Growing Wholesome Families

Getting outside for neighborhood prayer walks as a family is actively praying for others. That helps children focus outward. This also helps children start to show their faith in a simple way. Before you do this prayer activity, prepare your children with a simpler prayer walk. It’s one of many ways to do family devotions and pray together.You may want to do a nature prayer walk to praise God for creation and pray over sore spots as a prayer walk before a neighborhood one.

Plan what to say if you meet neighbors to share what you are doing. Or make cards to give neighbors you meet that share you are prayer walking for God to bless them and the community.

Chat about what to wear for the weather and to look wholesome and friendly.

In moving to pray for people who live near you it may open doors to letting neighbors know about your faith and opportunities to witness. Prepare with scriptures to use during the walk. Look up Scriptures about neighbors such as Romans 10:15, John 13:34-35, Psalm 15:13, Proverbs 12:26, Matthew 22:39, and Romans 15:2. Write the scriptures on cards to take with you to read.

Be Intentional about Prayer Walks

Before you start, talk about what you’ll do. Talk about you community and your hopes for it as well as what you like about it. You can decide you’ll focus on praising God or the needs you notice and know about, or ask for God’s blessing on each family. This gives your prayer time purpose. Pray before you leave your house for God to be with you and guide your walk. Pray for the prayers to bless your neighbors and glorify God.

Discuss your attitude to have while praying for your community. Choose to smile and be friendly as you go around the community.You want to care about these people, remember God loves them, and be filled with hope that God will bless them.

Chat about what to do at common areas. Should you pray for the people who will gather there if it is a park, or reflect on any needs. Are there signs of graffiti or misuse of the area? If it needs liter picked up or weeding, will you note it and make plays to return to work there?

Walk with a plan in mind 

Before you go out, consider what you should look to see. Did someone create a beautiful garden, pets, or hang a welcoming door decoration? Have neighbors made the community look clean? Thank God for hose neighbors. Do they show signs of children or an elderly couple or different cultures? Thank God for the young and old as well as diversity. Does anyone have lots of cars from out of state that might mean they have company and reveal they are hospitable. Add other observations to note.

Choose what direction to walk and where you will stop to pray. You can walk and pause at various spots such as corners or driveways. Who you stop, look around, read a scripture, and pray. Chat about what you see that is praise worthy.

Pray Before Walking

Before you leave, pray. Ask God to give you insight and guide your walk. Ask the lord to help you forgive any neighbor against whom you have a difference or grudge. Pray for God to fill your hearts with love for the community and people living and visiting there. Let God know you are willing to be loving neighbors and ask him to guard your hearts.

Pray Proverbs 4:18,23-27. Pray for neighbors to be healthy and for them ton thrive in their work and rest.Rejoice that you are healthy and can walk. Rejoice that God is with you. Pray that God will reveal any plans for this place and what he wants you to do for neighbors. Pray for Christians already living in the community and for revival for those who might need it.

Other Prayer Walks

Consider what to do on other prayer walks. You can read scriptures of when Jesus walked or choose one passage to read verses from it as you walk.

Read Luke 24:13-35 and discuss how Jesus walked with the two people and then opened their eyes. Ask the Lord to open your eyes as you walk and pray.
Jesus walked to Nain and had compassion on a widow. Read about that in Luke 7:11-17. Ask the Lord to help people in need was you walk and pray.
Read Matthew 8:5-13 and share about who your neighbors are and how to show mercy.
Read Matthew 12:2-8 and chat about disciples eating as they walked. Thank God for the wisdom of Jesus and for food. Ask for opportunities to share God’s wisdom as you walk.
Read Read Luke 10:30-37 and discuss your attitude and opportunities to serve as you walk.
He walked on water in Matthew 14 and your might have a bridge over water or puddles to walk through.
During lent, read about Jesus and the walk with the cross. discuss how some people have heavy burdens to carry and also how some people may mock you as you prayer walk.
Read Mark 1:9-13 of Jesus walking to John and into the Jordan to be baptized, and also walking into the desert ton be tempted. Thank God for your faith and for all family members to walk with God and trust the Lord to keep them from temptation.
Read Luke 4:16. Nazareth was the boyhood home of Jesus where he walked as a child. Pause at spots point he neighborhood to share memories of your children enjoying the spot. Pray Luke 2:52 for your children and the neighborhood children to grow own grace and stature. Pray for its to be a healthy neighborhood.

Returning Home from Prayer Walks

Back home take a few minutes to share reactions. Read Luke 10:17-20 about the joy of the disciples when they returned from Jesus sending them out. Make a plan of action if the walk prompted you to clean up an area, offer to help a neighbor, or inspired you to schedule more prayer walks. List any goals. Read 2 Corinthians 5:7 and discuss trusting God and not just what you observed.