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One of the most important things we can do as adults is share God’s Word with the kids in our lives. Memorizing truth helps strengthen and encourage even the littlest believers as they grow their faith!
Here are 52 verses perfect for children to memorize. Try to tackle one a week over the next year!
A few ideas to consider:
May these verses be a blessing to your kids (and yourself)!
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We all struggle with feeling worried or anxious at times. It can be frustrating, challenging, disheartening, and even debiltating to battle against fearful thoughts and a restless mind, but we can always turn to the Word of God for peace and comfort in every storm.
Scripture writing plans are an easy yet incredibly effective way to help us read, understand, and engage with God's Word, even when we are feeling worried and anxious. While we might often read through passages in the Bible quickly or skim through verses without fully understanding their meaning, spending time writing out Scripture helps us to really process and pray through what we're reading and hearing from the Lord.
For 15 days, you'll have opportunity to write down a verse or passage that we have found to be incredibly encouraging when we have battled worry and anxious thoughts. We suggest using a journal for these daily Scripture writing practices where you can add any additional mediations or prayers that the verse brings to mind. Take time each day to spend in prayer and meditation before God with his Word, and ask for his healing hand to be on your life.
Click here to download your free Scripture writing guide for worry and anxiety!
There is always more than meets the eye. Yet often we fail to realize this. Instead we notice . . .
A “look” from another woman. She is angry at me because I didn’t sympathize enough with her problems.
The lack of texts from a friend. She doesn’t really think I add that much to our relationship.
The expressions on our kids’ faces at dinnertime. They hate all my food and think I am a horrible mother.
The welcoming interest of another woman. She already has a million friends, I am sure, and would never really want to hang out with me.
The ordinary comment of our husband. He thinks I am not doing a good job.
The random remark of a family member. She is trying to send me a backhanded message.
But what if we’ve translated these things wrong? Maybe the “look” is because she is thinking about her own difficult life at home. The lack of texts is because all of us are busy. The faces at dinnertime are because the kids are tired. The interest from that woman is because she really likes you. The ordinary comment is just an ordinary comment, and the random remark was never directed at you.
Perceptions, assumptions, and judgments prevent us from seeing the heart of the story. But the heart is always what God cares for most. So we write a person off, labeling her offensive; meanwhile there is a whole lengthy, tear-soaked backstory that had nothing to do with us and everything to do with the deep pain in her. We miss the depth of relationship God was prepared to bring. We miss a ministry opportunity, many times. In nearly every case, faulty translations see one angle, our own.
But there are other angles to see from:
1. When you look in the mirror, you notice the deep wrinkles, the age spots, and the droopy eyes. You depressively tell yourself you’re expendable.
New angle: You laugh a lot. You smile a lot. You’ve lived life with all your heart. You have wisdom to share with the world. You wear life well.
2. You work as a waitress to put yourself through school. Yet all you can think, as everyone else is getting their master’s degrees and PhDs is: I’m dumb. And you’re missing out on life because you’re not doing more.
New angle: You are investing in your future. To get somewhere requires sacrifices. There is a purpose to where you are today, and God has plans to use you right where you are.
3. People hurt your feelings again. People always let you down.
New angle: People are people. They are not perfect. God is. I can choose to let God’s Word define me in such great magnitude that other people’s actions and reactions don’t injure me so.
There is more than meets the eye. It is all about our perception.
Kelly Balarie is the author of the book, Battle Ready: Train your Mind to Conquer Challenges, Defeat Doubt and Live Victoriously from Baker Books, a division of Baker Publishing Group. Copyright © July 2018. Used by permission.
Battle Ready is a hands-on scriptural plan that teaches you twelve easy-to-implement, confidence-building mind-sets designed to transform your thoughts and, therefore, your life. You'll gain practical wisdom, like how to
· make new habits stick in just five steps
· disarm the seven most common attacks that plague women
· exchange self-limiting thoughts for purpose-driven, love-releasing thoughts
· implement thirty-second mind-lifters that deliver peace
· create boundaries so you live life full of what matters
Visit www.iambattleready.com for a free prayer journal.
Kelly Balarie, an author and national speaker, is on a mission to encourage others not to give up. Through times of extreme testing, Kelly believes there is hope for every woman. She shares this hope on her blog, Purposeful Faith, and on many writing publications such as Relevant, Crosswalk, and Today's Christian Woman. Kelly's work has been featured on The Today Show, 700 Club Interactive, Moody Radio and other television and radio broadcasts.
Photo Courtesy: Pexels
