Back when my four kids were little, I wanted to make faith a part of their everyday lives. But the traditional prayer “Now I lay me down to sleep…” made me uneasy. I didn’t want my children to lie in bed scared, wondering about the line “If I should die before I wake.”
I did a little research into other versions and then had an idea—why not write my own? I came up with a bedtime prayer that’s a bit more upbeat:
God love you and keep you all
through the night
And guide and direct you all the
days of your life.
May the love of Jesus shine
through your smiling eyes
And laughing voices.
And may you witness to his love
each and every day,
In everything you do and in
everything you say.
In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
The prayer’s become a family tradition. It’s the one my nine grandchildren say at night. One of my sons, a pastor, even shared it with his congregation! Knowing that this prayer means so much to them is one of God’s unexpected delights.
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