My prayer for my (future) child is really my prayer for every person on this earth. Maybe that sounds strange or not special enough. But if God chooses to bless me with children someday I recognize that they will not be mine, they are just entrusted to my care for a short time. We are all His children. And because of that my prayer for all of us is the same.

I pray you know and feel just how much our great God loves you, that you root your identity in who you are as a loved child of God redeemed by grace. And you live in the freedom that comes through that.

I pray you have enough pain to keep you humble. Yes, I said I pray you have pain. I can promise you will have pain and heartache and disappointment and suffering. I can promise that because Jesus promised that for each of us. But may God give you peace in the truth that in our weakness He is glorifies.

I pray you also have success through which God’s glory shines. May you be bold and courageous enough to live in the place of God margin. The place where miracles happen. Where dreams are big and ideas are crazy. And you have friends who encourage you and will even dream big with you. The place where God’s power and faithfulness comes to life.

May God bless you with community that holds you accountable and encourages you. And that loves you just as you are. But also loves you so much they don’t let you stay where you are. Know that those people will not be perfect. That they will let you down. But be courageous enough to risk vulnerability because in the end that is what strengthens community.

I pray God gives you compassion and breaks your heart for His people. May you know that whatever your gifts and skill set is you can do “ministry.” You are uniquely gifted to serve the Kingdom. Embrace that.

And when all is said and done, I pray that you know that it really is as simple as loving God and loving others. And that you live that out. Love hard and love well knowing it will be messy and painful at times but that it’s worth it.

This is the eighth post in a series of twenty. For more on the background, check out this post.