Houston, Texas — On a recent House of Hope broadcast, April Osteen Simons sat alongside her mother, Dodie Osteen, to share what has quietly become the Osteen family’s greatest inheritance: prayer. Their conversation, Marking Our Children for God, wasn’t theory or theology alone — it was lived testimony.
For the Osteens, marking children for God has never been about control, but about release — entrusting sons and daughters into the hands of the One who loves them most. Dodie, now 91, recalled how she began dedicating her children even before they were born. “I used to rub my tummy and say, ‘Father, I dedicate them to You now. Let them serve You all their years.’”
April smiled, remembering how those prayers shaped her own life. “Mama taught us to speak specific blessings — that we would have godly friends, that we’d be leaders and not followers, that we’d be healthy and protected. Those prayers became the foundation of our lives.”
The Power of Words
One of the strongest lessons Dodie imparted was to speak life, not death. “Jesus came to give us abundant life,” she reminded viewers. “Don’t ever curse your children with your words. Bless them. Speak God’s promises over them.”
April added that even in moments of frustration, parents must resist the urge to criticize. “The world already has enough negativity for our kids. Our job is to lift them, not tear them down. Words shape destinies — so call out the king or queen in your children, not the fool.”
The Discipline of Daily Prayer
For Dodie, prayer is not occasional — it is daily. She confessed her prayer list now includes 36 names of children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, each lifted before God every day. “I call their names. I ask the Lord to bless them, protect them, and let His angels watch over them.”
April nodded, sharing her own commitment to pray specifically by name. “Sometimes we say, ‘Lord, bless my family,’ and that’s good. But I’ve learned the power of calling each name out loud, one by one. It changes how I pray, and I believe it changes their lives too.”
Trusting God With Their Journey
Both mother and daughter acknowledged the hardest lesson of parenting: releasing control. Dodie told the story of her son Paul, a doctor serving in Africa. “I didn’t want him to go,” she admitted. “But I had to remind myself — he belongs to God, not me. My prayers can cover him where I cannot.”
Trust, they said, is not about giving up but about believing that the seeds planted in childhood will bear fruit in God’s timing.
Planting Seeds of Encouragement
Dodie encouraged parents to keep sowing good seeds — words of hope, encouragement, and faith — rather than seeds of criticism. “People don’t need to be told when they’re failing. They know it already. What they need is someone who will keep believing, keep praying, and keep loving.”
A Final Blessing
The program closed with a prayer for families:
“As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” Together, April and Dodie declared God’s promises over children and grandchildren, praying for healing, restoration, and strength for weary parents.
Dodie’s final words summed up the heart of the conversation: “You’re not here to control your children. You’re here to influence them with love and prayer. Never give up on them. God hasn’t.”