When do you pray? At the dinner table? At bedtime with your mother or father? These are good times to pray, but did you know that some of our best prayers happen at other times.

I prayed a special prayer once when I was young. I lived on a truck farm with my family. On a truck farm people raise many kinds of vegetables to sell to grocery stores and to people who come to the farm to buy them. Everybody worked on the farm. My brothers and sister and I helped to pull weeds in the fields. We also caught bugs and caterpillars that ate the plants.

One hot Saturday afternoon I kicked off my shoes while pulling weeds in the bean fields. On Sunday morning when we were getting ready to go to church I couldn’t find them. I really liked Sunday school and had been trying to get perfect attendance. When I couldn’t find my shoes Dad said I would have to stay home. I was about to cry. Then I remembered that I had left them in the field the day before. I ran to the field behind the barn, and then ran up and down the long rows of beans hoping I would see my shoes. But I couldn’t find them.

Then I thought about prayer. Did God really answer our prayers? Would He help me find my shoes? I stopped looking, bowed my head, and closed my eyes. “Please God, if you really do answer prayers, help me find my shoes.” Then I opened my eyes and turned around. What joy! I didn’t even have to walk again to look for my shoes because I could see them lying on the ground right behind where I was standing when I prayed.

There is a Bible verse that says, “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you.” (Matthew 7:7 NIV)

When have you prayed for something you really wanted? Can you tell about a special prayer God has answered for you? If so, please write about it in the comments below. It is exciting to share how God shows His love to us.

Did you ever pray for something that you didn’t get? Sometimes God answers by saying “No” or “Wait a little longer.” We have to trust that God knows what is best for us. Sometimes we ask for things we want, but God knows if we are asking for things that are not good for us. When God says “No” it is still a good thing.

Heavenly Father, help us to remember to pray when we need your help. People tell us you love us. Show us your love in the way you answer our prayers. And help us to love you more and more every day. Amen.

© 2009 by Janice D. Green

The Creation, a Bible storybook for children by Janice D. Green

Scripture quoted by permission. Quotations designated (NIV) are from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.