1. A Heart of Gratitude

The Bible teaches us that having an attitude of gratitude is important. Being thankful for what we have and all that the Lord has done for us is so important. Have conversations with your grandchildren frequently about what you are thankful for, what the Lord has done, and what you are trusting him to do in your life. Encourage them to be thankful for everything in their lives, no matter how big or small.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for my grandchildren. They are the light of my life. Please help me be an example of gratitude to them. Help them appreciate everything in their lives, no matter how big or small. Amen.

2. Strengthening Family Bonds

Family bonds are important, especially at Christmas time. However, sometimes families struggle with unity and love during the holiday season. Divorced parents, family conflicts, and other issues can cause this. Pray for the parents and other adults in your family to put their differences aside and have a peaceful, civil holiday season for the grandchildren. If this is not possible, pray for your grandchildren to have God’s peace and comfort this holiday season.

Prayer: Dear Lord, I pray for our family this holiday season. Let everyone get along, or at least be civil, as we gather to celebrate you and spend time with each other. I ask that you soften hearts and help people remember that there are children around. Help us have nothing but love and unity within our family during this festive holiday season. Amen.

3. Health and Well-Being

The health and well-being of your grandchildren is important, and with the holidays come the ‘sick season’ and ‘stress season’. Make sure your grandchildren take every precaution possible to ward off sickness, like eating healthier, getting the flu shot, and getting enough sleep.

Stress also increases during the holiday season. Parents are rushing around, dragging kids to shopping, parties, and family gatherings, and letting them stay up later than usual. These things lead to more stress because their schedules are all out of whack. As a former daycare teacher, I’ve seen this hundreds of times. Keeping kids on a regular schedule, especially during the holidays, is critically important for everyone to get through the season healthy and happy.

Prayer: Dear Lord, I pray over my grandchildren right now. Please keep them from sickness and stress during this hectic season. Help their parents keep them on a regular schedule as much as possible, and if they have to keep them out a little later, help them discern their limits and know when it’s time to go home. I ask that you will help my adult children during this crazy holiday season to be the best parents they can be despite all the distractions. In your name I pray. Amen.

4. Guidance and Wisdom

We live in a world where guidance and wisdom can become very blurry in our grandchildren’s lives. A variety of influences surrounds them every day, and their friends’ guidance and wisdom may not align with your family values or beliefs. Therefore, praying for divine direction in their decisions and choices is so important.

Take some time this Christmas to talk to your grandkids about making good choices and asking God for direction in making those choices. Share stories from your life about when you weren’t sure what to do and how God came through and showed you the way to go forward or the answer that you needed. Ask them about the areas they struggle with and pray with them about making those decisions.

Encourage them to seek God and others for wisdom in the following ways:

-Prayer and meditation

-Studying the Bible

-Listening to their intuition

-Seeking counsel from an adult to talk things out

Prayer: Dear Lord, please help my grandchildren with the decisions they make. They live in a chaotic, dark world where what you say is good is bad, and the things you forbid are good. It’s easy for a child to be confused about what to do or say due to pressure from peers and society. Please give my grandchildren the discernment to hear your voice and the courage to make the decisions that please you. Amen.

5. Developing Character and Kindness

Kids these days are cruel. Therefore, it’s important to teach your grandkids about character, kindness, empathy, and compassion. Teach them to be kind to the outcasts, to stand up for those who are being bullied, and to have empathy for those going through difficult situations. Their character and kindness will make a world of difference.

Prayer: Dear Lord, I ask that you help me be an example of character, kindness, empathy, and compassion for my grandchildren. Help them grow in these important virtues so that they can be more like you and less like the world. I pray that they will make a difference in the world, having a ripple effect in their sphere of influence, one act of kindness at a time. Help them do what’s right in all situations. In Your Name I pray. Amen.

6. Spiritual Growth

Christmas is all about our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Pray that your grandkids will develop a deeper relationship with faith and a greater understanding of God. To help them do this, you can buy young kids a children’s Bible, buy a children’s devotional to accompany your older grandchildren when they study the Bible, or buy a Bible for your older grandchildren and highlight your favorite verses and passages, and write heartfelt notes and wisdom in the margins.

Prayer: Dear Lord, I pray for the spiritual growth of my grandchildren this Christmas. Draw them to you and light a fire in their hearts to know you better. Open their minds and hearts to your Word and speak to them in a way that is unique to them. In your name I pray. Amen.

7. Joy and Safety During the Holidays

The holiday season is filled with fun activities, such as sledding, skiing, baking, cooking, and playing outside in the snow. Even though these activities are fun, sometimes things happen that can jeopardize safety. Take time to pray for peace and security for your grandkids during this busy season.

