Prayer of Thankfulness

One night my seven-year-old crawled into bed without saying her prayers. “I don’t want to say them tonight,” she said. “I don’t have anything to say.” Discouraged and wanting to motivate her, I quickly said a silent prayer myself. Immediately the story of the ten lepers came to mind.

I reminded her of the story and how only one came hurrying back to thank the Savior for healing him. “But where are the other nine?” he asked with sadness. “I think there must be many people who will climb into bed tonight,” I suggested, “without remembering to thank Heavenly Father for giving them this day.”

I saw her attitude change. The story helped her move her focus from mere words to her Heavenly Father. With her thoughts on him, words came with real feeling.

Christy Williams
Bellevue, Washington