Family sitting on bed

Words kill, words give life; they’re either poison or fruit—you choose.

PROVERBS 18:21

Has anyone ever said something that hurt you? Isn’t it strange how you can still feel the sting of those words, even today? What about kind words? Has anyone ever said something encouraging to you — maybe a friend or a teacher — that still makes you smile when you think of it now? How do you want the people you love to remember your words?

You have the power to speak life.

But what should you say? Here are some things you can try:

Pray Scripture Over Your Loved Ones.

Not sure what to pray? Pastor and author Cindy Beall developed three Bible Plans with simple templates for praying for your kids. Each day, she suggests some Bible verses you can pray, with blanks that show you where to insert your child’s name. But you can also use them to pray God’s life-changing Word over anyone you want. Find them here:

Praying God’s Word Over Your Kids

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

Pick a Family Theme Verse Together.

If you were to ask a friend, “What’s one word that sums up my family?” What would they say? Love? Joy? Peace? Patience? Talk with your family about what character traits you want to be known for. Then, in the Bible App, tap the Search tab, and explore one of the categories under “What does the Bible say about…” (Or just type the trait you want into the Search box.)

Find a Family Verse together that reflects the values you want. Use a family picture as your background, and turn it into a Family Verse Image. Save it as the background on your devices. Or print it, frame it, and give it a prominent place in your home. Making your Family Verse Image visible will help everyone in your family memorize it — and remember what you want your family to be about.

You can’t control the circumstances that your family will face. But you can choose how you respond. And when you choose…