Prayer: Dear Lord, please be with my grandchildren as they navigate this busy holiday season. It’s full of fun things to do, but sometimes safety isn’t the first thing kids think of. I pray you will be with them everywhere they go and that they will have peace and security in everything they do this season. Amen.

Photo credit: ©GettyImages/10'000 Hours

8. Friendships and Community Connections

‘Tis the season for getting together with friends, family, and community. It’s important to support your grandkids' relationships with their friends and encourage positive interactions. Kids can be extra tired and crabby this time of year, which can lead to misunderstandings, hurt feelings, and the boiling over of emotions. This isn’t always the case, but sometimes when kids aren’t on their regular schedule, things can happen.

Prayer: Dear Lord, I pray for my grandchildren and their friends this busy holiday season. Please help them have a fun season in all they do, and be mindful of each other if they aren’t feeling well or are tired. And if there is anything I can do to help, please reveal it to me. Help them have a joyous season with their friends and those they connect with in the community. Amen.

9. Dreams and Aspirations

Supporting our grandchildren’s dreams and aspirations is extremely important. Kids want to know you love and support them no matter what. Regardless of whether they want to be a doctor, lawyer, electrician, welder, writer, or artist. All occupations are worthy of being pursued. All you can do is pray that the Lord will lead them on the right career path and that he will bless them as they explore their passions and pursue their goals.

Prayer: Dear Lord, I pray for my grandchildren’s dreams and aspirations. I know that you have a path and a purpose for each of them, and I ask that you will reveal it to them as clearly as possible. I know that sometimes we need to take different paths to find out what we are truly meant to do, and I pray that you will be with them and guide them all the way. Amen.

10. Expressions of Love and Generosity

This is a great time to encourage expressions of love and generosity and to be an example to your grandchildren. Donate to a favorite charity, buy a meal for a homeless person, or take them to serve at a food pantry or soup kitchen. Bake together and then deliver goodies to your neighbors and friends.

Prayer: Dear Lord, help me be an example of love and generosity this season, no matter how big or small. Let my grandchildren see that every act of kindness makes a difference, from the thousand-dollar donation to the fast-food meal given to a homeless person. That the size of the generosity doesn’t matter, only that it’s done with love. In your name I pray. Amen.

In this season of peace and love, pray over your grandchildren and trust that God will be with them in this hectic holiday season.

1. A Heart of Gratitude

The Bible teaches us that having an attitude of gratitude is important. Being thankful for what we have and all that the Lord has done for us is so important. Have conversations with your grandchildren frequently about what you are thankful for, what the Lord has done, and what you are trusting him to do in your life. Encourage them to be thankful for everything in their lives, no matter how big or small.

Prayer: Dear Lord, thank you for my grandchildren. They are the light of my life. Please help me be an example of gratitude to them. Help them appreciate everything in their lives, no matter how big or small. Amen.

2. Strengthening Family Bonds

Family bonds are important, especially at Christmas time. However, sometimes families struggle with unity and love during the holiday season. Divorced parents, family conflicts, and other issues can cause this. Pray for the parents and other adults in your family to put their differences aside and have a peaceful, civil holiday season for the grandchildren. If this is not possible, pray for your grandchildren to have God’s peace and comfort this holiday season.

Prayer: Dear Lord, I pray for our family this holiday season. Let everyone get along, or at least be civil, as we gather to celebrate you and spend time with each other. I ask that you soften hearts and help people remember that there are children around. Help us have nothing but love and unity within our family during this festive holiday season. Amen.

3. Health and Well-Being

The health and well-being of your grandchildren is important, and with the holidays come the ‘sick season’ and ‘stress season’. Make sure your grandchildren take every precaution possible to ward off sickness, like eating healthier, getting the flu shot, and getting enough sleep.

Stress also increases during the holiday season. Parents are rushing around, dragging kids to shopping, parties, and family gatherings, and letting them stay up later than usual. These things lead to more stress because their schedules are all out of whack. As a former daycare teacher, I’ve seen this hundreds of times. Keeping kids on a regular schedule, especially during the holidays, is critically important for everyone to get through the season healthy and happy.

Prayer: Dear Lord, I pray over my grandchildren right now. Please keep them from sickness and stress during this hectic season. Help their parents keep them on a regular schedule as much as possible, and if they have to keep them out a little later, help them discern their limits and know when it’s time to go home. I ask that you will help my adult children during this crazy holiday season to be the best parents they can be despite all the distractions. In your name I pray. Amen.

4. Guidance and Wisdom

We live in a world where guidance and wisdom can become very blurry in our grandchildren’s lives. A variety of influences surrounds them every day, and their friends’ guidance and wisdom may not align with your family values or beliefs. Therefore, praying for divine direction in their decisions and choices is so important.

