Are wishing and praying the same?

When I was a little girl, I loved to hear Jiminy Cricket sing about wishing on a star. Do you remember the song? The lyrics promised that if we wished on a star, our dreams would come true. Oh, wouldn’t it be wonderful if that were true?

Making wishes is no big deal, right? It seems harmless to give a child a penny to throw in a fountain, and tell her, “Make a wish.” At birthday parties, the birthday boy or girl is often encouraged to “Blow out the candles and make a wish!” But we must be careful to teach our children what is truth and what is not.

As adults, we know wishing doesn’t work. Asking an inanimate object like a birthday candle or star to make a change in our lives is silly and futile. But to an innocent child’s imagination, a wish seems like a wonderful thing. And when kids make wishes, they may confuse wishing with praying. They may wonder if praying to God is the same as wishing on a star.

My book, A Wish and a Prayer, helps kids understand the difference between wishing and praying. In the story, Jason loses his parakeet when it flies out a window. He tries wishing on objects to bring his pet home. Then one night during a thunderstorm, Jason realizes the foolishness of wishing and tries something better – praying to God.

If you’re looking for a non-candy Easter gift for your child or grandchild, consider A Wish and a Prayer. The story is a great opening for answering kids’ deeper questions about prayer. I would love to hear how you used the book with the children in your life.

A Wish and a Prayer