Principal's Ponderings

Speaking Life Over Our Children

One of the greatest privileges we have as parents and educators is the opportunity to shape the hearts and minds of our children through our words. At Devonport Christian School, we are not just teaching students subjects and skills, we are helping students form their identity, their confidence and their faith.

Every day our children are listening. They are listening to us, to the world, to their own inner voice. They are constantly asking: Am I loved? Am I enough? Do I have a purpose? The way we answer, through our words and actions, can be the difference between a child who grows up believing in their God-given worth and one who struggles to see it.

The Bible makes it clear, our words hold power. In Proverbs 18 verse 21 it reads, "The tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit". Words can bless or burden, build up or break down.

God spoke creation into existence. Jesus spoke and the storms calmed. With a word, He healed, He forgave and He restored. Our words should reflect His, bringing life, hope and encouragement.  How often do we stop to consider the weight of the words we speak over our children? Do our words breathe life into them? Or do they unknowingly add to their worries and self-doubt?

I recently heard a parent share how they make it a habit to speak blessings over their children every morning before school. A simple, heartfelt phrase like:

"You are loved, no matter what today holds."

"God has given you everything you need to shine today."

"You are strong and capable because He goes with you."

These might seem like small words, but to a child facing challenges, they can make all the difference.  Billy Graham once said, "A child who is loved has a greater chance of growing into an adult who loves." Love is not just about what we provide for our children; it is also about what we say to them.

I know that as parents, we do not always get it right. There are long days, rushed mornings, tired words spoken in frustration but grace covers those moments. The beauty of our faith is that we can come back, apologise and choose better words next time.

Some of our children are facing deep struggles, anxiety, self-doubt, friendships that hurt instead of heal. When they come home with wounded hearts, they do not need fixing; they need faith-filled words that remind them of who they are. 

When a child feels like a failure after a tough day, they need to hear:

• "This struggle does not define you. God is still working in you."

When they feel like they do not fit in, they need to hear:

• "You are fearfully and wonderfully made. God has a place just for you."

When they doubt their worth, they need to hear:

• "You are a child of God, deeply loved and chosen."

Corrie ten Boom once said, "Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God." That is a truth we need to remind our children of daily. They do not have to have it all figured out, God already does.

Speaking life is not just a practice, it is a culture. It is something we can build at home, in our classrooms and in our school community. At DCS, we want our children to leave each day feeling strong, loved and confident in their faith. We want them to hear words that lift them up and point them to Jesus. Let’s be intentional encouragers, in our homes, in our conversations, even in the way we talk about others.

Charles Swindoll once said, "Each day of our lives, we make deposits in the memory banks of our children."  What kind of deposits are we making?

I encourage each of us to be conscious of the words we speak. Let’s make sure that what we say plants seeds of confidence, hope and faith in our children. Because one day, the words we speak today will be the voice they carry into their future. My prayer is that when they look back, they will hear the echoes of love, encouragement and the truth that they are fearfully and wonderfully made in Christ.

Let’s speak life. Let’s build them up and let’s watch them flourish.

Shalom,

Chad Smit