The story is told of a time when a small community was experiencing a drought. It had lasted for some time, and the farmers were struggling. As the problem worsened, a local priest called a prayer meeting to ask for rain.
Many people showed up for the gathering. As the priest walked the aisle, his eyes scanned the crowd in admiration of his community’s faithfulness.
When he reached the front of the church, he noticed a young girl—about eleven years old—sitting quietly in the front row, her face beaming with excitement. Next to her, poised and ready for use, was a bright red umbrella.
No one else in the congregation had brought an umbrella.
All came to pray for rain, but the little girl came expecting rain.
Look first to the King
To build faith and point young girls to pray, you, mamas, have to carry your own red umbrella.
And we have to believe the Lord will answer.
And then we need to model and encourage that faith in our daughters.
When I was a young girl, I thought deeply about the following questions: What if I chased after the King and gave the Lord my love life? What if I prayed for him to bring me my handsome prince? And what if, in his timing, my answer came true?
My desire is for other young girls to start thinking those same questions.
So how do mothers and mentors of young girls flip the fairy tale story to point these teenage girls to the King first? (See Deuteronomy 6:6–9).
Faith and remembrance
Well, first things first, she has to see a need for the King.
Does she believe she is in need? Does she know she’s a sinner? (Psalm 51:5). Does she know Jesus took her place on the cross? (2 Corinthians 5:21). And does she know he rose again and is seated on high? (Luke 24:7; Acts 7:55–56).
If not, then the greatest gift is to continue to share the gospel with her (1 Corinthians 15:1–4).
If your girl does believe that Jesus is her Savior and faithful provider, then get her a journal to document his faithfulness.
Faith begets faith.
Just like Joshua put up standing stones (Joshua 4:19) as a memorial to the miraculous river crossing at the Jordan River, we, too, should have our memorials to remind us of God’s faithfulness.
Instead of stones, I’m suggesting using a journal so your teenager can write out a prayer request and then mark off the date when the prayer is answered.
Looking at even just a few answered prayers builds faith.
The standing stones of God’s faithfulness
Next, I believe reading the story of Abraham’s servant praying and looking for a wife for Isaac in Genesis 24 is helpful.
There are lots of lessons you can take away from this story, but the one I’m going to focus on is the praying, trusting, and waiting servant.
If your teenager is willing to write out her prayers for her future husband and willing to confess that she believes God has what is best for her, then, in the in-between time, the waiting time, and the possible lonely time is when she will be able to go back to the prayer journal and see the standing stones of the Lord’s faithfulness.
That’s when you grab your red umbrella and believe.
God will answer!
