep vigil while they are suffering. Pray one line as you breathe in and one line as you breathe out. Inhale: Heal my child, Lord. Exhale: Heal me, too. Inhale: You love my child. Exhale: Help me…

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ways to pray about phone use as parent

3 Ways to Pray about Your Phone Use as a Parent

By Laura Kelly Fanucci | January 27, 2023

Holly’s essay about video games and Meta’s blessing for a child’s first phone got us thinking about more ways to pray about technology and our families. What would you add to the list to approach our own screen time as parents from a faith perspective? 1. Pray about your own screen time 2. Make a…

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wrestling with faith as parent

3 Practical Tips When You’re Wrestling With Faith

By Laura Kelly Fanucci | January 20, 2023

1. Turn to well-worn prayers. Try these by Thomas Merton and St. Anselm of Canterbury if you need words for your wondering or wandering. 2. Pray with the story of Jacob wrestling with God. The same night [Jacob] got up and took his two wives, his two maids, and his eleven children, and crossed the ford of the…

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how to pray through birth

Want to Pray through Birth?

By Laura Kelly Fanucci | January 13, 2023

At Mothering Spirit, we believe mothers need more resources for pregnancy and birth, both the beautiful and painful parts of bringing new life into the world. Here are a few of our favorites: 1. When you’re preparing for birth Get a copy of our e-books: Prayers for Pregnancy & Prayers for Birth. The collections feature prayers for pregnancy…

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pray Epiphany mother

3 Ways to Pray through Epiphany

By Laura Kelly Fanucci | January 6, 2023

1. Light a candle before dinner tonight. Ask your kids to see if you can sit in silence together for a whole minute. Enjoy whatever moment of quiet you can get with this symbol of Christ’s light. 2. Write down one new thing you have learned about God in the past year—even a small “epiphany.”…

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pray through Christmas

3 Ways to Pray through Christmas

By Laura Kelly Fanucci | December 30, 2022

1. Pray with Luke 2:41-52 that inspired Anna’s essay. What word or phrase speaks to you as a parent here? Now every year his parents went to Jerusalem for the festival of the Passover. And when he was twelve years old, they went up as usual for the festival. When the festival was ended and they started…

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Advent ideas for families

Advent Week 4: Prayers & Practices for Parents

By Laura Kelly Fanucci | December 23, 2022

Easy Advent Practices: Week 4 Surprise neighbors with Christmas cookies. Talk with your kids about what it means to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Mark 12:31). Give your child one extra hug each day. With all the bustle and busyness of December, we can forget that the simplest practices bring the most joy. “If I have all…

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Advent practices with kids

Advent Week 3: Prayers & Practices for Parents

By Laura Kelly Fanucci | December 16, 2022

Easy Advent Practices: Week 3 This year we’re sharing easy (and free!) ways to deepen your prayer as a parent in Advent: an activity to share with your children and a Scripture verse for you to pray later.  Pray before you buy for each person on your Christmas list. Or keep a prayer list of…

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advent for parents

Advent Week 2: Prayers & Practices for Parents

By Laura Kelly Fanucci | December 9, 2022

Easy Advent Practices: Week 2 This year we’re sharing easy (and free!) ways to deepen your prayer as a parent in Advent: an activity to share with your children and a Scripture verse for you to pray later.  Print religious images to pray with. Try Google Image to find artwork with Advent themes, or check…

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