As a mother, you notice a lot of things flooding your mind at times. Am I a Good Mother? I'm always concerned about minor details like, 'Is she too cold? Too hot?' Is she content with everything she has? The list could go on and on. Instead of worrying, I've learned to use our words to speak wholeness, goodness, and blessings over our children.
We need to be deliberate about this because I've heard many other women emphasize the importance of speaking life over your children. Particularly at such a young age. When you do this, you are planting seeds that will grow throughout his or her life.
So, what exactly does it mean to speak life over your child?
Many of us never considered the incredible power our words have on others. God created us to be expressive beings, and Proverbs tells us that our words hold the power of life and death (18:21).
Encouragement often comes through spoken words. So does discouragement. Another Proverb states, “Reckless words pierce like a sword” (12:18) To speak life is to be a person who encourages, edifies, and blesses others through your words.
Our words have great power. Do not speak hurtful words; instead, speak only what is beneficial to building others up according to their needs, so that those who listen can benefit. As parents, we have the unique opportunity to speak blessings over our children.
How to Instill Life in Your Child
I've learned how to breathe life into my child over the years. Here's how to do it:
1. Be specific: When speaking life into a child. Here's an example; Situation: Your daughter dresses herself for school, and she comes down and inquires about her appearance. This is an excellent opportunity to breathe new life into her.
Instead of saying, Is that what you’re wearing today? Say. “cute outfit, honey." “You look fantastic!” “You are exquisitely and marvelously made!"
2. Tell how: Speaking life is more than just encouragement; it is also empowerment. It is insufficient to tell a child that they will be successful in the future. You must also tell them how to do it. For instance, “the fourth grade begins soon. In a few years, you'll graduate from high school and be able to attend college to pursue a degree and pursue your passion.”
3. Show them: You'd be surprised at how much we adults take for granted. We have years of experience compared to children, and we sometimes forget that! When you’re speaking life into your kids, keep that in mind. They need you to show them how they can be what they want to be.
To wrap it up, this world is constantly knocking down even the strongest people. A strong foundation of self-esteem, confidence, and awareness of possibility gives them a fighting chance. We have to speak life into them. Not just encourage them about the life that they are living here in the present, but to give them hope for their lives in the future.