The most important thing I can do each day for my kids is: not make them healthy foods or help them with school work or bring them to church. Those are all Wonderful! The most important thing I can do is pray verses or scripture over my kids. If praying verses over your kids quietly or out loud is not a habit you are doing now, I encourage you to start, no matter if your kids are newborns or adults.
Many moms and dads worry or fret about their children and grandchildren of any age, so why not pray specifically for them instead of worry. I will give ideas on how you can make this a regular habit and suggest verses from my personal experience.
I have prayed many verses over my kids. My favorite time to pray for them is in the bathtub, especially on cold Minnesota nights. Not the best choice because when it’s summer and hot out I’m not in the bathtub as much, but I then have a list of verses by my bed to pray over them.
Another good time to pray for them is on a walk. One day I was walking and was very burdened for my college kids and started to pray for them. I felt like I didn’t even know how to pray for them that day.
God stopped me and said to me, “If you only pray one verse over them ever, pray this: “That they would Love the Lord their God with all their heart and with all their soul and with all of their mind and strength.” This verse is from Matthew 22:37.
This is the greatest command and most important. I pray they put God first and love him always. That is really what matters in life. They love God continually and live each day for him. This is a verse to pray for them all their life.
A few months later I was reading Mark Batterson’s book, “Praying Circles Around Your Children” and the verse he prays over his kids is: “And He grew in wisdom and stature and favor with God and men.” Luke 2:52
Why not pray this verse too? So I added this verse. I usually pray this verse over my youngest kid at home before school or at bedtime out loud. It sounds something like this: “I pray Brant will grow in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and Men.” I pray he does grow in wisdom at school and the knowledge from life experiences and time with God and he would grow in stature (he needs a few more inches and boys can still grow in college). I pray that he would have favor with God for his future and with people, teachers and leaders he comes in contact with each day.
I also pray blessings over him from Numbers 6:24-26 before bed or when he leaves for the day. I change it up with verses, but I am praying verses over him out loud and silently. If a verse pops in my head when I am praying for my kids out loud, I pray it over them.
When I pray for my kids out loud, I am saying the verses from memory and hoping I will put that verse in his/her memory bank and spirit because he/she hears it so many times.
If you are diapering a grandbaby or your baby, pray verses over them out loud. If you don’t have scripture memorized, keep cards on the diaper changing area wall. The babies that go to bible study fellowship are having scripture prayed over them as their diapers are being changed.
When the kids were in elementary school my husband combined some verses from Psalms and made up a printed sheet and kept it in the kids’ rooms. He prayed these verses over the kids before they went to bed. Eventually we got that verse memorized.
Here is the example of one: “Teach_____ to number her days and recognize how few they are, that she may gain a heart of wisdom. O Lord come and bless ____. Satisfy her in her earliest youth with your unfailing love; that she may sing for joy all her days. Let _____ see your miracles again, let her see glorious things, the kind you used to do. May the favor and beauty of the Lord our God rest upon ____, establish the work of her hands for her- yes, establish the work of her hands.” Psalm 90:12-17
TIPS: Praying verses over your kids
Keep a list of verses by the bathtub, bed, on the mirror, near the sink, on your cell phone screen or on the car dashboard to pray as you drive. Insert your kids name into the verse.
Memorize some verses to pray out loud over your kids.
Pray out loud at bedtime or when they leave for the day as a blessing over them.
If you see the verses daily around your house, you will pray for your kids daily. Make a picture of the verses and place in spots around the house.
Put the verses on index cards that are attached together with a ring so you can flip through them and pray a new verse each day.
Look up character traits and a verse that goes with each. And pray over your kids each day. I have 31 verses I will list at the bottom. These are the verses by my bathtub.
The Moms in Prayer website has a ring of scripture prayer cards you can purchase and pray over your kids. These are by my bed and my favorite to pray at night and as I wake up. Pray them for yourself too. Here is the link to purchase these scripture prayer cards by MIP.
When I pray my mind is at peace and doesn’t make up trouble or worry about my kids.
Who can pray the best for their kids besides their mom?
