June 1, 2011

Your Child's Life Verse {In the Word Wednesday}


Yesterday, I encouraged you to pray God’s Word for your kids. One way our family takes that to another level is by choosing a life verse for our kids.

Simply put, a life verse is a passage of Scripture that we feel like uniquely describes each individual child. Once we’ve chosen a life verse for our kids, we pray that verse over and over as a way to mark their lives with God’s Truth.

I have two sons, three-year-old Elisha (we call him Eli) and eleven-month-old Noble. I haven’t chosen Noble’s life verse yet, because he is too young for me to recognize how God has uniquely gifted him and how I specifically need to pray (beyond “Lord, please make him sleep!”). But I have been praying Eli’s life verse since before he was even born.

Yesterday, I shared with you that Eli was healed from a bladder blockage while still in my womb. It is our strong desire that the story of his healing would be a testimony that brings many people to Jesus. So we have chosen 1 Samuel 12:24 as his life verse,  “Only fear the LORD and serve him faithfully with all your heart. For consider what great things he has done for you.”

We pray this verse for Eli. We pray this verse with Eli. We’ve painted this verse on the wall in Eli’s room. When he starts reading, this will be a passage I will have him practice reading often. When he is able to memorize Scripture, this verse will be where we start.

What’s the point of putting so much emphasis on a single verse? I’m glad you asked. Here are the reasons why I choose life verses for each child:
1. It gives me a specific way to pray for my children.
2. It helps them learn that the Bible’s promises are meant for them personally.
3. It helps cast a vision for who they will be and how they will serve God in the future.

Are you struggling to know how to pray for your kids? Let me encourage you to find a specific life verse for each one. Ask God to direct you to passages that will help you see His hand in each individual child. If your kids are older, they might have some great ideas for passages they’d like to have as their life verse. Then simply use that verse as an opportunity to teach about God’s Truth every chance you get.

There’s nothing magic about this. Life verses don’t become a chant or a motto. They are simply a way to apply the language of God’s Word to the lives of your children.


Do you have a life verse for your child?  Please leave a comment on the blog or facebook sharing what the verse is or a story about how you chose the verse!

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