# A Prayer to Disciple the Next Generation

An episode of [Your Daily Prayer](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1253570474), 13 Aug 2026, 7:48.

Audio: https://pscrb.fm/rss/p/traffic.omny.fm/d/clips/5e27a451-e6e6-4c51-aa03-a7370003783c/c035a7f6-4128-4372-aaf2-af5b00f866a9/7cdb85a1-9a1c-41b2-9cac-b4a300f7e0d6/audio.mp3?utm_source=Podcast&in_playlist=b1db73a2-bae6-49ef-b354-af5b00f8a5d2

Three daughters in the car, ranging in age from seven to twelve, navigating a conversation about Moses, the book of Acts, and the Lord's Prayer — and then, just as the theology is getting genuinely rich, the seven-year-old pipes up with the most pressing question on her mind: "But Mom, what are we going to have for supper?" It is the kind of moment that makes a parent both laugh and wonder: is any of this actually getting through? Discipling children and the next generation rarely looks like a carefully curated, Pinterest-worthy moment. It looks like car rides and half-finished conversations and questions that reveal both curiosity and distraction in equal measure. And yet Isaiah 55:11 holds a promise that steadies every parent, teacher, mentor, and youth leader who has ever wondered whether the seeds they are planting are making any difference: God's Word will not return empty. It will accomplish what He desires and achieve the purpose for which He sent it. The impact of sharing Scripture, praying with and over children, and talking openly about faith is never determined by how much they appear to absorb in the moment. God is always at work, on His timetable and according to His plan, using our faithful obedience to shape the next generation. What a privilege it is, like Isaiah, to co-labor with Him in that work — car conversations and supper questions and all. Today's Bible Verse "So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it." — Isaiah 55:11, NIV Ponder Today • God's Word never returns empty, even when it appears to go unabsorbed. What looks like a distracted seven-year-old or a disengaged teenager does not limit what God can do with the truth that has been spoken over them. He is always at work. • Discipleship happens in ordinary moments, not just intentional ones. Car rides, meal times, bedtime routines — these are the spaces where faith is most naturally and powerfully passed from one generation to the next. • We are invited to co-labor with God in shaping the next generation. That is not a burden — it is a profound privilege. We plant and water, and God brings the growth, in His timing and according to His purposes. • Age is not a barrier to engaging children with the deep things of faith. A seven-year-old asking about the Trinity and a twelve-year-old learning to share the gospel are both evidence that children are far more capable of meaningful spiritual engagement than we often assume. • Trust God's timetable, not your own measurement of impact. The conversations that seem to go nowhere, the questions that land with a thud, the seeds that show no visible growth — God is using all of it. Romans 8:28 assures us He is working it all for good. A Prayer for You Today Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of Your Word. Help me to abide in it daily so that I will be prepared to share with others, especially the next generation. I ask that Your truth will penetrate the hearts and minds of those who hear it, bringing conviction and a desire to know You. Give me the knowledge and encouragement to keep talking with the children in my life about You, their faith, and the Scriptures, even when I wonder whether they are comprehending or even listening. I know that Your Word never returns empty, and I trust that You are always at work — in ways I can see and in ways I cannot. In Jesus' name, Amen. Want More? 🎉 This week, we're excited to introduce The Good Word, a new way to receive weekly biblical wisdom and encouragement right in your inbox. Join our community today: https://www.lifeaudio.com/thegoodword/ Discover more Christian podcasts at lifeaudio.com and inquire about advertising opportunities at lifeaudio.com/contact-us.

