25 Encouraging Scripture Verses for Families

If you read my blog the other day: “I Wish I Were A Perfect Parent“, you will have taken note of the fact that when I need encouragement as a parent I turn to Scripture.  Share these scripture verses with your family, you may like to write them on your “door frames” and imprint them on your heart as we are told to do in Deuteronomy.

Genesis 2:24“That is why a man leaves his father and mother and is united to his wife, and they become one flesh.”

Genesis 33:5  “Then Esau looked up and saw the women and children. “Who are these with you?” he asked.  Jacob answered, “They are the children God has graciously given your servant.”

Exodus 20:12 “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.”

Joshua 24:15  But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

Psalm 103:17  “But from everlasting to everlasting the Lord’s love is with those who fear him, and his righteousness with their children’s children—”

Psalm 127:3-5  “Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him.   Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth.  Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.  They will not be put to shame when they contend with their opponents in court.”

Psalm 128:3  “Your wife will be like a fruitful vine within your house; your children will be like olive shoots around your table.”

2 Chronicles 20:13  All the men of Judah, with their wives and children and little ones, stood there before the Lord.”

Proverbs 1:8  “Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction and do not forsake your mother’s teaching.”

Proverbs 12:7  “The wicked are overthrown and are no more, but the house of the righteous stands firm.”

Proverbs 15:20  “A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish man despises his mother.”

Proverbs 22:6  “Start children off on the way they should go, and even when they are old they will not turn from it.”

Proverbs 31:28-29  “Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: “Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all.”

Acts 10:2  “He and all his family were devout and God-fearing; he gave generously to those in need and prayed to God regularly.”

Romans 8:16-17  “The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.”

Romans 8:22-23  “We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption to sonship, the redemption of our bodies.”

Romans 9:4  “…the people of Israel. Theirs is the adoption to sonship; theirs the divine glory, the covenants, the receiving of the law, the temple worship and the promises.”

Galatians 4:4-7  “But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship.  Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba,Father.”  So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir.”

Ephesians 1:3-6  “Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ.  For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will— to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves.”

Ephesians 3:14-15  “For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth derives its name.”

Ephesians 6:1-2  “Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. “Honor your father and mother”—which is the first commandment with a promise—”

Ephesians 6:4  “Fathers, do not exasperate your children; instead, bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord”.

Colossians 3:18-20  Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord.  Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.   Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.”

1 Timothy 3:2-5  “Now the overseer is to be above reproach, faithful to his wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him, and he must do so in a manner worthy of full respect.  (If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?)”

1 Timothy 5:8  “Anyone who does not provide for their relatives, and especially for their own household, has denied the faith and is worse than an unbeliever.”

All Scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™

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I Wish I Were a Perfect Parent

“I may not always be right, but I’m never wrong!”  My Dad used to say and then wink at me because he knew better than anyone what a ludicrous statement that was.Useless question

Parenting.

The word sometimes sends shivers right through my veins.  I never claimed to be a perfect parent, far from it, but if success could be measured in effort, I think I could at least claim a passing grade.  My children might disagree.

I tried not to let the same words careen from my mouth as my parents spewed at me.  I caught myself once or twice (okay, maybe a dozen or more times) when I would hear my mother’s voice suddenly come from out of me when reprimanding my own kids, and I would actually turn around to see if she were there behind me pointing an accusing finger in my direction.  I tried not to use the same lame logic my father would use on me when I tried to reason with a belligerent child.  Unfortunately I would shake my head, just like my Dad did, when my child looked at me the same way I must have looked at my own father when I was their age.

“Yeah, whatever.”  In one ear and out the other.  No wonder my Dad had gray hair.  I was the likely cause of most of them.

Someone asked me what age I preferred to parent: Baby, Toddler, Preschool, Child, Middle School, Senior High…?  I just shook my head, just like my Dad.  I have gray hairs from each era, each of my three children “peaking” at different ages to test my parenting prowess.

I had one single phrase I cried out repeatedly throughout those years, “Lord, help me!”

And He did.

Every time.

When I did not have the wisdom, or the strength, or the energy to face another day parenting my three strong-willed children, I cried out to the Lord because I knew only One Person could claim the title of “Perfect Parent”.  When I needed encouragement as a parent, He was there, comforting me through His Word.  When I needed wisdom, He gave me Godly friends who gave me sound advice and occasionally a shoulder to cry on.  When I needed energy and strength to help with class projects, put together birthday parties, attend school concerts and the like, He supplied my needs.

Lastly, when I sometimes focus on how rotten a job I am doing as a parent, He reminds me how much I am loved.

“Mom, could you help me?”

“Mom, where’s my….?”

“Mom, I need….”

“Mom, thanks!  You’re the best!”

I may not be perfect…but I’m okay with that.

(For parents who need a little encouragement from other parents who have “been there, done that”, pick up a copy of “Chicken Soup for the Soul – Parenthood” in stores now.  My story, “Do Angels Wear Glasses?” is on page 89.)

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A poem about Bullying by Charlene Soileau Bolton

Show me the Bullies!Charlene read my post: To This Day  recently and shared with me this powerful poem she wrote.  I am hoping all my readers will share this impacting poem with everyone they know.  Thank you Charlene!

A bully used to be the kid who always picked on the weak ones

He’d get up in our faces, shake his fist & spoil all of our fun.

He would run after us at recess yelling “I am going to catch you!”

We’d run terrified & screaming, never quite knowing what to do.

 

Always lurking around in the shadows, looking for someone to harm

Pushing us up against our lockers & punching us in the arms.

No! Don’t ever go to the school bathroom; We’d rather hold it all day

If he catches us in there alone, there would be a huge price to pay.

 

Fast forward to the year 2013 & a bully’s description quickly changes

Bully’s today show no mercy & quite simply, act like they are deranged.

Who in their wildest dreams would have expected this to occur?

Do we allow them to break a young child’s spirit, I say to this, No Sir!

 

This child that they now torture has by no means had an easy road

He is shy & he is lonely & he’s tired of carrying a big load.

LIFE needs to have all bullies feel the sting of every punch & ugly word

So that they may realize the agony & everything that this poor child has heard.

Maybe then they’d  see the pain that they inflicted on an innocent kid

And soon would feel remorse; trying to fix every bad thing that they did.

 

In today’s world a bully uses deadly weapons instead of words

Even growing bold enough by bringing guns to school; Absurd!

Schools should always be a safe haven where a child can stay unharmed

But instead the only action taken is that the bully is only warned.

Cyber Bullying by computer has now grown into something that is chilling

Name calling has now been upgraded to a vicious unrelenting killing.

 

Kids who dare to wear their hair dyed, funky clothes & goth-like style

Are the targets of such hatred, & they begin to feel hostile.

Their only answer is to make the bullies pay for what they’ve done

So they shoot an entire school up, this is how a tragedy is begun.

 

Suicides are at an all time high, kids are tormented until they are crazy

Humiliated & alienated, too many jumbled feelings; it all becomes so hazy.

Finding no way out of their nightmare, they sink into a deeper sadness

Never knowing that help is out there; Yes, there is a way out of this madness!

 

Scream about it, tell your parents, yell it out so people hear it!

Tell your teacher, tell your counselor, tell your preacher & Holy Spirit!

Grab a neighbor, a policeman, a social worker or someone’s mother

Make the principal HEAR your words, & gain the support of others!

Go to the biggest guy on campus & tell him of your plight

Get a transfer to a nicer school, one with ‘No Tolerance’ for fights!

Do not stop until someone listens & they help you win your battle

Because a bully becomes deflated once his cage is found & rattled!

 

written by:  Charlene Soileau Bolton

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