Pray for Bradley
Bradley is my 14 year old son. He is having a hard time right now. God has called him to a difficult life, but he has a good spirit and enthusiasm. Bradley is really unique. I knew that there was something unique about him ever since he was a baby and as a toddler. He has really bad ADHD, but he has never minded that, but others around him have! He was one of the reasons why I decided to homeschool and I homeschooled him for four years from 3rd through 6th grades. He is also brilliant and probably literally a genious on IQ testing. On starndardized tests, his IQ can not be tested, because he gets virtually all the answers right, so he just maxes out on the test and scores at whatever their highest score is.
Because he was unique and gifted, and because I needed to spend extra time with him and always watch out for him, watching if he was getting too hyper or being inappropiate or whatever, I got very close to him emotionally. Also, he is very tender hearted and so it was easy to just dwell with him emotionally. He also has always had such a tender heart for others. He is so soft and gentle at heart.
My husband has always had a difficult time with Bradley (who is a "junior") because my husband is hard on himself and is hard on Bradley also. Bradley is soft and gentle and my husband does not seem to possess a capacity to meet him there. However, my husband is very supportive of Bradley and they have a good relationship and are close, I just see the area of Bradley's need that my husband isn't able to meet and it gives me empathy for Bradley. Bradley wants a tenderness from my husband, like I have with him, but my husband just isn't in that space emotionally when it comes to Bradley, even though he loves him and has always been there for him in other ways.
However, I have had the opportunity on many occasions to pray with Bradley about their relationship and explain to Bradley what I just told you readers, and this has been a comfort to Bradley and God will heal this all out. I have prayed about this and asked God why does He let Bradley have this hole in his heart and I feel like the Lord responded, and circumstances seem to confirm it, and I have peace in my heart about it, that God responded, "because I want him for myself."
God wants Bradley's brokeness of heart to be satisfied in Him. God has allowed his heart to be broken because He wants to be the caretaker and holder of his heart. He wants his wounds to be a means and a source and an entry to the road to Himself and His relationship with Bradley. Bradley belongs to the Lord.
Regarding Bradley's brilliance, I used to want Bradley to be a great something-or-other because intellectually he could really show himself off, but as soon as I ever thought of these things, I would always think to myself that that is not what Bradley is going to do. First of all, he isn't a show-off, or is he? (Well, he enjoys getting a 4.0, but I don't think that he really is a showy kind of guy. He also has very few possessions. The other kids always bleed his room of anything that he gets, and he never takes any of their stuff, so he has like only one or two "things" that have really become signified as "his.")
I think that God made Bradley brilliant for Himself as well. I don't think that he will be a scientist or a mathematician or a doctor or a lawyer, though I do hope that he hangs around in college to get an advanced education, but in the end, perhaps even after fiddling in another thing (career) for a while, I think he will be in ministry, perhaps a Pastor. Or if he is in some career, it will be for the Lord to use him in that field as His ministry.
God called Bradley to go to boarding school last year (starting this past fall). I didn't want to send him and it really wasn't my idea, but God impressed it upon me to such an extent that I felt that I had to send Bradley or I would be sinning against God. Bradley also felt the call of God for him to go.
One time I told Bradley, about a year ago, I said, "Bradley, one day you will hear God calling you to something and when He calls you, you need to be ready and respond to Him yes, and do what He calls you into." Bradley responded, "Okay Mom," in a very affirming way. When my Pastor, son and I prayed for Bradley upon his departure for boarding school (A Christian school with a strong presence of God's working)Bradley's "Amen" at the end of the prayer was again so affirming, so sincere, like he was right there agreeing with God Himself.
So Bradley has a heart for God. But currently Bradley's faith is being tested. He is lonely, as he has been very connected to me and the family and God is separating him for and to Himself, but Bradley hasn't run to God yet with his loneliness and fears. It is like he is wandering around saying "it is so dry out here and I am so thirsty" but God holding a fountian of living water but Bradley isn't going to the well to drink.
When I spoke with Bradley yesterday, I asked him how his relationship with God is and he didn't answer. I know Bradley loves God, that he is not rebellious or running away from God, at least I don't think so, but he isn't going to God either. I told Bradley that he needed to pray and seek God, that he needed to hang out with the boys who are Christians, and needed to really try to be with God in the daily chapel services, and to join the Bible Study group.
Bradley mostly spends any available time playing video games, which he loves, and is somewhat addicted to. One time on a Bible Study sheet that he filled out years ago the question was asked about what may interfer with your relationship with God and he wrote, "video games," and that is still true. There is something about the games, of which he is very good at, that satisfies his mind and the way that thing works, and obviously is seeping into his heart, and just occupying his time and heart so he walks around thirsty, not going to the well to drink.
