Contributor: Tracy Rader (Founder of First Steps in Worship)
I remember the day that my husband and I finished painting our first son’s “Noah’s Ark” themed baby room. My “nesting” phase had reached a pinnacle, and as I looked around, I felt delight that we had decorated and furnished the perfect place for our soon-to-be-born bundle. That evening I sat down in the rocking chair, held my bulging belly and prayed fervently for our little guy.
I, as most parents, wanted him to feel the maximum amount of love and acceptance that a child could possibly feel. I had so many dreams and expectations for him that I felt I was literally carrying the weight of all that responsibility right there in my lap. I know each parent wants to begin their parenting journey out on the right foot. Sometimes, though, it’s hard to know where to start.
The first place to begin is just an acknowledgement that this living child inside of you is a gift. Pray for them before you ever even see their face.
- A wonderful first blessing for your child could be a simple notebook filled with pre-birth prayers that you have written out. Lay it beside your rocking chair, and once a day, or every couple of days, jot down a prayer of praise or thanksgiving for this life inside of you. By the time your baby is even born you will have a cherished memento to give to them later on in life, maybe the day they graduate or the day they get married.
- Another idea would be to use it when the child is in their teens and struggling with the stresses of life. Set the notebook on their bed with a note that says, “You were fearfully and wonderfully made.”
Start the gift of blessing your child today, and keep the tradition up through every stage of life!
Photo courtesy of Linda Thompson – taken from a baby shower for her daughter-in-law, Nicole.
Dr. Trent will be the featured guest on Life Matters with Mariah Wilde this Friday, November 18th!
