When I was turning 18 my parents gave me a beautiful cross necklace w/ the scripture reference Proverbs 3:3-6 on it. I asked my parents why they put that verse on the cross and they both said that that was the life verse that they had chosen for me. That they prayed for me. Honestly, I had never heard that from them before. That's neither good nor bad...but there was a part of me that wished I would've known that they had chosen those verses for me.
I remember in the years that followed when I would find myself day dreaming about having children someday that I wanted to choose life verses for them as well...but I wanted to make sure that they knew those verses and as they grew why we chose them for them.
So with Caroline we chose "Teach me your way and I will walk in your truth. Give me an undivided heart and I will fear your name. Psalm 86:11" This verse had been important to me in college and I just felt that if we could do this...if Jason and I could remain focused on the challenge, the mission the Lord had laid before us...if we could teach her His way...then she would walk in His truth. Know that writing this I am fully aware that her decision to follow or not follow the Lord will in fact be her decision. The 2nd part praying that her heart would be protected from being divided between boys, the Lord, her passions in the life...but that she would be focused on the Lord and the rest would fall into place.
Wyatt is the prayer of Jabez. "Oh that you would bless me indeed and enlarge my territory. That your hand would be with me, that you would keep me from evil that I may not cause pain. 1 Chronicles 4:10" We wanted a blessing upon him from a boy to a man...it seems that boys go further away from home. That he would be willing to spread out - to go where the Lord might call him to go. Praying also that the Lord would help point his eyes away from all that could entangle him and that as he pursues girls that he would do his best to not hurt them or cause them pain. So for Jason and I to teach him about how to protect a girls heart.
Hope's is "What ever you do work at it with all your heart as working for the Lord and not for men. Colossians 3:23" This one came at a special time in Jason's life. He had felt this verse impressed on his own life around the time that we found out we were pregnant with Hope. So when it came time to choose a verse he really wanted this one for her. What a wonderful reminder to her to hold her hands open as she works...whether it is at Starbucks, the lead in a show, in a cubicle, a mom...whatever it is...to work with her WHOLE heart to please the Lord and not the people around her.
Oh, that that would be my aim in life. To please the Lord and not the people around me. I think sometimes that the kids verses are more of a ministry to my heart. Each night since they have come home from the hospital we have prayed their verses over them. It is really fun to hear them as they begin to learn to speak that they start helping to say their verses each night. I love that these words will be impressed on their hearts. We pray that if they don't remember anything else that they will call to mind these verses as they are older and it will help to direct them in decisions they make and paths they take. I want to make sure that I share with my kids as they get older those things that are tucked away in my heart that I hope for them...these verses are just a few.
I am challenged today to make sure that scripture is still finding its way to penetrate my heart as an adult. In order for that to happen I need to find a way to make sure that it is read, and thought about. To not rush that process. I don't want it rushed w/ my kids...so I need to make sure it's not rushed with me either. Lord, penetrate my heart still...thanks for always meeting me in the season of life that I find myself in! I love you Lord!
*the pics posted are of the kids verses. Thank you to Abby Jartos and Jennifer Tanksley for being the amazing artists.
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