"Family Matters"
By Paul Kendall

Communicating

Talking to one another is probably the most effective way of communicating. Can you imagine what life would be like - with no words? It would take forever to ask a simple question and get the proper answer!

Words have a powerful impact on our lives.

The Bible goes to the extreme of saying that the power of life and death is in the tongue! You know, equally impacting is the absence of words There’s a poem that says “The heart can be so easily broken by simple, needed, words unspoken.” 

Mom & Dad, do you realize that your child’s future relies greatly upon the words of your mouth? You have the power to speak life or death over many areas of your children’s lives. My wife and I once heard that Pat Robertson’s mother would speak positive words over him as a child. She would say things like; “Pat, you are going to be a leader of leaders” and “You will take the Gospel of Jesus to the nations.” And guess what? It happened!

So we began to speak positive words over our two children. As a matter of fact, from the day my son Alex was born I’ve called him “King”. For years he has repeatedly heard himself referred to as a “King”. One evening at the dinner table, when Alex was about four years old, he asked me a serious question. He said “Daddy, if God died… would I be God?” We wondered if we had taken the “King” thing a little bit too far! Well, maybe, and maybe not. Believe me; there were plenty of other opportunities to humble him with discipline. But you see - the world will come at your children from every angle to steal their confidence and healthy self-image. And on the other hand, the whole world could stand and applaud them but no other applause; no other opinion, no other love means more to a child than the words of his parents.

My son appears destine for the NBA. One day, when you hear him referred to as “The King of Three-pointers” you’ll remember my words to you today.

You can determine a young man’s future by the words you speak to him today. You can trace a woman’s self confidence in life back to her relationship with her father. You have a powerful instrument of LIFE and DEATH within your words. Start speaking words of LIFE over your children today!

That's Family Matters... I'm Paul Kendall.

Paul Kendall is the host of the popular syndicated radio program "Family Matters" and author of a new book by the same name. Radio programs, family resources and much more are available at www.KendallFamilyNetwork.com.