If you have no kids or grandkids, pray these verses over yourself or nieces or nephews or students you teach or coach.
Every kid needs someone praying verses over them. I hope you can be that person.
Any ideas you have, please leave in the comments.
If you would like a pdf of these verses please leave a comment and I will email you one in the next week. I am working on the mailing list.
31 Character traits to pray over your kids with verses.
Faith: I pray that faith will find root and grow in _______ heart, that by faith they may gain what has been promised to them. Luke 17:5-6, Hebrews 11:1-40
Humility: Lord, please cultivate in ______ the ability to show true humility toward all.Titus 3:2
Perseverance: Lord, teach _______ perseverance in all they do, and help them especially to run with perseverance the race marked out for them. Hebrews 12:1
Biblical self-esteem: Help ________ develop a strong self-esteem that is rooted in the realization that they are God’s workmanship created in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:10
Hope: May the God of hope grant that _____ may overflow with hope and hopefulness by the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13
Honesty and integrity: May integrity and honesty be ________ virtue and their protection. Psalm 25:21
Kindness:Lord, may _______ always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else. 1 Thessalonians 5:15
Joy: May _______ be filled with the joy given by the Holy Spirit. 1 Thessalonians 1:6
Generosity: Grant that _____ may be generous and willing to share and lay up treasures in Heaven. 1 Timothy 6:18-19
A Passion for God: Lord, please instill in _____ a soul with a craving for You, a heart that clings passionately to You. Psalm 63:8
Self Control: Father, help ______ not to be like many others around them, but let them be alert and self controlled in all they do. 1 Thessalonians 5:6
Purity:Create in _____ a pure heart, O God, and let their purity be shown in their actions. Psalm 51:10
Respect:Father, grant that ______ may show proper respect to every one as your Word Commands. 1 Peter 2:17
Responsibility:Grant that _____ may learn responsibility, for each one should carry his own load. Galatians 6:5
Justice:God, help _____ to love justice as you do and to act justly in all they do. Psalm 11:7, Micah 6:8
A willingness and ability to work hard:Teach _____, Lord, to value work and to work as if he is working for the Lord, not for men. Colossians 3:23
Salvation:Lord, let salvation spring up within _____ that they may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory. Isaiah 45:8, 2 Timothy 2:10
Mercy:May ____ always be merciful as their Father is merciful. Luke 6:36
Love:Grant, Lord, that ____ may learn to live a life of love through the Spirit who dwells in them. Ephesians 5:2, Galatians 5:22
A Servant heart: Lord, Please help _____ develop servants hearts, that they may serve wholeheartedly as if they were serving the Lord, not men. Ephesians 6:7
Faithfulness:Let love and faithfulness never leave _____ but bind these twin virtues around their necks and write them on the tablet of their hearts. Proverbs 3:3
Contentment:Father teach ______ the secret of being content in any and every situation….through him who gives them strength. Philippians 4:12-13
Compassion:Lord, please clothe ______ with the virtue of compassion. Colossians 3:12
Prayerfulness:Grant, Lord, that _____ lives may be marked by prayerfulness, that they may learn to pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. Ephesians 6:18
A love for God’s Word:May ______ grow to find your Word more precious than gold, than much pure gold; and sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb. Psalm 19:10
Self-discipline:Father, I pray that _____ may develop self-discipline, that they may acquire a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair. Proverbs 1:3
Growth in grace:I pray that ____ may grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 2 Peter 3:18
A heart for missions:Lord, please help___ to develop a heart for missions, a desire to see your glory declared among the nations, your marvelous deeds among all peoples. Psalm 96:3
Peace:Father, let ____ make every effort to do what leads to peace. Romans 14:19
Courage:May ____ always be strong and courageous in their character and in their actions. Deuteronomy 31:6
Anna, this is probably the best thing I’ve read in a long time. I realized that while I pray for my kids, I haven’t prayed over them. Thanks for the ideas, and kick in the seat of the pants.
Thanks for your input. I told one of my kids I may not be the best at affirmation, but wouldn’t you rather have a parent who prays with you, for you and over you? The little things we do in life like praying can be a BIG difference. Thanks Anna