I’m already thinking about what I will put on the walls of my children’s bedrooms when we move. (After, that is, we get our house ready to sell, put it on the market, successfully sell it, and find and purchase a new house. Then.)

I’m planning Word Art.

I love this new Word Art craze. I could never draw anything thing worth displaying, but Words have decorated my mind from my earliest days.

Words are just so powerful.

Last summer my oldest brother took my 13 year old son backpacking. At some point my brother, noting Paul’s strengths, put his hand on his shoulder and said with manly emphasis, “You are damn efficient, Paul” He has never forgotten it.

But I’m guessing Damn Efficient isn’t the best choice for Paul’s wall. So I’m leaning toward Called.

Between Paul’s strengths, grit, and sensitivity, I’m praying he rises to the Call that God has on his life. I can See it. But I am waiting eagerly for it to be realized.

I’ve seen the power of Words in my daughter Grace’s life too. Earlier this summer when she was feeling low about where her life was heading, I shared with her a bit about her infancy that I had somehow neglected to communicate earlier. I told her about the people who came to pray for her in the hospital and how they believed she had a special calling on her life. I told her how she always had an unusual interest in spiritual things from her earliest days, and how I believed that maybe she was called to be an Intercessor.

She seemed doubtful.

But since then I’ve inadvertently run across several comments she has made on various prayer and prolife websites, stating that her mother believes that she has a special calling on her life and so even people who have disabilities have incredible value.

Indeed, Grace.

I’m seeing the word Set Apart on her wall.

And although my daughter Katherine has grown up and moved out on her own, I still have a room for her, and she’s always welcome. For her, I’m thinking,  Destiny.

A few months ago as we were having a serious talk, I felt compelled to express to her that she had a Destiny, and that she must not forget that. But as I said those words, tears started involuntarily splashing down my cheeks. I wouldn’t even mention this, except for the fact that I really had no emotion at that moment. We were both somewhat surprised.

The next day as I was praying about it, I asked God if I had just made that up or if it was from him. Moments after I prayed that, I popped into a coffee shop and ordered a latte. The cashier took my order and nodded toward the barista saying, “Destiny will have your latte in a minute.”

“Wh- what is her name?” I stuttered.

They both looked at me blankly. “Destiny,” she answered.

“Perfect,” I mumbled.

And then there is Lydia.

That’s where this whole Word Art thing got started.

This morning as I was praying for this sweet daughter, I specifically prayed that God would write a different word on her heart. Many children who begin their little lives in orphanages have the word “Abandoned” etched on their hearts. It takes a lifetime of love and prayers to undo that. Until then, they just expect to be abandoned in relationships, and this causes a variety of responses.

My little girl always looks completely surprised and ridiculously happy when someone shows unconditional love for her.

So I prayed that the word Loved would be etched there instead.

And that’s when I thought… I should put that over her bed!  Loved.

It’s only a prayer right now. But history has proven that Heaven has a special hearing for a momma’s prayers.

I don’t know as of yet when these Words will make it to our Walls…but regardless, I’m praying that the reality of these words would be realized in the lives of my children. And I’m praying that I would be a faithful messenger of them in all I say and do.