Tag Archives: Mental Health Awareness Month

praying for a wounded child

New Devotional Offers Lifeline to Parents of Wounded Children During Mental Health Awareness Month

FAITH NEWS SERVICEPraying for a Wounded Child: Encouragement and Prayers for You and the Child You Loveby Virginia Wells Provides Spirit-Led Encouragement and Hope for Families Facing Emotional and Behavioral Challenges.

United States—Monday, May 19, 2025—Just in time for Mental Health Awareness Month, a powerful new resource is offering comfort, courage, and Christ-centered guidance to parents navigating the often lonely and overwhelming road of raising emotionally wounded children. “Praying for a Wounded Child” releases this month with a timely message for struggling families and caregivers.

Born from Virginia Wells’s own raw and redemptive parenting journey—including the challenges of raising children from hard places—this devotional is both practical and deeply spiritual. With a master’s degree in mental health counseling and significant experience working with traumatized children, Wells uniquely understands the profound heartbreak and hope that coexist in these parenting situations.

This book serves as both a soul cry and a battle plan, written for the parent whose heart breaks daily—who feels unseen, unprepared, or out of strength, yet still refuses to give up. Wells speaks directly to those walking a difficult parenting path, offering the encouragement and tools they need to keep going when hope feels distant.

Each devotional entry invites readers into honest reflection, scriptural truth, and targeted prayer over some of the most difficult issues wounded children face, including:

  • Attachment trauma and abandonment
  • Abuse and incarceration
  • Identity, education, and forgiveness
  • Extended family dynamics and prejudice
  • Self-care for caregivers
  • And so much more

Wells doesn’t just offer empathy—she equips parents with spiritual and emotional tools to help them stand in the gap for their children, while also tending to their own healing and hope.

This release couldn’t be more timely. With mental health concerns among children and adolescents at an all-time high, families desperately need resources that meet both emotional and spiritual needs. “Praying for a Wounded Child” is not just a devotional—it’s a lifeline.

Virginia Wells’s paperback will be available on Tuesday, May 20; with the e-book free to download on Amazon for 5 days, Tuesday, May 20 through May 24, 2025. “Praying for a Wounded Child” is making a powerful impact, resonating deeply with parents, counselors, and ministry leaders alike. Among its early champions is Jodie Berndt, bestselling author of “Praying the Scriptures for Your Children,” who says:

“Virginia Wells writes with the wisdom of a therapist, the tenderness of a chaplain, and the gut-level understanding of someone who has “been there” with trauma and the wounds that it leaves. Featuring real-life stories, thoughtful questions, and helpful prayers drawn from the pages of Scripture, Praying for a Wounded Child is a powerful and trustworthy companion for those of us who need to know what to do—and how to pray—for the hurting people we love.”

Endorsements like Berndt’s reflect what many readers are saying—this book is more than a devotional; it’s a much-needed companion for the weary-hearted.

Here’s what just a couple of reviewers have shared:

Dan Hauer
5 Stars Nothing too hard for the LORD!
An anointed blend of touching real-life experiences, contextual insights, inspiring scriptures, and intercessory prayers recommended to guide and encourage those seeking Divine intervention on behalf of children wounded by life’s circumstances. I highly commend author Wells for her outstanding work!

Melody M.
5 Stars Encouragement to get you through tough times
Praying For A Wounded Child was not written relying on scholarly research alone. It is a work wrought in the depths of human experience, riding the roller coaster ups-and-downs that only “doing life” in the throes of addiction and emotional trauma can produce. It rises above the telling of a story to the heights of spiritual awareness, confession, dependence, and utter reliance on our faith in God when our human eyes cannot see the path to a positive conclusion. Virginia shares this personal journey in a compelling way that will bring enlightenment and encouragement to others who walk a similar road, perhaps at a time when they need it the most. Melody Morris, Co-Founder, Faith And Friends Radio, faithandfriendsradio.com

For interviews, contact: virginiawellsauthor@gmail.com

Website: www.virginiawellsauthor.com

Facebook: Virginia Wells, Author

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Virginia Wells is a licensed social worker and seasoned hospital chaplain, whose personal experiences as a mother to three truly cherished children, including those adopted from hard places, has shaped her insightful perspective. By virtue of her rich education. and extensive life experiences, Wells is uniquely qualified to address the needs of those wanting hope, wisdom, and affirmation in the often-perplexing journey of caring for a hurt child.

When Wells is not overspending on greeting cards at the local dollar store, she and her husband can be found amusing their bored, pampered house cats in their Southern Ohio home.