Blessed

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Blessed
5/12/08

Happy Mother’s Day to each and every mommy, young and old that is stopping by to read today’s Speak to My Soul Sunday post. I am honored to be taking you on the journey of the blessing today. Sit back, relax, grab a nice hot cup of coffee (or tea), and grab your Bible.

As I sat and thought about what to write this week I was overwhelmed with the urge to talk to you about being Blessed. The word Blessed, according to Merriam-Webster online, means this:

bless·ed
adjective
before 12th century
1 a: held in reverence
b: honored in worship
2: of or enjoying happiness; specifically : enjoying the bliss of heaven —used as a title for a beatified person
3: bringing pleasure, contentment, or good fortune
4—used as an intensive

But the truth of the matter is this…you and I both know that being blessed can be so much more than what these words from the dictionary say. Throughout the Bible people were blessed and radically changed their lives. In the New International Version alone there are over two hundred and twenty two (222) results for the word “blessed”. Let’s take some time to unpack some nuggets of goodness from being blessed.

Right in the beginning of the Bible it says, Genesis 1:22 – God blessed them and said, “Be fruitful and increase in number and fill the water in the seas, and let the birds increase on the earth.”

What a great truth we can teach our children…Exodus 20:11 – For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.

It’s funny because being blessed and being a blessing really can and do go hand in hand. Since it’s Mother’s Day I wanted to take a minute to talk directly to YOU, the moms out there in bloggy land. Do you have ANY idea the impact you can make on your family (for generations to come) by being a blessing and giving a blessing to your family?

I am reading a phenomenal book right now called “The Blessing – Giving the Gift of Unconditional Love and Acceptance” by John Trent, PhD and Gary Smalley. I have to tell you that even though it is not a newly released book the spiritual truths packed into this book have knocked my socks off and have really opened my eyes to the importance of passing on “The Blessing” to our kids.

Here is an excerpt from the back of the book cover…
“No matter your age, the approval of your parents affects how you view yourself and your ability to pass that approval on to your children, spouse, and friends. Many of us – perhaps unknowingly – spend a lifetime striving for this acceptance. In this best-selling classic, John Trent and Gary Smalley present a fresh, applicable perspective of the life-changing gift the Bible calls ‘The Blessing’.

The unconditional love and approval that come with the blessing is vital to our self-esteem and emotional well being. The authors detail the five elements of the blessing: 1) Meaningful Touch, 2) A Spoken Message, 3) Attaching High Value, 4) Picturing a Special Future, and 5) An Active Commitment.”

You know what is so amazing about the Blessing? It is something that you and I can decide to do today. We can freely choose to give a blessing to our children, to our spouse, to our family, to our friends, to everyone we meet. As women we are driven by this verse – Proverbs 31:28 – Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her:

What a wonderful goal that we should all strive towards – Psalm 84:4 – Blessed are those who dwell in your house; they are ever praising you. Selah

I have been blessed to be married to my best friend for 15 years this May 29th. Part of the reason that my husband is such a great and godly man is because of the blessing that his mother spent his entire lifetime in prayer over her children. You see, my mother in love, Brenda, did what she knew to do and that was to pray for her children, to love on her children, and to encourage her children. Was she perfect, absolutely not, none of us are, but was she faithful, praise God she was. Go over to Positive-Talk.com and check out the article I wrote about my mother in love. While you are there, take a few minutes to check out this great new resource. A friend of mine was given this dream, this passion, and this desire this past year and God is already moving mountains to make it happen for her. (Great Job Sage!)

Deuteronomy 12:7 There, in the presence of the LORD your God, you and your families shall eat and shall rejoice in everything you have put your hand to, because the LORD your God has blessed you.

You see, the prayers, love, and support that my mother-in-love blessed her family with have had a ripple effect, as blessings always do. Her prayers led me to seek a relationship with Christ, who led my husband back to the church, who led both our kids to a living breathing relationship with the ONE true God, who brought my parents and sister to a relationship to Christ (followed by Baptism, all of which my husband was able to baptize), to my husband and I BOTH becoming Pastors, to the ministries and people we touched while in ministry, and to top it off, our personal family for generations to come…ALL from ONE woman taking the time to bless her children.

STOP on that for a moment.

ONE woman’s prayers and the movement from the ALL MIGHTY God produced a ripple affect of blessings.

Ladies…do you hear what I am saying!??!?! YOU have the power, when you partner it with God, to radically change the world, and it all starts with your family.

Jeremiah 17:7 “But blessed is the man who trusts in the LORD, whose confidence is in him.

Psalm 34:8 Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the man who takes refuge in him.

Take some time this Mother’s Day and truly thank God for the blessings HE has given to you. I know things may not be perfect, but they are exactly right for right now.

Matthew 5:5 (The Message) – “You’re blessed when you’re content with just who you are—no more, no less. That’s the moment you find yourselves proud owners of everything that can’t be bought.

I don’t know about you, but the thought of being able to be used by God in any way, shape, or form makes me all giddy inside and sends chill bumps up my arms. I don’t have to know why, I just have to know that He has called you and I to be a blessing, and the best place for us to start is right in our homes.

Mark 10:27 – Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but not with God; all things are possible with God.”

I believe we can radically change the world, do you?


Take the time to be a blessing and be thankful that YOU ARE BLESSED!

Happy Mother’s Day from One Blessed Chick to Another,

PS – Happy Mother’s Day to my Mom (I love you oodles and oodles), Brenda (the BEST mother-in-love ever), Granny (you are one amazing godly woman), and Grandma Nusz (you amaze me with your strength and grace) – I LOVE you all dearly!

7 Comments

  3. You always inspire me! Thanks for all you do for all of us who love to visit you.

    Hugs and Happy Mother’s Day to YOU!
    Kat

  4. That was great, You are a Blessing to all of us in blog land:) Hope your Mothers Day was BLESSED:)
    hugs
    Deb

  7. That was lovely, and I enjoyed your tribute too! Happy happy Mother’s Day to you (ok, a day late, but that is the time schedule I am working from lately!!!)

    Happy week! (thanks for your email, by the way! I’ll write back soon!)

    xoxo

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