7 Verses to Pray for Your Kids in 2016

This picture sits atop my mantle. Every time I walk by it I stop a minute to gaze at those faces, and I smile.

I love the realness of the picture – one wears shoes, most show bare feet. Shaggy hair and sort-of smiles. And yet, that’s how I love them. Imperfect, yet perfect all at the same time. And that verse, oh that verse. My heart wants to scream it!

So as we begin this new year, how about some new verses to pray for our children.

One night, I tucked my little girl into bed and began to pray like I usually do. My heart leaped when she whispered the words with me, “May she love you Lord with all her heart, and all her soul, and all her strength, and all her mind.”

I memorized that verse, Luke 10:27, as a little girl and from the depths of my heart I desire that my children will love Jesus with their whole heart and life. So, I found myself speaking this Scripture in prayer over my children.

What I didn’t realize was this habit planted God’s Word in their little hearts. And now I watch as it grows roots.

At 3 years old, my daughter not only knew this Scripture, she took comfort in it. If I tried to change it up one night, she quickly reminded me I didn’t pray this verse. As God shed light on the impact of His words through my prayers, I committed to pray His word more for my children.

As we start a new year, what better time to start a new habit of daily praying Scripture over our children! I’ve updated this list of verses and wanted to share them with you, but you’ll notice I left a few of my favorites:

“Lord, bless her and protect her. Smile on her and be gracious to her. Show her Your favor and give her Your peace.” {Numbers 6:24-26}

“I pray, Lord, he will keep Your commands and remain in Your love, so that his joy will be full.” {John 15:10-11}

“May she understand how deep and how wide and how long and how high your love is for her.” {Ephesians 3:18}

“May she love you Lord with all her heart, and all her soul, and all her strength, and all her mind.”{Luke 10:27}

“I pray he will grow in wisdom and fear of the Lord.” {Proverbs 9:10}

“Lord, let him trust you. Delight in you. And commit his way to you, that you may act.” {Psalm 37:3-5}

“I pray that his love will overflow more and more, and that he will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding.” {Philippians 1:9}

Here’s what I want to do. Pray one verse each day of the week. Repeat it week after week after week. And by the end of the year, God’s words will be woven deep in your child’s heart … and yours.

To add a little fun to this, I have some free printable stars for you! 

Click on the links below to print your own Scripture Stars and write one verse on each star.* (They are about 8×10 size.)

ScriptureStar1      ScriptureStar2      ScriptureStar3

ScriptureStar4      ScriptureStar5      ScriptureStar6      ScriptureStar7

Get creative with this! Print on glow in the dark paper then hang the stars on the ceiling in your kids’ rooms. Or poke holes in each star and line them up on a string to hang over your little one’s bed.

Each night as you tuck them in tight, you and your sons and daughters can look at these stars and remember the verse you will pray that night. Then as we lay our own sleepy heads down we will whisper with a smile, “Lord, let your words be a lamp to their feet and a light to their paths.” {Psalm 119:105}

I’d love to hear how you use your Scripture Stars. Leave a Comment!

P.S. Thanks Miss Taylor for one of our favorite pictures! We miss you!

*After you print one star, click the back button to return to this page and print another star.