Take some time this Christmas to talk to your grandkids about making good choices and asking God for direction in making those choices. Share stories from your life about when you weren’t sure what to do and how God came through and showed you the way to go forward or the answer that you needed. Ask them about the areas they struggle with and pray with them about making those decisions.

Encourage them to seek God and others for wisdom in the following ways:

-Prayer and meditation

-Studying the Bible

-Listening to their intuition

-Seeking counsel from an adult to talk things out

Prayer: Dear Lord, please help my grandchildren with the decisions they make. They live in a chaotic, dark world where what you say is good is bad, and the things you forbid are good. It’s easy for a child to be confused about what to do or say due to pressure from peers and society. Please give my grandchildren the discernment to hear your voice and the courage to make the decisions that please you. Amen.

5. Developing Character and Kindness

Kids these days are cruel. Therefore, it’s important to teach your grandkids about character, kindness, empathy, and compassion. Teach them to be kind to the outcasts, to stand up for those who are being bullied, and to have empathy for those going through difficult situations. Their character and kindness will make a world of difference.

Prayer: Dear Lord, I ask that you help me be an example of character, kindness, empathy, and compassion for my grandchildren. Help them grow in these important virtues so that they can be more like you and less like the world. I pray that they will make a difference in the world, having a ripple effect in their sphere of influence, one act of kindness at a time. Help them do what’s right in all situations. In Your Name I pray. Amen.

6. Spiritual Growth

Christmas is all about our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Pray that your grandkids will develop a deeper relationship with faith and a greater understanding of God. To help them do this, you can buy young kids a children’s Bible, buy a children’s devotional to accompany your older grandchildren when they study the Bible, or buy a Bible for your older grandchildren and highlight your favorite verses and passages, and write heartfelt notes and wisdom in the margins.

Prayer: Dear Lord, I pray for the spiritual growth of my grandchildren this Christmas. Draw them to you and light a fire in their hearts to know you better. Open their minds and hearts to your Word and speak to them in a way that is unique to them. In your name I pray. Amen.

7. Joy and Safety During the Holidays

The holiday season is filled with fun activities, such as sledding, skiing, baking, cooking, and playing outside in the snow. Even though these activities are fun, sometimes things happen that can jeopardize safety. Take time to pray for peace and security for your grandkids during this busy season.

Prayer: Dear Lord, please be with my grandchildren as they navigate this busy holiday season. It’s full of fun things to do, but sometimes safety isn’t the first thing kids think of. I pray you will be with them everywhere they go and that they will have peace and security in everything they do this season. Amen.

Photo credit: ©GettyImages/10'000 Hours

8. Friendships and Community Connections

‘Tis the season for getting together with friends, family, and community. It’s important to support your grandkids' relationships with their friends and encourage positive interactions. Kids can be extra tired and crabby this time of year, which can lead to misunderstandings, hurt feelings, and the boiling over of emotions. This isn’t always the case, but sometimes when kids aren’t on their regular schedule, things can happen.

Prayer: Dear Lord, I pray for my grandchildren and their friends this busy holiday season. Please help them have a fun season in all they do, and be mindful of each other if they aren’t feeling well or are tired. And if there is anything I can do to help, please reveal it to me. Help them have a joyous season with their friends and those they connect with in the community. Amen.

9. Dreams and Aspirations

Supporting our grandchildren’s dreams and aspirations is extremely important. Kids want to know you love and support them no matter what. Regardless of whether they want to be a doctor, lawyer, electrician, welder, writer, or artist. All occupations are worthy of being pursued. All you can do is pray that the Lord will lead them on the right career path and that he will bless them as they explore their passions and pursue their goals.

Prayer: Dear Lord, I pray for my grandchildren’s dreams and aspirations. I know that you have a path and a purpose for each of them, and I ask that you will reveal it to them as clearly as possible. I know that sometimes we need to take different paths to find out what we are truly meant to do, and I pray that you will be with them and guide them all the way. Amen.

10. Expressions of Love and Generosity

This is a great time to encourage expressions of love and generosity and to be an example to your grandchildren. Donate to a favorite charity, buy a meal for a homeless person, or take them to serve at a food pantry or soup kitchen. Bake together and then deliver goodies to your neighbors and friends.

Prayer: Dear Lord, help me be an example of love and generosity this season, no matter how big or small. Let my grandchildren see that every act of kindness makes a difference, from the thousand-dollar donation to the fast-food meal given to a homeless person. That the size of the generosity doesn’t matter, only that it’s done with love. In your name I pray. Amen.

In this season of peace and love, pray over your grandchildren and trust that God will be with them in this hectic holiday season.