Tag Archives: Jesus

Feb5

The “Why” and “How” of Blessing Your Children

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When was the last time you said, “God bless you”? Odds are, it was probably after someone sneezed. But did you really intend to bless that person or were you just being polite?

We read about blessings throughout the Bible, but none of those instances involve hay fever or the common cold. In fact, God seems to take blessings very seriously.

The First Blessing

The first person we read about receiving God’s verbal blessing is Abraham:

“…indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies. In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice” (Genesis 22:17-18 17 NAS).

Abraham’s immediate family carried on the tradition, with Isaac blessing Jacob and Esau. (See Genesis 27.) Later, when Jacob was about to die, he blessed his twelve sons, “every one with the blessing appropriate to him” (Genesis 49:28b NAS).

Our Right to Bless

As spiritual descendants of Abraham, we have the right to bless our own children. These are not empty platitudes, though, but words of real power:

“Speak to Aaron and to his sons, saying, ‘Thus you shall bless the sons of Israel. You shall say to them: The LORD bless you, and keep you; the LORD make His face shine on you, and be gracious to you; the LORD lift up His countenance on you, and give you peace.’ So they shall invoke My name on the sons of Israel, and I then will bless them” (Numbers 6:23-27 NAS).

Years ago, my mother began to speak blessings over us kids, and it made a real difference. I know it helped me to focus on God and His Word, and it gave me hope for my future.

How to Bless

When I became pregnant last year, I knew this was a tradition I wanted to pass down to my child. But what kinds of blessings was I supposed to give him?

Dr. Mary Ruth Swope of Bless Your Children Every Day states we should “make sure that our blessings are in line with God’s promises and fit in with His plans and purposes for the one we are blessing. Remember, the most important goal for our children and grandchildren should be that they bring glory to God in all they say and do. If we keep that in mind, then our blessings will not become selfish or worldly in nature.”

I highly recommend Dr. Swope’s book. It provides a clear basis for our right to bless our loved ones, and it includes numerous blessings that you can use or modify as needed, such as blessings for authority, clear direction, courage, good health, and peace.

I didn’t have to wait for my little one to be born to start blessing him, though. In the book Pure Joy, authors Crystal Wade and Arthur A. Burk explain that parents can bless their children—whether they’re far away or still in the womb—by speaking the blessing to the child’s spirit. This may sound a bit weird, but the Bible does indicate that the spirit of a child is far more advanced than the child’s cognitive ability.

  • Isaiah said that God called him “from the womb” (Isaiah 49:1 NAS).
  • Jeremiah quoted God as saying “Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, and before you were born I consecrated you…” (Jeremiah 1:5 NAS).
  • In the New Testament, Elizabeth’s baby (John the Baptist) acknowledged the presence of Jesus and “leaped in [her] womb for joy” when Mary approached her while pregnant with baby Jesus (Luke 1:44 NAS).

Bless Your Children Today

During my pregnancy, Robby and I spoke beautiful, faith-filled words to the spirit of our little one. Now that he’s here with us, we continue to speak blessings over him.

I encourage you to do the same, to bless those within your sphere of influence, especially your children. It doesn’t have to be elaborate. Simply speak your heart. Your children will know that it’s something special, and they’ll come back to you for more.

Here’s a blessing for you today:
May you discover the beauty and power in the spoken blessing. May you find the courage and discipline to rise up and bless your children with God’s promises. May your family flourish as they walk in the ways of the Lord all the days of their lives. I bless you in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Do you bless your children? If so, what has been your experience? If not, what’s stopping you? Please leave a comment below.

For my reviews on the books noted above and many others, check out my goodreads page.

 

Jan21

Big News About Big Answers

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I have some big news to share with you: I just signed a contract with Little Lamb Books to publish my children’s series, The Big Answers! This is a project that’s been near and dear to my heart for several years, so I’m really excited that Little Lamb is going to bring it to life.

The premise for this series is simple. Little kids ask big questions like “Who is God?” and “What is love?”. But these questions aren’t easy for us parents to answer. Either we aren’t sure of the answer ourselves or we don’t know how to bring it down to a child’s level. Too often, we gloss over the question entirely and miss an opportunity to share something profound with our children.

I believe that big questions deserve big answers, that little ones have the capacity to understand such concepts as God, love, prayer, forgiveness, church, and heaven.

We just need to share these topics in a language and context that kids can appreciate—which is exactly what this series aims to do.

The first book, tentatively titled “Who is God?”, is scheduled for early 2020. I look forward to sharing more with you as this project progresses.

In the meantime, I encourage you to foster your children’s faith by facing their questions head on. You don’t have to be a Bible scholar to “get it right”! Simply ask the Holy Spirit to give you understanding and guidance. Then encourage your kids to ask more questions by reading a children’s Bible together and singing faith-filled songs. As a parent, nothing you do is more important than sharing the love of Jesus with your children.

Do you set aside time to share your faith with your children? What does that look like? Do you find certain resources to be helpful? Share your thoughts below to encourage other readers.

Dec25

Merry Christmas

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This year, Robby and I are celebrating Christmas in a different way. We’re not worried about gifts, special dinners, or even traveling to see family. This year, all our focus is on this little guy: our new son, Gordon. At only three weeks old, Gordon isn’t old enough to appreciate Christmas, but he’s made us appreciate it all the more.

As I write this, Gordon is snuggled against me in a wrap. He’s content and quiet, giving me a moment to reflect on the meaning of today, this holy day of Christmas.

Now that I’m a mom, I appreciate the story of Jesus’ birth more than ever. As a young couple who had never had children, Mary and Joseph were given the ultimate gift and responsibility: to raise the very Son of God. But God knew Mary and Joseph, and He knew they could handle the job.

Jesus also knew what He was getting into. He knowingly submitted Himself to the frailty of a newborn baby, completely dependent on Mary and Joseph to care for His every need (and babies have lots of needs!).

As miraculous as the Christmas story is, though, it didn’t end in Bethlehem. God is still entrusting Himself to His people—even you! Just as Mary carried Jesus in her womb, we carry the Holy Spirit in our hearts today.

This Christmas, as you celebrate the birth of our Savior, remember that the same God who was born of a virgin lives within you and wants to work in your life. I encourage you to live out this truth on a daily basis, making sure that your words and actions honor the God within you. And as you share gifts with family and friends today, remember that the True Gift is Jesus, and it’s your great honor and responsibility to share Him with the world.

May you have a wonderful Christmas!

~Robby, Ashley, and Gordon