I am indebted to my niece and her husband for finding this prayer written by Amy Carmichael, the missionary and gifted writer, who rescued ‘temple children’ in India over one hundred years ago.  It is a beautiful prayer that I think expresses our honest fears as parents, grandparents, pastors and children’s directors/volunteers, as we attempt to pass our faith to the next generation.  I hope you will share it with others.   

Lord, who am I to teach the way
To little children day by day
So prone myself to go astray?

 I teach them knowledge but I know,
How faint the flicker and how low
The candles of my knowledge glow.

 I teach them power to will and do,
But only now to learn anew
My own great weakness through and through.

 I teach them love for all mankind
And all God creatures, but I find
My love comes lagging far behind.

 Lord, if their guide I still must be
Oh, let the little children see
The teacher leaning hard on Thee.

                                                Amy Carmichael

May God help us to see what is most important in passing our faith to the next generation; leaning hard on Him for sincerity of heart, wisdom and strategy to accomplish the goal, and then releasing the outcome to Him.   Help us, Lord, in our weakness to do our part well.  Psalm 78:1-8, Psalm 145:4-7

                                                                         Julie Kurz, RMD
                                                                         Consultant for Family/Children’s Ministries