Liturgies for Parents with Kayla Craig

The beginning of the new year may not feel like a fresh start for many of us. If you’re weary, consider this: hope is never out of reach. We invite you to come before the God who does the impossible, letting our wondering souls and tired spirits be reminded of the One who is with us and fulfills promises.   You can check out Liturgies for Parents on Instagram for more prayers and encouragement and...

January 6th marks Epiphany, a date in the Christmas story that celebrates how a star led the Magi to visit the baby Jesus. We come to Jesus—the Light of the world—asking for guidance for ourselves and our families so that we can be bringers of hope in a messy world. May this time of prayer be an encouragement to you and an invitation to reflect Christ’s light.   You can check out Liturgies for Par...

As we wind down 2022 and look ahead to 2023, we pray that you experience the space you need to process and honor the year we are leaving behind. This week, let us come before the Creator of time to give thanks for new mercies and reflect on the joys and hurts. May you enter into the new year with glimmering hope and the knowledge that you and your family are held by a loving God.   You can check o...

In a culture that sells us promises of more, may we subvert the narrative that our lives are marked by what we don’t have and think we need. This week, we ask the God of abundance for liberation from the chains of consumerism and entitlement and to instead remind us of true goodness that sustains.    You can check out Liturgies for Parents on Instagram for more prayers and encouragement and pick u...

This week, we mark the Feast Day of St. Nicholas of Myra, the real-life inspiration for Santa Claus. Known for his mercy and kindness, he gave away his inheritance to those on the margins. We pray that we would embody this generous spirit, modeling for our children a love that sees, embraces, and pours out in radical ways, big and small.   You can check out Liturgies for Parents on Instagram for m...

Remember what holidays felt like as a child—the magic, the awe, and the tender hopefulness? This week, let us pray that Christ would reignite that wonder in us again and that the God of all things would illuminate the darkness in and around us. May we move through Advent with peace and celebration, with hearts open to our families and our communities.   Looking for an Advent reflection? Head over...

Advent is here. This week, we want to soak in the anticipation of the season with two breath prayers. We invite you to pause with us, let wherever you are become a sacred space, and take a slow breath. As you navigate this time of year, which can be filled with heightened expectations and busy schedules, we hope you lean into the tenderness of Christ.   Looking for an Advent reflection? Head over...

What if we considered gratitude as more than thankfulness, but as the tool that helps us move toward freedom? This week, we offer a simple breath prayer and a liturgy to help us cultivate a grateful heart. We hope it helps center you amidst the holiday bustle, reminding you of God’s faithfulness and all that is good and beautiful.   You can check out Liturgies for Parents on Instagram for more pra...

It’s National Adoption Month. Whether you’re an adoptive parent, considering adoption, or know someone whose family story includes adoption, we invite you to pray along with us. This week, we come to God asking for help to see the glory of the children entrusted to us through adoption and honor the privilege of being part of their lives.    You can check out Liturgies for Parents on Instagram for...

November 8th is Election Day in the United States. As parents, we get to cultivate in our children a value for curiosity and love for our neighbor, and this can look like talking with our kids about politics. Join us this week for this prayer for voting, asking God for guidance as we cast our ballots and model for our children the values of God’s Kingdom.   If you’d like another helpful resource f...

We are part of a rich lineage of saints known and unknown. In honor of All Saints’ Day (November 1st), we consider the invitation God has for us parents as we reflect on the faithful lives of those who have gone before us. May you find comfort in the legacies of previous generations who have passed on, drawing wisdom from them as you show your children what it means to run the race marked out for...

We all have certain fears, whether we’re a grown-up or a child. The world gives us a lot to be afraid of: the thought of monsters under the bed or real-life terrors that keep us up at night. This week, we offer a simple breath prayer for when we’re scared or anxious, as well as a prayer for the God of peace to be near us when our fears take hold. May you and your children experience a renewed sens...

