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December 9, 2025<\/span><\/p>\n Your Prayers Make a Difference<\/strong><\/span> Lee en espa\u00f1ol<\/span><\/p>\n \u201c\u2026 the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.\u201d Romans 4:17 (ESV)<\/em><\/p>\n I\u2019m just a few years removed from high school, so I remember the mean-girl dynamics, loneliness, insecurity, and all the other \u201cfun\u201d things teenage life can entail. Those years were not my favorite, but looking back, I appreciate the way my struggles helped shape me and grew my faith.<\/p>\n I\u2019m also thankful for the work my parents did to guide me during those difficult times. If you\u2019re a parent, in the hard moments, you probably wonder whether what you\u2019re doing is working and whether your child is even listening to you. Even if they aren\u2019t, I know God hears every prayer you pray for your kid.<\/p>\n I think about the story of Elijah praying for rain in 1 Kings 18. He was persistent in his prayers even when there was no tangible evidence of rain. He sent a servant out seven times before they finally spotted a cloud. Elijah\u2019s circumstances didn\u2019t change his perspective on God\u2019s faithfulness. Because Elijah believed God\u2019s promise to send rain, he didn\u2019t give up.<\/p>\n Your struggle might not be a cloudless sky; it might be your daughter slamming her door or wanting to be dropped off a block away to appear \u201ccooler.\u201d It might be your child coming home from school in tears or spending another Friday night at home after being excluded from plans.<\/p>\n What if, after the sixth time seeing a cloudless sky, Elijah had given up hope? He didn\u2019t know how close he was to his prayer being answered, yet he still prayed and held fast to his faith.<\/p>\n Through hard times, holding fast is what we\u2019re called to do. We have to hold on to hope because at some point, the rain will come. In the case of parenting, this means trusting that God will use even the hardest things to produce tangible goodness in the life of your child.<\/p>\n As a young woman on the other side of the high school drama, I want to encourage you to keep praying. It won\u2019t always be like this. It’s because of my mom\u2019s faithfulness that I have the perspective I do now, and I\u2019m thankful for how she pointed me back to Jesus.<\/p>\n Romans 4:17 says our God \u201cgives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist.\u201d<\/em> God has the power to create something in us that didn\u2019t exist beforehand.<\/p>\n Where you see weakness, He sees strength. Keep praying those prayers. They will make all the difference.<\/p>\n Lord, give me strength when I feel weary, and give me hope when I feel discouraged. Help me to keep praying and trusting You, even when I don\u2019t see the answers yet. Remind me that You are always at work in my child\u2019s life and that nothing I entrust to You is ever wasted. In Jesus\u2019 Name, Amen.<\/em><\/p>\n With a bold, candid voice from Caroline Shankle offering peer-to-peer advice, The Lion and the Bear<\/em> devotional helps girls walk through the common stressors of teenage life and friendship while advocating for themselves in a Christ-honoring way. Grab yours today!<\/p>\n Want to know more about Caroline? Visit CarolineShankle.com and get a glimpse into her world on social media @carolineshankle.<\/p>\n Enter to WIN your very own copy of The Lion and the Bear\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>by Caroline Shankle. To celebrate this book, Caroline\u2019s publisher will give away 5 copies! Enter to win by filling out the form here. {We\u2019ll randomly select 5 winners and notify them via email by Monday, December 15, 2025.}<\/p>\n Galatians 6:9, \u201cLet us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up\u201d (NIV).<\/p>\n 2 Timothy 3:16, \u201cAll Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right\u201d (NLT).<\/p>\n How does spending time in God’s Word equip you to stay prayerful, especially in parenthood? Share with us in the comments!<\/p>\n \u00a9 2025 by Caroline Shankle. All rights reserved.<\/p>\n Proverbs 31 Ministries
CAROLINE SHANKLE <\/span><\/p>\n
Where you see fear, He sees courage.
Where you see brokenness, He sees healing.
Where you see nothing, He sees something in you and your child that He has planned from the beginning of time.<\/p>\nOUR FAVORITE THINGS<\/h4>\n
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