Making Prayer a Normal and Natural Part of Life at Home
When it comes to the culture of most Christian homes, there are a lot of things that just become “normal.” One normal family’s is different than another family’s normal, but everybody has things that start to happen in their homes when their kids are young, and some of these habits and conversations can become a real focus over time. Some families talk about sports and schedule their lives around practices, games, and smelly laundry. Other teens and families get into drama or band, and memorizing lines or notes becomes really important. Some homes can focus on politics or hobbies, clubs, or church. As culture builds and things become normal, teenagers learn what they can and can’t say and what is acceptable and comfortable in their homes.
Often, even in homes led by Jesus-following parents, there is one foundational practice that seems to slide, and that’s prayer. Parents can often highlight reading the Bible, going to church or a youth group, or trying to live out the faith. All of these are good things, but a lot of the Christian life is fueled by submitting ourselves to God and offering Him our lives in prayer. What if, as youth ministry leaders, we could encourage parents to make prayer a normal and natural part of life at home? There are two key parts of that phrase. How can we help parents make prayer normal, and how can it come naturally to everyone in their family?
NORMAL
To help parents make prayer normal, encourage them to attach prayer to something they already do every day. That could be a simple prayer in the car before school, a blessing before a meal, or a short time of gratitude at bedtime. By linking prayer to existing routines, it moves from being an occasional or “special” activity to being a consistent rhythm that feels as ordinary as brushing teeth or buckling a seatbelt. As ministry leaders, we can remind parents that prayer doesn’t have to be long or complicated. Normal prayer is simply consistent prayer, even if it’s just a few words.
NATURAL
To help parents make prayer natural, encourage them to use everyday language and situations. Prayer doesn’t need to sound special or formal. It can flow naturally from what’s happening in the moment. Parents can thank God out loud when they see a beautiful sunset or ask Him for wisdom when it’s late at night and the homework is overwhelming. These spontaneous prayers show kids that talking to God is not reserved for church services but can happen anytime, anywhere. The more natural parents are in prayer, the more their teens will see God as approachable and involved in the details of their lives.
Finally, you, as a youth leader, can support parents by giving them simple tools and encouragement. Share examples of short prayers or prompts in newsletters and e-mails. Talk about the importance of prayer in parent meetings, and maybe even set aside some time in these meetings to have parents pray together. In our family, we had prayer cards that we would occasionally talk about at the dinner table. Maybe suggest creating a family prayer jar where kids can add requests and celebrate answers. Celebrate stories of answered prayers in your ministry, reminding parents that prayer is powerful even when it feels ordinary. By equipping parents to make prayer both normal and natural, we help families build a culture where prayer isn’t just something they do, but part of who they are as followers of Jesus. Moving deeper into this practice will impact the faith of the whole family and give God even more space to move in everyone’s heart.