We experience parenthood in cycles and seasons. They begin, end, and start anew, bringing different perspectives into focus, creating memories, and inspiring hope and gratitude for what has been and what will be. Join us this week for a prayer of giving thanks to the Maker of all things, who has been alongside our families and us through every season.   You can check out Liturgies for Parents on I...

October 11th marks International Day of the Girl, a day celebrated around the world to advocate for global equity for girls. This week, we share a prayer for the daughters and girls in our lives—as well as for moms, grandmothers, and aunts, for the little girls they once were. May we give thanks for the gift of raising daughters and seek to do our part in creating a safer and more equitable world...

Heartwrenching headlines, parenting through a tough season, difficulties in the home, and more can cast more shadow than hope. If you’re experiencing doubt, know that you are not alone. This week, we come to the God who cares, asking for help in being honest with our doubts, strength in our weariness, and comfort in our aches. We hope it speaks to your spirit.    Join us this week, October 3rd thr...

This week, we’re taking the time to catch our breath—a sacred pause to reset and to feel more rooted as we navigate our own journeys of faith and raising children. We share a simple breath prayer you can use to be present with the Divine amidst the chaos, as well as a larger prayer asking God to help us hold space for hope and usher in refreshment for our souls.   You can check out Liturgies for P...

You may have noticed that we’ve been away for the past couple of weeks, and there’s a reason: sick days. It can be difficult to see our children under the weather, with runny noses, achy bodies, and fevers that seem to last forever. Pray with us for the Creator of all bodies to give us hope as we tend to our little ones.   You can check out Liturgies for Parents on Instagram for more prayers and e...

As we settle into the school year, let us remember those who pour into our children and enrich their lives: teachers. This week, we pray for those who do so much unseen labor, lovingly cultivate hearts and minds, and continue to show up day after day so that our children may have the opportunity to learn in safe and encouraging spaces. May we rally around the teachers in our own communities throug...

In the flurry of shopping lists, packing lunches, and arranging carpools, take a moment to pause with us to commission our children into their new school year. May they continue to discover what brings them joy, what sparks their curiosity, and what ignites their wonder as they learn, make friends, and connect with their teachers. We give thanks to God who comforts them and goes with them on new a...

August often signals a time of transition, especially for those of us who have older children leaving the nest. They carry the years of love and tender care poured into them. Let’s pray together that the God who goes before them will lead them through their next adventure—and that they will always know they have a home with us.   You can check out Liturgies for Parents on Instagram for more prayer...

Having a child start preschool is an exciting and bittersweet transition. We celebrate our little ones starting a new journey full of friends, messy play, and magical exploration. This week, we hope you join us for this prayer and blessing for the first day of preschool for our children and their teachers. May God guide and delight you through this milestone.   You can check out Liturgies for Pare...

How easy it is to gloss over the everyday details around us when we’re preoccupied with the future: what our children want to be when they grow up, what they might want to study in college, and so on. Let’s take some time asking God to root us in the present so that we may notice and grow in openness to love more fully inside and outside of our home.   You can check out Liturgies for Parents on In...

Children seemingly never run out of questions—they brim with curiosity, seeking to learn and understand anything they can. What if we, too, let ourselves be curious like children and ask questions? This week, our prayer is for honoring that freedom to ask, imagine, and marvel and to find God in all of our wondering.   You can check out Liturgies for Parents on Instagram for more prayers and encour...

As parents, we experience the paradox of time: the long days and short years as our children go from newborns to teenagers seemingly overnight. For this episode, we’re offering a prayer for growing up, for us to embrace whatever season of parenting we’re in and for our children to know that our arms are always open and welcoming to them.    You can check out Liturgies for Parents on Instagram for...

Have you paused to bask in the wonder of summer reading? For this episode, we share a prayer that expresses God’s presence in all of the details of soaking in books: from folded page corners to stories that open up entire worlds for our children. We hope it inspires you to see God the Author in new ways.   You can check out Liturgies for Parents on Instagram for more prayers and encouragement and...