There were times when my children came to me for support or (as my girl child would say) to lay a word on them, and I just didn’t have it.
I didn’t have anything in the tank to pull out for them, either because my mind was solving some other issue or I was simply tapped out mentally.
Well of course being the “always prepared mom” that I am (Haha-nope, the idea came from my sister in law), I had “go to” phriptures that I would share with my kids to get them to process the situation.
The phriptures were quotes and scriptures combined to get them talking about the situations so THEY could process next steps.
It went something like this:
I would take a quote and frame it in the form of a question and speak truth over them from scripture (without quoting the verse) as I affirmed the next steps they needed to take.
Here are some of my phriptures as well as a few quotes to make your own phriptures if you so desire:
Maya Angelou
“We may encounter many defeats but we must not be defeated.”
Q: So why do you feel like you’re a loser?
(I would allow them to talk through their feelings)
You may feel like you can’t do “anything, but no one can defeat you unless you give them access to your mind. 1 Cor 10:3-5 ( I would ask questions about words people spoke over them or words they spoke over themselves – then I would ask them about how they felt about those words and what to do to change the feeling)
Edwin Elliot
“By being yourself you put something wonderful in the world that was not there before.”
Q: Why do you think they like (name of someone) so much?
Well that’s great. But this is what only you can bring to the room (state something about your child). Psalm 139: 13-14 (We may then talk about how we are so different in our family- why we like the differences etc)
Mother Teresa
“Spread love everywhere you go.”
Q: Did they solve the problem by arguing with each other?
When you’re smiling while they’re frowning, it changes the atmosphere in the room. Romans 12:9-21 (focus her attention to not let her friends suck her into being mad or angry about stuff that doesn’t even matter)
Jim Elliot
“God always gives His best to those who leave the choice with him.”
Q: What is upsetting about not being a part of ________?
Sometimes we can’t see the best option for ourselves because we get set on the thing that looks like it is the best. Isaiah 26:3 ( this was especially hard- we didn’t always walk away on the same page, but the kids did feel they could at least talk to me about “the thing”.)
A Few More Quotes:
William James
“Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.”
Joseph Campbell
“We must be willing to let go of the life we planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us.”
Mae Jemison
“Never limit yourself because of others’ limited imagination; never limit others because of your own limited imagination”.
Rosa Parks
“Each person must live their life as a model for others”.
Suzy Kassem
“Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever will.”
John F. Kennedy
“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them”.
Nido Qubein
“Your present circumstances don’t determine where you can go; they merely determine where you start”.
Phriptures came in handy for those days my two came home covered with negative vibes from the world around them. I’m thankful for the opportunity I had to reassure them of “who they are and whose they are”. I pray you’re able to use these phriptures (or make your own) to speak life over your little jewels.
Keep Living Out Loud
in HIM, terry