31 Biblical Virtues to Pray For Your Kids

by Bob Hostetler, excerpted from Pray! Magazine issue #4

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If you want to pray more for your children, but aren't sure what to pray or how to pray for them, then use this list of virtues as your guide. Next to each virtue is a prayer based upon Scripture that you can pray, with the reference to where in the Bible the prayer was inspires. This makes for a great prayer calendar. Just pick one virtue each day of the month to pray over your child/children.

1. Salvation - "Lord, let salvation spring up from within my children, that they may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus, with eternal glory." Isaiah 45:8, 2 Timothy 2:10
2. Growth in grace - "I pray that my children may grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ." 2 Peter 3:18
3. Love - "Grant, Lord, that my children may learn to live a life of love, through the Spirit who dwells in them." Galatians 5:25, Ephesians 5:2
4. Honesty and integrity - "May integrity and honesty be their virtue and their protection." Psalm 25:21
5. Self-control - "Father, help my children not to be like many others around them, but let them be alert and self-controlled in all they do." 1 Thessalonians 5:6
6. Love for God's Word - "May my children grow to find Your Word more precious than much pure gold and sweeter than honey from the comb." Psalm 19:10
7. Justice - "God, help my children to love justice and You do and act justly in all they do." Psalm 11:7, Micah 6:8
8. Mercy - "May my children always be merciful, just as their Father is merciful." Luke 6:36
9. Respect (for self, others, authority, etc) - "Father, grant that my children may show proper respect to everyone, as your Word commands." 1 Peter 2:17
10. Biblical self-esteem - "Help my children develop a strong self-esteem that is rooted in the realization that they are God's worksmanship, creating in Christ Jesus." Ephesians 2:10
11. Faithfulness - "Let love and faithfulness never leave my children, but bind these twin virtues around their necks and write them on the tablet of their hearts." Proverbs 3:3
12. Courage - "May my children always be strong and courageous in their character and in their action." Deuteronomy 31:6
13. Purity - "Create in them a pure heart, O God, and let that purity of heart be shown in their actions." Psalm 51:10
14. Kindness - "Lord, may my children always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else." 1 Thessalonians 5:15
15. Generosity - "Grant that my children may be generous and willing to share, and so lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age." 1 Timothy 6:18-19
16. Peace-loving - "Father, let my children make every effort to do what leads to peace." Romans 14:19
17. Joy - "May my children be filled with the joy given by the Holy Spirit." 1 Thessalonians 1:6
18. Perseverance - "Lord, teach my children perseverance in all they do, and help them especially to run with perseverance the race marked out for them." Hebrews 12:1
19. Humility - "God, please cultivate in my children the ability to show true humility toward all." Titus 3:2
20. Compassion - "Lord, please clothe my children with the virtue of compassion." Colossians 3:12
21. Responsibility - "Grant that my children may learn responsibility, for each one should carry his own load." Galatians 6:5
22. Contentment - "Father teach my children to the secret of being content in any and every situation, through Him who gives them strength." Philippians 4:12-13
23. Faith - "I pray that faith will find root and grow in my children's hearts, that by faith they may gain what has been promised to them." Luke 17:5-6, Hebrews 11:1-40
24. A servant's heart - "God, please help my children develop servants' hearts, that they may serve wholeheartedly, as if they were serving the Lord, not men." Ephesians 6:7
25. Hope - "May the God of hope grant that my children may overflow with hope and hopefulness by the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13
26. Willingness and ability to work - "Teach my children, Lord, to value work and to work at it with all their heat, as working for the Lord, not for men." Colossians 3:23
27. Passion for God - "Lord, please instill in my children a soul that follows hard after You, one that clings passionately to you." Psalm 63:8
28. Self-discipline - "Father, I pray that my children may acquire a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair." Proverbs 1:3
29. Prayerfulness - "Grant, Lord, that my children's 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
30. Gratitude - "Help my children to live lives that are always overflowing with thankfulness and always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ." Ephesians 5:20, Colossians 2:7
31. A heart for missions - "Lord, please help my children to develop a desire to see your glory declared among the nations, your marvelous deeds among all people." Psalm 96:3

Do You Remember?

Kids have an amazing capacity to remember things. Now, while they are young, is the time to harness that ability and help fill their minds with things worth remembering. Below is a list of ideas on how to help your child remember Scripture:

1. Books of Bible
2. The 10 Commandments: Exodus 20:1-17 (click here to read passage)
3. The Beatitudes: Matthew 5:3-12 (click here to read passage)
4. Psalm 23 (click here to read)
5. The "Love" Chapter: 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 (click here to read all 13 verses of the chapter)
6. ABC Scripture Memory (click here for more detail)

Tennis Balls + Down = Fluff

Are your down coats, vests, etc in need of a cleaning but you don't want them to end up all clumpy after a wash? Try this:

1. Wash item(s) in a detergent such as Woolite, Woolite Dark (for dark colors like black, brown, navy, etc), or Woolite Color (for bright colors).
2. Remove from wash immediately after final spin.
3. Throw item(s) in dryer along with 2-3 tennis balls, more if you have a large load. It is recommended to dry only 2 or 3 items at a time to achieve best results.
4. Remove from dryer immediately.
5. You coat, vest, etc should be clean and fluffy ... just like new!

