Dear God,

**This letter is shared with the permission of the sender with a important side note that we can't protect our kids from the real struggles of being in a ministry home, and we don't intend to. Having a front row seat in our home means that our kids know that their parents are flawed, dependent sinners who need the grace of Jesus daily and who depend on it sometimes hourly to extend grace to each other as well as those we are called to love in the church we call home. Our kid has left notes by our bedside since she was just learning to put shapes and letters together. Last night, her dad needed prayer for a particulary tough day. We try to be honest with our kids when we are struggling without sharing the details of the struggle. This is an important conversation to have with any of your kids. It is redemptive conversation. My hope in sharing her letter to her dad is not that you will think we have nailed it as parents but that it will encourage someone today who is asking for the Spirit to help them extend grace. It blessed us to tears.**

Dear God,

Thank you for Your promises. Thank you that You have established solid and sure truths in Your Word for us to lean in to. We are leaning hard right now...Words can hurt, Father. That isn't how you intended it. In fact, the first words the Bible records coming from your mouth are those of LIGHT and LIFE. You are the giver of every good and every perfect gift, so the fact that people can be so cruel breaks your heart I am sure. Thank you for speaking words of grace and blessing over us, even though we don't deserve them. You are so beautiful to us, God. Help us to be beautiful to others when they are ugly to us. Help us to be like Jesus.

God, I pray the whole Trinity would be of comfort to my dad tonight. I pray that he would be awed by the Almighty Creator of the Universe, the Omniscient, Omnipresent, and Omnipotent God, Who knows every little detail of our lives. I pray that he would be comforted by the Savior who took on human flesh to save mankind, Who can empathize with our weaknesses. I pray that he would be empowered by the Holy Spirit within him, that he would know how to do what You have asked of him. I love my daddy. He is a beautiful example to me of how gracious and patient You are with your children, even though we don't deserve it. Thank you, Lord,

Amen.