So, please pray for my son, Bradley. Pray these things that I have listed out below, and please pray for the next week to God about these matters, as the Lord brings rememberence to your heart, so we can really have an impact. Maybe I will rewrite these things on my daily posts to be a reminder:
1. That Bradley will pray to God for his needs
2. That Bradley will draw near to God
3. That Bradley will find opportunites to be drawn into ministry and real fellowship with other believers
4. That his older sister would not negatively influence him (who is also at the school)
5. That he would overcome peer pressure
6. That he would not curse
7. That he would have a desire for holiness
8. That God's calling would be upon him and God would direct him both now and a future specific calling into (whatever)ministry God has for him and Bradley would respond again, "okay, Lord"
9. That Brad would transition from childhood into manhood with his child-like faith becoming a man's faith
10. That God would become the filler and director and of Bradley's heart
11. That nothing would steer Bradley off of the right course that Bradley is to on
12. That Bradley's heart would change in that and that he would desire to remain at the boarding school (because now he wants to come home) where God has called him and that God would make that clear, removing all doubts. That Bradley or his dad wouldn't be confused about that and Bradley would remember how God called him there, so he would settle in and get into what God has for him there.
13. That God would develop and use Bradley's spiritual gifts.
14. (Since he is 14 we'll have a list of 14)That God would find a friend in Bradley and pour out His holy Spirit upon Him.
Because he was unique and gifted, and because I needed to spend extra time with him and always watch out for him, watching if he was getting too hyper or being inappropiate or whatever, I got very close to him emotionally. Also, he is very tender hearted and so it was easy to just dwell with him emotionally. He also has always had such a tender heart for others. He is so soft and gentle at heart.
My husband has always had a difficult time with Bradley (who is a "junior") because my husband is hard on himself and is hard on Bradley also. Bradley is soft and gentle and my husband does not seem to possess a capacity to meet him there. However, my husband is very supportive of Bradley and they have a good relationship and are close, I just see the area of Bradley's need that my husband isn't able to meet and it gives me empathy for Bradley. Bradley wants a tenderness from my husband, like I have with him, but my husband just isn't in that space emotionally when it comes to Bradley, even though he loves him and has always been there for him in other ways.
However, I have had the opportunity on many occasions to pray with Bradley about their relationship and explain to Bradley what I just told you readers, and this has been a comfort to Bradley and God will heal this all out. I have prayed about this and asked God why does He let Bradley have this hole in his heart and I feel like the Lord responded, and circumstances seem to confirm it, and I have peace in my heart about it, that God responded, "because I want him for myself."
God wants Bradley's brokeness of heart to be satisfied in Him. God has allowed his heart to be broken because He wants to be the caretaker and holder of his heart. He wants his wounds to be a means and a source and an entry to the road to Himself and His relationship with Bradley. Bradley belongs to the Lord.
Regarding Bradley's brilliance, I used to want Bradley to be a great something-or-other because intellectually he could really show himself off, but as soon as I ever thought of these things, I would always think to myself that that is not what Bradley is going to do. First of all, he isn't a show-off, or is he? (Well, he enjoys getting a 4.0, but I don't think that he really is a showy kind of guy. He also has very few possessions. The other kids always bleed his room of anything that he gets, and he never takes any of their stuff, so he has like only one or two "things" that have really become signified as "his.")
I think that God made Bradley brilliant for Himself as well. I don't think that he will be a scientist or a mathematician or a doctor or a lawyer, though I do hope that he hangs around in college to get an advanced education, but in the end, perhaps even after fiddling in another thing (career) for a while, I think he will be in ministry, perhaps a Pastor. Or if he is in some career, it will be for the Lord to use him in that field as His ministry.
God called Bradley to go to boarding school last year (starting this past fall). I didn't want to send him and it really wasn't my idea, but God impressed it upon me to such an extent that I felt that I had to send Bradley or I would be sinning against God. Bradley also felt the call of God for him to go.
One time I told Bradley, about a year ago, I said, "Bradley, one day you will hear God calling you to something and when He calls you, you need to be ready and respond to Him yes, and do what He calls you into." Bradley responded, "Okay Mom," in a very affirming way. When my Pastor, son and I prayed for Bradley upon his departure for boarding school (A Christian school with a strong presence of God's working)Bradley's "Amen" at the end of the prayer was again so affirming, so sincere, like he was right there agreeing with God Himself.
So Bradley has a heart for God. But currently Bradley's faith is being tested. He is lonely, as he has been very connected to me and the family and God is separating him for and to Himself, but Bradley hasn't run to God yet with his loneliness and fears. It is like he is wandering around saying "it is so dry out here and I am so thirsty" but God holding a fountian of living water but Bradley isn't going to the well to drink.
