By Lisa Rowell
Ouch!
That old nursery rhyme lied. Sticks and stones AND words can hurt, after all. Your daughter won’t need to look very far to encounter examples of unkind and discouraging words. Our world seems to thrive on saying hurtful and mean things to each other. And she won’t escape the powerful pain of words.
But there’s good news:
Your kind, nurturing words, have more power than the lies of her peers or the world.
Take time this week to use your words to win the battle waged against her heart. The words you say to her impact how she views herself, God, and her relationship with you and others. Your words matter to her. They matter to God too.
In Proverbs, God tells us that words can be sweet to the soul and life-giving. He even compares wise words to a satisfying meal and deep waters and gentle words to a tree of life.
Yes! God cares about your words and how you use them. Be sure to use them wisely as you raise that sweet girl!
In order to plant seeds of kindness on your daughter’s tongue, you have to set an example by using kind words yourself! So, to get you started, here are fourteen powerful things you should say to your daughter almost every day:
- I love you.
- Here’s one thing I love about you today...
- I’m glad you’re a part of our family because you...
- You make a difference.
- I trust you can handle this.
- What do you think? Your opinion matters to me.
- What do you want to do differently next time?
- Thank you for apologizing. I forgive you.
- I’m sorry. Will you forgive me?
- I believe in you.
- I’m listening.
- You are a helper.
- I enjoy spending time with you.
- My life is better because God put you in it.
Ahhh! Didn’t it feel good to read those words? Imagine how they will feel when your daughter hears them coming from your mouth!
Teaching your daughter how to speak kind words doesn’t stop here! This is only the first step!
Want to help your daughter understand the biblical truth about the power of her words?
This month’s mom+daughter connection experience found in the True Girl Digital Subscription is all about your daughter surrounding herself with God’s truth concerning the image-bearing quality of each human being. As promised, we’ve done most of the planning and thinking for you to have a formative connecting conversation with your girl.
With mother+daughter dates, coaching videos, daily devos, and more, you and your daughter are sure to discover the meaning of Imago Dei. This big word reminds us of the innate value of each human being. At the same time, the Digital Subscription will offer you the gift of discovering if your girl is experiencing or inflicting the pain of discrimination.
Our True Girl theme verse:
"So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, 'If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.'” John 8:31,32
Mom, the best way to teach your daughter to live like an authentic True Girl is to live like an authentic True Woman. And to do that, you have to get your life lined up with the Truth of the Bible. Listen to Dannah Gresh every weekday on Nancy DeMoss Wolgemuth's Revive Our Hearts podcast. The program features biblical teaching, interviews that offer godly advice, and other opportunities to abide in God's Word.
