A neighbour brought my abusive family to Christ, here’s what I learnt from her about praying for my child

The impact of coming to faith through her neighbour as a girl compelled Sharon Jaynes to pray for her own son and his friends. Here she gives some tips on how to direct those prayers to your children.

I grew up in a nice neighborhood and a nice house. But much of what went on behind the door of our ranch-style house was anything but nice.

My father didn’t drink every day, but when he did, he got drunk and grew violent. My parents fought both verbally and physically in front of my brother and me, and we lived much of our lives in fear. I saw many things a little girl should never see and heard words a little girl should never hear. I didn’t know what some of the words meant, but I know how they made me feel.

On many nights, I went to bed, pulled up the covers around my quivering chin, and prayed I would quickly fall asleep to escape the yelling in the next room. On my dresser, I had a musical jewelry box with a ballerina that popped up when the lid opened. Many nights, I tiptoed over to the jewelry box, turned the wind-up key in the back, and opened the lid in hopes the tinkling music would drown out the fighting in the next room.