3 Bedtime Blessings to Share with Your Little One

It’s been a long day, filled with sweet moments of connection, laughter, and delight, of course—but also, you’re tired. You’ve fed, bathed, clothed, cuddled, played, corrected, consoled, and loved. You have given yourself fully to this gloriously exhausting role of raising a child.

No matter how things have gone, bedtime comes each evening with the invitation to rest and the chance to end the day well. A time for gentle, meaningful moments to pray blessings over your little one, tenderly speaking encouragements and words of truth to fill their heart and mind with peace as they sleep.

And yet, if you’re anything like me, by the end of the day, your deep thoughts and eloquent words have been all used up. My little ones are grown now, and I look back on my time as a young mama with such tenderness. The gift of perspective makes room for reflection on what I most wanted to impress on my babies. The gift of sleeping through the night offers clarity to thoughtfully compose blessings now that I didn’t have the words for at that sleep-deprived time. I offer them here for you to borrow as part of your bedtime routine.

As you read each excerpt, I imagine you gently touching your child’s head or shoulder, rubbing her back, or holding him close to you. May the gift of your presence be a safe place for each little one to tuck into as they discover the God who knows them best and loves them most.

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In all the world, there is no one else like you. Your eyes and smile, your talents and personality were knit together from the very beginning so you could display just how incredibly creative and good God is.

May you know deep, deep inside that you are perfectly and wonderfully made.

The Bible says…

“For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.” -Psalm 139:13-14

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Sometimes you will face hard things or worry about what might happen next. Remember, sweet one, you don’t have to go through life afraid.

May the spirit of fear be far from you. Instead, may you be full of power and love, and may your mind be calm.

The Bible says…

“For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” -2 Timothy 1:7 NLT

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There are lots of things you can do in your life. Lots of big, important things. But do you want to know the most important thing of all? It is to love.

May you love the Lord your God all the days of your life with everything you are and everything you have, and may you love your neighbor as yourself.

The Bible says…

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” -Matthew 22:37-39