When I spoke with Bradley yesterday, I asked him how his relationship with God is and he didn't answer. I know Bradley loves God, that he is not rebellious or running away from God, at least I don't think so, but he isn't going to God either. I told Bradley that he needed to pray and seek God, that he needed to hang out with the boys who are Christians, and needed to really try to be with God in the daily chapel services, and to join the Bible Study group.
Bradley mostly spends any available time playing video games, which he loves, and is somewhat addicted to. One time on a Bible Study sheet that he filled out years ago the question was asked about what may interfer with your relationship with God and he wrote, "video games," and that is still true. There is something about the games, of which he is very good at, that satisfies his mind and the way that thing works, and obviously is seeping into his heart, and just occupying his time and heart so he walks around thirsty, not going to the well to drink.
So, please pray for my son, Bradley. Pray these things that I have listed out below, and please pray for the next week to God about these matters, as the Lord brings rememberence to your heart, so we can really have an impact. Maybe I will rewrite these things on my daily posts to be a reminder:
1. That Bradley will pray to God for his needs
2. That Bradley will draw near to God
3. That Bradley will find opportunites to be drawn into ministry and real fellowship with other believers
4. That his older sister would not negatively influence him (who is also at the school)
5. That he would overcome peer pressure
6. That he would not curse
7. That he would have a desire for holiness
8. That God's calling would be upon him and God would direct him both now and a future specific calling into (whatever)ministry God has for him and Bradley would respond again, "okay, Lord"
9. That Brad would transition from childhood into manhood with his child-like faith becoming a man's faith
10. That God would become the filler and director and of Bradley's heart
11. That nothing would steer Bradley off of the right course that Bradley is to on
12. That Bradley's heart would change in that and that he would desire to remain at the boarding school (because now he wants to come home) where God has called him and that God would make that clear, removing all doubts. That Bradley or his dad wouldn't be confused about that and Bradley would remember how God called him there, so he would settle in and get into what God has for him there.
13. That God would develop and use Bradley's spiritual gifts.
14. (Since he is 14 we'll have a list of 14)That God would find a friend in Bradley and pour out His holy Spirit upon Him.
posted by An Ordinary Christian | 3:22 AM
9 Comments:
I read this whole post and I feel like I know Bradley. The part about his relationship with his father, it hits home because my husband is a bit detached emotionally from K (and he's only 4 yrs old!). He was sick for the first 2 years of his life and we weren't sure if he was going to make it, so my hubby detached early on. It's not easy. As for the rest of your post and prayer request, I am on it. I have begun to pray for your boy, who sounds AMAZING. Remember the part in Phil (in the Bible) about not worrying about anything, but through praying and petition presenting your requests to God...and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding will comfort our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus (NIV version). I had that verse in my head midway through this post and I had to bring it up. Have a good day!
Y'all are in my heart, mind and prayers, dear sister. God bless you.
God's Grace.
I will pray for Bradley. Eddie had this same problem with his dad. It seemed he never quite measured up in Chuck's eyes. He would even leave sometimes when his dad was coming home, he would go to a friends.
When he graduated, he told me, "mom I am seventeen years old and dad doesn't even know who I am." I shared that with his father and he cried because he knew it was true.
Chuck went to Eddie and asked him to forgive him and Eddie told him, Dad you have always liked to work with your hands, you are Home Depot and I am Home Office.
God is amazing, they now have a wonderful relationship. Take care and Bradley will be in my prayers.
We'll surrender Bradley unto our Lord.
He cares for your son very much.
Bradley is now on my prayer list. As are you and your entire family.
Your a wonderful mother. Your strengh and devotion is amazing.
I am blessed to have you in my circle of friends.
Your Friend,
Kerry
Praying for Bradley and your family.
Your son will be in my prayers. D oyu have any more children at home with you or are they both gone to school? May God give you strength to trust that He has it in control and that He has the best for your son. May God make your son sensitive to His voice despite the distractions of life.
Wow. I'll be praying.
I don't know if I could send my kids to boarding school...that must be real tough on you as well as them. Since I homeschool right now, I understand the bond you have. It is wonderful.
I've also lived with ADHD kids while a cottage parent and understand how difficult that can be too. Some people just do not have the patience to deal with that much activity...so, I can see where your hubby's feelings are too.
I've also been told that video games actually help ADHD kids. So, that may be why he responds to them so well and loves them so much.
I'll be praying for your whole family...for the Holy Spirit's guidance and comfort.
(Keep praying for me and losing weight! Thank you!)
lifting bradley up in prayer.
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