Grant me to give to You and not to count the cost,
To fight for You and not to mind the wounds,
To labor and to ask for no reward
except the knowledge that I serve my God.

For yesterday is but a dream
And tomorrow is only a vision
But today, well live,
Makes every yesterday a dream of happiness
And tomorrow a vision of hope.

Look well, therefore, to this day.

-Kalidasa

Kalidasa, Indian Poet and Playwright, Fifth Century A.D.

Day 1 :  Salvation

Isaiah 45: 8 -  “Shower, O heavens, from above, and let the clouds rain down righteousness;  let the earth open, that salvation and righteousness may bear fruit; let the earth cause them both to sprout; I the Lord have created it.

II Timothy 2.10 – “Therefore I endure everything for the sake of the elect, that they also may obtain the salvation that is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.”

Day 2 : Growth in Grace
“I pray that my children may grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”

2 Peter 3.18  “But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.

Day 3 – Love
“Grant, Lord, that my children may learn to live a life of love, through the Spirit who dwells in them.”

Galatians 5:25 – “If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit.”

Ephesians 5.2  - “And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

Day 4 – Honesty & Integrity
“May integrity and honesty be their virtue and their protection.”

Psalm 25.21  - “May integrity and uprightness preserve me, for I wait for you.”

Day 5:  Self-Control
“Father, help my children not be like many others around them, but let them be alart and self-controlled in all they do.”

1 Thessalonians 5.6 – “So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.”

Day 6:  Love for God’s Word 
 “May my children grow to find Your Word more precious than much pure gold and sweeter than honey from the comb.”

Psalm 19.7-11 - ”The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple; the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes; the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether.  More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.  Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.”

Day 7:  Justice
“God, help my children to love justice as You do and act justly in all they do.”

Psalm 11.7  “For the LORD is righteous, he loves justice; upright men will see his face.”  (NIV)

Micah 6:8  “He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the LORD require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”

Day 8:  Mercy 
“May my children always be merciful, just as their Father is merciful.”

Luke 6.36  “ Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.”

Day 9:  Respect (for self, others, authority) 
“Father, grant that my children may show proper respect to everyone, as Your Word commands.”

1 Peter 2.17  “ Show proper respect to everyone: Love the brotherhood of believers, fear God, honor the king.” (NIV)

Day 10:  Biblical Self-Esteem  
“Help my children develop a strong self-esteem that is rooted in the realization that they are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus”

Ephesians 2.10  ”For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.”

Day 11:  Faithfulness  
“Let love and faithfulness never leave my children, but bind these twin virutes around ther necks and write them on the table of their hearts.”

Proverbs 3.3  “Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart.”

Day 12:  Courage
“May my children always be setrong and courageous in their character and in their actions. ”

Deuteronomy 31.6    “Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the LORD your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.”

Day 13 : Purity
“Create in them a pure heart, O God, and let that purity of heart be shown in their actions.”

Psalm 51:10 – “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.”

Day 14: Kindness
“Lord, may my children always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else.”

1 Thessalonians 5.15 – “See that no one repays anyone evil for evil, but always seek to do good to one another and to everyone.”

Day 15 : Generosity
“Grant that my children may be generous and willing to share, and so lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age.”

1 Timothy 6.18-19 – “They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.”

Day 16 : Peace-Loving
“Father, let my children make every effort to do what leads to peace.”

Romans 14:19 – “So then let us pursue what makes for peace and for mutual up-building.”

Day 17 : Joy
“May my children be filled with the joy given by the Holy Spirit.”

1 Thessalonians 1:6 – “And you became imitators of us and of the Lord, for you received the word in much affliction, with the joy of the Holy Spirit…”

Day 18 : Perseverance
“Lord, teach my children perseverance in all they do, and help them especially to run with perseverance the race marked out for them.”

Hebrews 12:1 – “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us…”

Day 19 : Perseverance
“God, please cultivate in my children the ability to show true humility toward all.”

Titus 3.2 – “…to speak evil of no one, to avoid quarreling, to be gentle, and to show perfect courtesy toward all people.”

Day 20 : Compassion
“Lord, please clothe my children with the virtue of compassion.”

Colossians 3.12 – “Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience…”

Day 21 : Responsibility
“Grant that my children may learn responsibility, for each one should carry his own load.”

Galatians 6.4-5 – ”But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor.  For each will have to bear his own load.”

Day 22 : Contentment
“Father, teach my children the secret of being content in any and every situation, through Him who gives them strength.”

Philippians 4.12-13  – I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.  I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

Day 23 : Faith
“I pray that faith will find root and grow in my children’s hearts, that by faith they may gain what has been promised to them.”

