“On my bed I remember you;

I think of you through the watches of the night.”

Psalm 63:6

Sleep used to come easy.

But getting older makes sleep more difficult—not only falling asleep, but sometimes staying asleep.

Instead of pounding the pillow, flipping it to the cool side, or resorting to counting sheep, I’ve learned to count my blessings: specifically, to pray my blessings. If I’m going to be awake anyway, why not redeem the time by interceding for my precious ones?

As I remember and acknowledge God’s faithfulness, I’m also reminded that He not only created my children: He knows them even better than me and even loves them more than I ever could. Even though I love them fiercely and passionately, His love is greater and His love is better. It is perfect.

As I remember and acknowledge God’s faithfulness, I'm also reminded that He not only created my children: He knows them even better than me and even loves them more than I ever could. Click To Tweet

And not only is His love greater in both quality and quantity, He has the power to act on His love. He is able. As a human parent, I am limited, bounded in my capabilities. But I can lift my babies up to the holy, perfect, infinite God of unlimited resources.

His sovereignty eclipses my handwringing.  His knowing trumps my hoping. And His acting trumps my wishing. When I ask, “what if?”, He responds, “why not?”

I see the now, but He sees the all.

He is the master chess player, moving and working in dimensions we have yet to discover. He is all-powerful, but also all-loving.

He is trustworthy. He is for us. He is for them.

And ultimately, these truths I’m learning about Him are what my children need, as well. More than landing the new job, finding the ideal mate, getting the scholarship, acing the exam, or a zillion other practical items I’ve prayed for them, they need Him. They need to know Him. They need to learn to trust Him, to believe Him, and choose to live for Him always and all ways.

My husband, my children, my daughters-in-love, and now my precious granddaughter.  These are my precious ones.  My blessings from God. It is my blessing to bring their names before the One who created them and loves them most and best.  I choose to transform sleepless nights into sweet times of intercession as I pray my blessings back to Him.