10 Scriptures to Pray Over Your Children W

e are constantly working on positive parenting techniques with our children. Parenting is such a hard job, isn’t it? It’s a job that I consistently make mistakes doing. I am always trying to do better, learn more and make repairs with my kids through apologies. If you simply add apologizing to your parenting techniques, you can help break negative parenting cycles. My kids know that I am growing with them and I make mistakes. In addition to apologizing when I’ve made a parenting mistake, my kids both benefit from:

» Schedules

» Proper nutrition

» Quality sleep

» Limited screen time

AUTHOR LaVonne Long

» Exercise

» Boundaries

» Timeouts

» Family bonding time

» Consequences

» Family worship

Parenting well takes constant work and constant prayer for our family. In the past year, I’ve really enjoyed praying scripture over my children. I simply insert their name into the Bible text and pray that scripture to God. There is power in the scriptures.

10 SCRIPTURES TO PRAY OVER YOUR CHILDREN

Insert your child’s name into the following Bible verses.

1. Above all else, guard ______ heart, for everything you do flows from it. (Prov. 4:23)

2. Let ______ listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance ... (Prov. 1:5)

3. How can ______ stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word. (Psalm 119:9)

4. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, ______ be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then ______ will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing, and perfect will. (Rom. 12:2)

5. ______ is your servant; give ______ discernment that they may understand your statutes. (Psalm 119:125)

6. And we know that in all things God works for the good of ______ who love Him, who has been called according to His purpose. (Rom. 8:28)

7. Let ______ listen and add to their learning, and let ______ get guidance ... (Prov. 1:5)

8. With this in mind, we constantly pray for ______, that our God may make ______ worthy of His calling, and that by His power He may bring to fruition ______ every desire for goodness and ______ every deed prompted by faith. (2 Thess. 1:11)

9. Do not fear, for I have redeemed ______; I have summoned ______ by name; ______ is mine. (Isa. 43:1)

10. Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard ______ hearts and ______ minds in Christ Jesus. (Phil. 4:6-7)

There are so many more Bible verses you can pray over your children. These are just 10 that I find helpful. Get creative, open your Bible and find even more, not only for your children but for you. Parenting is hard, and we need God and the scriptures as our guide.

LAVONNE LONG Northwest Adventists family columnist