Five Bible Verses to Pray Over Adult Children

“You’re a parent of an 18-year-old!” my friend said.

Her excitement was contagious as others joined in, and for a split second, I regretted mentioning my son’s birthday.

As I held back the tears, I wasn’t offended by what my friend said. My older son did turn 18; that was a fact. I was tearful because, in the blink of an eye, I no longer had a child but an adult—an adult who would find his way in this broken, sin-filled world and make his own decisions.

Celebrating Big One Last Time (at least for a while!)

I decided early on that this birthday needed to stand out from the other celebrations. We celebrated our usual way with a steak dinner and an ice cream cake from DQ. We sang Happy Birthday and lit candles. He opened his gifts, and I photographed them all.

Since his birth and every birthday, we have had our photos taken together. I always insisted on doing this with both boys on their birthdays. It’s something to look back on and remember those special times.

This year was different. This would be the last photo we would take together on his birthday for a few years.

My son will be at a college 14 hours away from home for the next four years. Unless we travel to Texas or his birthday falls on a weekend, we will not be together to celebrate.

And that, my friends, is why I was tearful.

Life as a family of four is changing.

Stuck in Between Responsibility and Still Depending on Your Parents

Having an 18-year-old is a little odd. In society, they are viewed as adults who can make their own choices, but when it comes to signing school permission slips, parents still need to sign them. Even more confusing is that, as parents, we no longer have access to their medical records, and yet we can carry them on our health insurance until they are 26.

Pray! Pray! Pray!

As our children continue to become more independent and plan their lives for living outside our home, the one thing that we can do as parents is to pray!

Sometimes, I must keep my mouth closed and let my son figure it out. Other times, I need to hound him somewhat to get things done (hint, hint — submit that housing application, son!) So, let us “Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer.” Roman 12:12

A Free Resource for You

I have five Bible verses that I pray over my two young adult sons daily, and I would love to share them with you!

As a free resource, here are Five Verses to Pray Over our Adult Children, delivered straight to your inbox. I encourage you to print out these verses and stick them in your Bible or somewhere visible. (I love putting Bible verses on the bathroom mirror!)

Free Gift for You!

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An Update as a Parent of Adult Children

This blog post was originally written in March 2020. We are now parents of two adult sons. Our oldest graduated college and has a wonderful job, but he lives at home while paying off his student loan debts. Our 21-year-old is a junior in college and runs a successful business.

Being a parent of two young men in their 20s has been challenging.

I’ve said repeatedly, “I’d rather parent seven teething toddlers than parent young adults!”

This stage of parenting is hard, but I cling to the Lord’s help in getting us through it. Seeing our young adult children make mistakes or not take our advice is hard. It’s even more complicated when our children walk away from their faith.

Our sons still have a relationship with Jesus, and I’m so thankful for that, but I worry about the world trying to conform to them. I see the worldviews sneaking into our oldest son. I’m praising God for his wonderful girlfriend, who is strong in her faith and has had an impact on his life. However, his friend group is less than desirable. They all attended and graduated from Christian school and have walked away from their faith.

I know a lot of parents dealing with a prodigal child. If that is you, DO NOT STOP PRAYING FOR YOUR SON OR DAUGHTER!  You are not alone, and I am praying for you!

To all parents, remember you are not alone! You have a community you can lean into, and the Word of God will guide you!

How Can I Pray for You?

I’m up early to pray over my family, and I would love to pray for you! Let me know in the comments or text me at 309-270-6179.

Encouraging Words for Challenging Times

Do you want to know how to live a bold faith in this challenging world? I encourage you to listen to my podcast, Bold Faith Now. It is available on your favorite podcast app (Apple, Spotify, etc.) and my website at https://missyeversole.com/podcast/

Are You a Soon-to-Be Parent of An Adult Child?

I’ve interviewed some incredible parenting experts for my podcast, Bold Faith Now. I encourage you to listen and order the recommended books on Amazon.

30 – Nurturing Faith: Raising Kids to Follow Christ with Lee Ann Mancini

35 – Building a Strong Spiritual Foundation with Cheryl Schuermann

51 – Staying Grounded in Faith Through College Challenges with Dr. Katherine Pasour