Prayer and feelings...

Prayer for Our Children

Father, hear us, we are praying,
Hear the words our hearts are saying,
We are praying for our children.

Keep them from the powers of evil,
From the secret, hidden peril,
From the whirlpool that would suck them,
From the treacherous quicksand, pluck them.

From the worldling’s hollow gladness,
From the sting of faithless sadness,
Holy Father, save our children.

Through life’s troubled waters steer them,
Through life’s bitter battle cheer them,
Father, Father, be Thou near them.
Read the language of our longing,
Read the wordless pleadings thronging,
Holy Father, for our children.

And wherever they may bide,
Lead them Home at eventide.
Amy Carmichael

What to Do About Feelings

Do not debunk feelings as such. Remember they
are given to us as part of our humanity. Do not try
to fortify yourself against emotions. Recognize
them; name them, if that helps; and then lay them
open before the Lord for His training of your responses.
The discipline of emotions is the training of responses.
No argument for discipline will furnish the
power to discipline. He who summons is He who
empowers. He is Master. As we give ourselves to
His rule, He gives us grace to rule.
Elisabeth Elliot