How To Start A Blog

There have been quite a few MOPS moms lately commenting on how they "could never blog" because it looks too complicated and they just aren't tech savvy. You might be surprised at how easy it is to blog! Read on and see why you should start your own blog today.

Reasons People Don't Blog:

1. I am too busy.

You don't have to write a post (blog entry) every day. Some people post on certain days of the week. With Blogger (who this blog is through) you can actually schedule posts for days in the future, so if you find you have some extra time you write some blog posts and then schedule them to be published later! Once you have your blog created and set-up, a post could take as little as 5 minutes!

2.) I am not creative.

You don't have to be creative to have a blog. When you create a blog there is usually a premade design (background, etc) that you start with. Some blog sites let you select from a list of options what your blog design will be (Blogger does this). There are lots of sites available for people who want a snazzy design (like this blog) for their blog decor. For those that want to spice up their blogs but have the slightest idea on how to do that, contact April E. at patrick.april@hotmail.com. She can help you out.

3.) I am not that tech savvy.

Again, you don't have to know very much to create a blog. You just need to know where the letters and numbers are on the keyboard and how to use a mouse. The layout of your blog is set a certain way when you start a blog. If you so choose, there are ways to change that. Blogger is really easy to change and rearrange things on your blog page. If you are looking for a change but have the slightest clue on how to get started contact April.

4.) I don't want my thoughts recorded for the public to see.

The great thing about blogging is that you get to decide what you want your blog to about, and you get to decide how much is on your blog. Very few people pour out their every thought on their blogs, just the ones they want people to read. Some people have recipe blogs where they post recipes. Some people have media blogs, where they critique books, music, videos, etc. Some make their blogs about their day-to-date family life. Other blog ideas are: following a famous person, blogging about an issues in which you are especially passionate, finding bargains or making things.

5.) No one will read my blog.

You would be surprised at how many people think they have nothing of value or interesting to share with the world. If you want to increase traffic to your blog you can put your blog address on sites like Blogher.com to let people know who (and where) you are.

6.) Everyone will read my blog.

If you are anxious about strangers lurking on your blog you can request during the creation of your blog that a password and username be assigned to your blog. Then only those you want to see your blog will see it. This option can be reversed should you decide to change it.

7.) Blogs are for those who are stuck on themselves.

This is a common myth. This is only true if you really want your blog to be all about how self-absorbed you are. Many moms have a blogs that are dedicated to their lives and the lives of their families. Again, your blog is what you choose to make it. There are no rules out there about what you should or shouldn't put on your blog.

Reasons You Should Blog (not extensive):

1. It's a great way to let your friends and family (especially if they aren't in the area) keep in touch with you.
2. You have a creative outlet to express your adult self.
3. You are forced to put your thoughts together in words - you learn to express yourself more concisely.
4. It's a great way to venture out and learn how to do something new!
5. You can share your knowledge on a particular topic or issue.
6. You will discover there are lots of people out there who are interested in what you have to say (and vice versa).
7. It's a great way to document your life.
   

Stress-Free Parenting

I once heard the definition of stress as: anything we perceive to be out of our control. I like that because it explains why each of us stresses over different situations. At times, though, we all feel our kids and their behavior are out of our control. That’s why parenting is such a stressful task. It’s not for the weak-hearted. Comedian Martin Mull quipped, “Parenting is like having a bowling alley in your head.” But, I like to remember the words of Albert Einstein and relate them to parenting; “Not everything that counts can be counted. And not everything that can be counted counts.” This often prompts me to relax and stop fretting about every issue in my children’s lives or overestimating the importance of their problems.

Two characters in Chinese spell the word stress; one character means danger and the other means opportunity. I think that perfectly explains the tension in raising kids today; it can be a hazard but it also gives us opportunities to learn, laugh, grow, and make memories to fall back on when they’re out of the house. If you’re feeling stressed about raising kids, remember:

1. All kids can and do misbehave.
   
2. There are no perfect kids.
   
3. There are no perfect parents.
   
4. Parenting is a short season of life.
   
5. Physical affection is therapeutic; give and receive hugs.
   
6. See humor (somewhere) in the situation.
   
7. Take a break; exercise, listen to soothing music, read a chapter in a favorite book, or enjoy a cup of coffee.
   
8. Talking to other adults can ease loneliness or frustration.
   
9. Wisdom knows what to overlook.
   
10. Good parents practice self-care; eat right and sleep when your kids do.
    

© Copyright, 2005, Brenda Nixon, M.A

10 Daily Committments

Parenting is an each day activity- each day is a new opportunity to positively impact your child’s life in a profound way.

1. Each day I will spend at least as much time with my child as with the TV.
   
2. Each day I will share at least one fun-filled learning experience with my child.
   
3. Each day I will affirm my child as a person.
   
4. Each day I will affirm my spouse in the presence of my child.
   
5. Each day I will affirm my Lord (praise him, thank him, honor him) in the presence of my child.
   
6. Each day I will say “I love you” to my child.
   
7. Each day I will make one truth from God’s Word the delight of my child’s life.
   
8. Each day I will pray for my child by name.
   
9. Each day I will read something to my child that will build his/her love for the Lord.
   
10. Each day I will help my child feel the warmth of my personal presence, be it in a hug, a kiss, sitting on my lap, etc.

Author Unknown, but these are some powerful tips! If the whole list seems too overwhelming, pick one or two items to work on this week.