Many years ago, when my children were little, I kept a journal for each of them. I wrote down, from a mothers heart, all the things that made them who they were and how honored I was to be chosen to be their mom. I also included for each of them a prayer for the little boy or girl that they would one day fall in love with and marry.
My middle son, Bishop, was just married last week. I shared at his wedding the prayer I had written, when he was 3 years old, for his future bride. I was deeply moved and humbled to stand before his new bride, knowing that this was the little girl that I had asked God to watch over and bless. God is so good and he fulfills his promises in ways we can never fathom. God answered my prayer. His bride, Angela, is everything I prayed for and so much more. I wanted to share this excerpt from my son’s journal.
Dear Bishop,
I tucked you into bed tonight wearing your tigger pajamas, coon skin cap and tigger slippers. You insisted on wearing all of them. When I said the raccoons might come in and nibble your ears, you laughed. I love your laugh. As I left your room I thought how blessed I am to have your smile and hear your laughter everyday. This led me to think of you as a young man. How amazingly lucky is the girl that you will eventually give your heart to. She and I will have something in common. We will both know the joy of loving you. She is out there somewhere. God knows exactly who she is. This is my prayer for that little girl, my son’s bride.
Dear God,
You know the beginning and the end. You planned on us before you made the stars. There is a little girl out there that will capture my son’s heart. I know you will never take your eyes off of her. But from a mothers heart, I pray these things:
Please give her a mom that tucks her in at night and says her prayers with her, because then she will know that there is a God who loves her, cares for her and listens to her.
Please give her a mom that kisses her scrapes and cuts when she gets hurt. Because then she will know compassion when someone is hurting.
Please give her a mom that hugs her when she spills her milk or breaks something. Because then she will know what forgiveness is.
Please give her a mom that will hold her hand when she crosses the street, because then she will know how it feels to be safe in the arms of another.
Please give her a dad that will yell and scream when someone treats her unfairly, because then she will know that someone has her back and that she is worth fighting for.
Please give her a dad that tells her she is beautiful, strong and amazing, because then she will know that she is beautifully and wonderfully made by the very hand of God.
My little boy will hold my heart forever. This little girl will hold his. Keep her close to you God.
Amen