The moment each of my children entered this world, I felt amazed, in awe, and scared out of my mind that I wouldn’t know how to raise them to be the people I want them to be. I didn’t know what I was doing.
With my first, I tried to control him. I worried about every little thing he said or did, afraid people might judge me for my child’s behavior. He was a reasonable child, though, easy to talk to, wanting to please. He’s brilliant and funny with a deep compassion within him that he’s too embarrassed to acknowledge at times. I love him fiercely and couldn’t ever imagine loving another child as much.
Then, I had my next. With my second, another son, I learned my heart held enough love for another. I think it was my first lesson in the unlimited capacity of love that we possess. From the very moment this son could express his unique personality, he did. But he was sensitive, kind, compassionate, even very early on. Because of that and because I had grown up a little, I no longer felt the need to control. Good thing, because he was definitely his own person. An old soul, some called him. A free spirit, others said. Both are true.
When Erin, my daughter, was born, I already knew I could love her as much as the other two. Excitement and joy-filled me, but fear swirled around inside me too, tempering my joy. Six years had passed since I’d had a baby. I finally thought I had the hang of raising my kids, my boy kids, anyway.
Having a girl presented totally new challenges.
I was so excited, but I was scared, especially as she grew, and I saw how different she was than I had ever been. That’s not a bad thing; I don’t mean that. I only mean that I was afraid her different personality would keep me from knowing how to help her in her times of need.
Confidence in myself has been slow to grow; I still lack confidence in my parenting and have resigned myself to the fact that I probably always will.
As my daughter heads into her teen years, I want to steer her in the right direction. I want her to be strong and confident in herself and in who she is as she battles the everyday issues teenage girls face.
Bible Verses for Teen Girls
Because I know I don’t always have the right things to say, I’ve learned to turn to God and His Word to help direct my daughter. If you’re looking for a nice, easy-to-relate-to bible for your preteen/teen, try this one which was created especially for girls ages 11 and up – *NLT Girls Life Application Study Bible.
These are my favorite five verses that she and I turn to over and over as reminders that He is in control, that He has great plans for her, and that she can do all things with the strength He gives her (and it’s a great big strength!)
5 Bible Verses For Teen Girls
1. Jeremiah 29:11
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”
When Erin started 5th grade, she ran for class representative of student council. She didn’t win. To her dismay, she didn’t even come in second. “And, Mom,” she cried, “There were only three people running!”
Her heart was broken.
I turned to Jeremiah 29:11 to help parent her. We opened her Bible together, turned to the scripture, and read it together.
“Sis,” I told her. “This is the best time to learn and understand this verse. Sometimes things don’t go like we plan. It’s okay to be briefly disappointed that our expectations haven’t worked out, but don’t dwell on it. Instead, dwell on this verse and know that He has other plans in store for us and those plans will be perfect for you.”
Months later, I learned first hand how Erin had taken that scripture to heart. Something else at school hadn’t quite gone as she planned. As I walked by her room on my way to the living room, I heard her reciting, voice strong, “For I know the plans I have for you…”
2. 2 Corinthians 4:18
“So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”
One recent Saturday, I picked Erin up earlier than expected from a sleepover because something terrible had happened. The night before, one of her closest school friends was involved in a head-on collision. Both parents died at the scene, a brother taken to a Columbia hospital in serious condition, my daughter’s friend taken to a Kansas City children’s hospital in critical condition.
My daughter cried. “Mom, this only happens in the movies. It’s not supposed to happen in real life! It doesn’t happen in real life!”
We sat together and hugged and cried and prayed, helpless in our inability to do anything for her friend except pray but knowing how important our praying would be.
Facing the harsh reality that these things do happen in real life comes too early in a person’s life. It’s so hard to understand. I told her that this world is temporary for all of us, even those we love, even ourselves. 2 Corinthians 4:18 reminds us of this.
We take comfort in the hope and joy of eternal life.
3. 1 John 3:18
“Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.”
Erin and I discussed people and how difficult they sometimes are to be around. She serves as part of her school’s student council (she kept on trying after her initial 5th-grade election loss, and she made it!) and had attended a planning meeting the day before.