## Transcript

[0:02] Speaker 1: Life Audio. Thank you for listening to your daily prayer,
[0:15] Speaker 1: where we help you find the words you need to
[0:17] Speaker 1: connect to your Father in Heaven. No matter what is
[0:20] Speaker 1: happening in your life today, you can trust that God
[0:24] Speaker 1: wants to hear from you. Right after this short word
[0:26] Speaker 1: from our sponsors, we'll pray God today's prayer to Disciple
[0:30] Speaker 1: the Next Generation. A Prayer to Disciple the Next Generation,
[0:53] Speaker 1: written by Laura Bailey, read by Kerrie Eichberger. And so
[1:00] Speaker 1: is my word that goes out from my mouth. It
[1:03] Speaker 1: will not return to be empty, but will accomplish what
[1:06] Speaker 1: I desire and achieve the purpose for which I scent it.
[1:10] Speaker 1: I say a fifty five verse eleven. Okay, girls, what
[1:15] Speaker 1: are you all learning in Sunday school? I asked my
[1:18] Speaker 1: three daughters on our way to our doctor's appointment. The
[1:21] Speaker 1: car has quickly become where we spend most of our
[1:24] Speaker 1: waking hours together as a family during the school year.
[1:27] Speaker 1: Between drop offs, pickups, and shuffling from practices, appointments and meetups,
[1:33] Speaker 1: we spend hours on the road. In an attempt to
[1:37] Speaker 1: redeem this time. I decided a few years ago to
[1:41] Speaker 1: use it for faith filled conversations. My daughters range from
[1:45] Speaker 1: twelve to seven, so the conversations and their spiritual maturity theory. Yet,
[1:51] Speaker 1: for the most part, we can, for at least a
[1:53] Speaker 1: few minutes, have good dialogue around what's going on in
[1:57] Speaker 1: their lives, what they are learning, and what questions they
[2:00] Speaker 1: have about their faith. I've learned over time that one
[2:04] Speaker 1: of the best ways to engage all three at their
[2:07] Speaker 1: level is to ask what they are learning. In Sunday school,
[2:11] Speaker 1: we are talking about Moses and the Ten Commandments, my
[2:14] Speaker 1: youngest daughter shared. We are going through the Book of
[2:17] Speaker 1: Acts and disgusting how to share the gospel? My oldest
[2:20] Speaker 1: daughter interjected, what about you? I turned to my middle
[2:25] Speaker 1: daughter as I could see her brain working by the
[2:27] Speaker 1: wrinkles on her forehead. Well, we have been learning about
[2:31] Speaker 1: the Lord's prayer, but I have a question. Do I
[2:35] Speaker 1: pray to God, Jesus or the Holy Spirit? Or can
[2:38] Speaker 1: I just say all three? She inquired. My mama's heart
[2:42] Speaker 1: did a little flip. One because I was so excited
[2:45] Speaker 1: to see her learning and asking good questions about her faith,
[2:49] Speaker 1: And two I was a bit nervous about how to
[2:51] Speaker 1: answer her. Still, I said a silent prayer, asking that
[2:56] Speaker 1: the Holy Spirit guide my response. That's a good question.
[3:00] Speaker 1: Will all three? The Holy Spirit helps you know what
[3:03] Speaker 1: to say. You are praying to Jesus and he's interceding
[3:08] Speaker 1: or taking our prayers to God side. Note No, there
[3:12] Speaker 1: is more I could have said, but understand I have
[3:15] Speaker 1: elementary and tweens. I try to answer theologically accurate in
[3:19] Speaker 1: a way they can understand within their attention time limits.
[3:23] Speaker 1: Everyone was nodding. I received a few oh, that makes sense,
[3:28] Speaker 1: and then my youngest daughter spoke up. But Mom, I
[3:31] Speaker 1: have another question. I braced myself, eager to hear what
[3:35] Speaker 1: she would add to our lively conversation. What are we
[3:38] Speaker 1: going to have for supper? I couldn't help but laugh.
[3:42] Speaker 1: Do I think she was listening to our conversation? Yes?
[3:45] Speaker 1: But do I think she is an easily distracted seven
[3:48] Speaker 1: year old too. Yes. Discipling our children and the next
[3:52] Speaker 1: generation isn't always a social media pinterest worthy event. In fact,
[3:57] Speaker 1: most of the time it looks like my har right experience,
[4:01] Speaker 1: which can leave us wondering if we are even making
[4:04] Speaker 1: a difference. I understand its importance intellectually, but at times
[4:08] Speaker 1: wonder whether they are too young or not yet spiritually
[4:12] Speaker 1: mature to talk through difficult questions or even to dive
[4:16] Speaker 1: into the complexity of scripture. Isaya fifty five eleven always
[4:21] Speaker 1: encourages me when I question the impact of sharing God's
[4:25] Speaker 1: word with my children. This verse reminds us that God's
[4:29] Speaker 1: word will never return void. While on the surface it
[4:34] Speaker 1: may feel that difficult truths aren't penetrating little hearts and minds,
[4:38] Speaker 1: we know that God's purposes and plans will prevail. It
[4:43] Speaker 1: is never wasted. When we read the Bible, pray over
[4:47] Speaker 1: and with, and talk with our children about our faith.
[4:50] Speaker 1: The Lord is always working and using our obedience to
[4:54] Speaker 1: disciple the next generation be encouraged today if you've had
[4:59] Speaker 1: a similar expi sperience to mine. God's word will achieve
[5:03] Speaker 1: its purposes of transforming hearts and minds, but it's on
[5:07] Speaker 1: God's timetable and plan, not ours. How privileged though, like
[5:13] Speaker 1: the prophet Isaiah, that God invites us to co labor
[5:16] Speaker 1: with him in sharing his word and teaching the next generation.
[5:21] Speaker 1: I don't know exactly how God will use those car conversations,
[5:25] Speaker 1: but I do know He is working in their lives
[5:29] Speaker 1: all for His glory and our good Let's pray Heavenly Father,
[5:35] Speaker 1: thank you for the gift of your word. I know
[5:38] Speaker 1: it often take for granted the luxury of reading the scriptures,
[5:42] Speaker 1: communing with you through prayer, and openly gathering with the
[5:45] Speaker 1: community of believers. Help me to abide in your word
[5:49] Speaker 1: daily so that I will be prepared to share with others,
[5:52] Speaker 1: specifically the next generation. Lord, I ask that your truth
[5:57] Speaker 1: will penetrate the hearts and minds of the those who
[6:00] Speaker 1: hear it. May they feel the weight of conviction and
[6:03] Speaker 1: turn to you. For those in Christ, I ask that
[6:07] Speaker 1: your word will give them strength and guide them as
[6:11] Speaker 1: they desire to live in a way that is wholly
[6:13] Speaker 1: unpleasing to you. Give me the knowledge and encouragement to
[6:18] Speaker 1: continue talking with my children about You, their faith, and
[6:22] Speaker 1: the scriptures, even when I wonder whether they are comprehending
[6:26] Speaker 1: or even listening. I know that your word never returns empty,
[6:31] Speaker 1: and I can trust that you are always at work
[6:34] Speaker 1: in Jesus name. Amen. Your Daily Prayer is a production
[6:49] Speaker 1: of Life Audio in Sale Media. If you haven't already,
[6:53] Speaker 1: be sure to follow the show in your favorite podcast
[6:56] Speaker 1: app so you never miss an episode. For more faith
[6:59] Speaker 1: filled inspirational podcasts, visit us at lifeaudio dot com.
[7:10] Speaker 2: Hey friends, it's Kelly from Life Audio. We just launched
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