Luke 17:5-6 – The apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith!”  And the Lord said, “If you had faith like a grain of mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Be uprooted and planted in the sea,’ and it would obey you.

Hebrews 11:1-40 – Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. For by it the people of old received their commendation. By faith we understand that the universe was created by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things that are visible.

By faith Abel offered to God a more acceptable sacrifice than Cain, through which he was commended as righteous, God commending him by accepting his gifts. And through his faith, though he died, he still speaks. By faith Enoch was taken up so that he should not see death, and he was not found, because God had taken him. Now before he was taken he was commended as having pleased God. And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him. By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household. By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. By faith Sarah herself received power to conceive, even when she was past the age, since she considered him faithful who had promised. Therefore from one man, and him as good as dead, were born descendants as many as the stars of heaven and as many as the innumerable grains of sand by the seashore.

These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For people who speak thus make it clear that they are seeking a homeland. If they had been thinking of that land from which they had gone out, they would have had opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.

By faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of offering up his only son, of whom it was said, “Through Isaac shall your offspring be named.” He considered that God was able even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he did receive him back. By faith Isaac invoked future blessings on Jacob and Esau. By faith Jacob, when dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, bowing in worship over the head of his staff. By faith Joseph, at the end of his life, made mention of the exodus of the Israelites and gave directions concerning his bones.

By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden for three months by his parents, because they saw that the child was beautiful, and they were not afraid of the king’s edict. By faith Moses, when he was grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, choosing rather to be mistreated with the people of God than to enjoy the fleeting pleasures of sin. He considered the reproach of Christ greater wealth than the treasures ofEgypt, for he was looking to the reward. By faith he leftEgypt, not being afraid of the anger of the king, for he endured as seeing him who is invisible. By faith he kept the Passover and sprinkled the blood, so that the Destroyer of the firstborn might not touch them.

By faith the people crossed theRed Seaas on dry land, but the Egyptians, when they attempted to do the same, were drowned. By faith the walls ofJerichofell down after they had been encircled for seven days. By faith Rahab the prostitute did not perish with those who were disobedient, because she had given a friendly welcome to the spies.

And what more shall I say? For time would fail me to tell of Gideon, Barak, Samson, Jephthah, of David and Samuel and the prophets— who through faith conquered kingdoms, enforced justice, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the power of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, were made strong out of weakness, became mighty in war, put foreign armies to flight. Women received back their dead by resurrection. Some were tortured, refusing to accept release, so that they might rise again to a better life. Others suffered mocking and flogging, and even chains and imprisonment. They were stoned, they were sawn in two,^a they were killed with the sword. They went about in skins of sheep and goats, destitute, afflicted, mistreated— of whom the world was not worthy—wandering about in deserts and mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.

And all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised, since God had provided something better for us, that apart from us they should not be made perfect.

Day 24 : A Servant’s Heart
“God, please help my children develop servant’s hearts, that they may serve wholeheartedly, as if they were serving the Lord, not men.”

Ephesians 6:6b-7 – “…as servants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man,”

Day 25 : Hope
“May the God of hope grant that my children may overflow with hope and hopefulness by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Romans 15:13 – “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”

Day 26 : Willingness and Ability to Work
“Teach my children, Lord, to value work and to work at it with all their heart, as working for the Lord and not for men.”

Colossians 3:23 – “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men…”

Day 27 :  Passion for God
“Lord, please instill in my children a soul that ‘followeth hard after thee,’ one that clings passionately to You.”

Psalm 63:8 – “My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.”

Day 28 :  Self-Discipline
“Father, I pray that my children may acquire a disciplined and prudent life, doing what is right and just and fair.”

Proverbs 1.2-6 – “To know wisdom and instruction, to understand words of insight, to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity; to give prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the youth— Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance, to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles.”

2 Timothy 2.6-7 “For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline.” (NIV)

———————
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, Cross Way Bibles, 2001. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
The Bible, New International Version, International Bible Society, 1984.
Values and scriptures compiled by Bob Hostetler, 1998.  Distributed by Pray! Magazine, www.praymag.com.
Artwork by Ron DiCianni: Angels Unseen and Spiritual Warfare “

“O eternity of love!  O eternal love!  If I had existed from all eternity, I should have been bound to love You from all eternity; and yet, my God, I have not begun to love You as I should.  At least, let me begin now.  O my Savior, to love You as You would be loved.  O God of my heart, I give myself to You to be united to Your ceaseless love for me from all eternity…  I ardently desire that all creatures of the universe be transformed into flaming fire of love towards You.”   -St.John Eudes (+1680)