Five Ways to Bless and Be a Blessing

Genesis 27 Isaac blesses Jacob

Eph 6:4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger by the way you treat them. Rather, bring them up with the discipline and instruction that comes from the Lord.

1) Affection-Meaningful Touch – a hug, a pat on the shoulders, holding them in your arms, laying hands on their head, etc… appropriate meaningful touch is a way to say “I love you!” all through Scripture. 

2) Affirmation Spoken (or Written) Words –the Blessing ALWAYS involved WORDS, either spoken or written...

3) Attach High Value - that helps them know they have great value in your eyes and in God’s eyes well: highlight a character trait by describing a specific time when they demonstrated. (When your little sister falls or hurts herself, you always show compassion to be to help her feel better with her and to get help.) 

4) Assure a Special Future – Scripture paints pictures like Jeremiah 29:11…I have for you a future and a hope.” Kids tend to be literalists when it comes to hearing about their future from their parents. (Which is also why negative words, like, “You’re so stupid” stay in them.”

5) Advance in Genuine Ongoing Commitment –while often linked with a special situation or occasion, (marriage, birth, death, moving away, etc.), the 5 elements of the Blessing are things that we can choose to add to a loved ones life each day!

Just like we can choose to be joyful for a change, and to amend our ways, we can choose from now on to live out these words of affirmation and actions of encouragement and love in our lives together.

“Take the Blessing Challenge” by creating a special, intentional, purposeful events, and look for ways to live out these 5 elements of the blessing with your child. 

This list was adapted from these websites where you can see samples of a letter to write to your children and other ideas and training to change people’s lives by blessing them.

www.TheBlessing.com   and http://johntrent.publishpath.com/the-blessing-challenge

This week I will honor and bless by doing the following:

Honor and blessing are keys to be joyful for a change

Honor: preferring the other person above yourself, in status, service and sacrifice of themselves in order to bless the person and their purpose.

1.       I will bless by showing affection to ________________________,

by ____________________________________________________

2.       I will bless _______________________________ by

(circle one or both-saying / writing to them telling them a specific thing they did and something good about their future.)

Ideas: _____________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

3.       I will show honor for them and their purpose by (circle one or more-serving / sacrificing) for them by

___________________________________________________________

___________________________________________________________

4.       I will honor my spouse by _________________________________

___________________________________________________________

5.       I will show honor for my parents, obeying and respecting them, by 

____________________________________________________________

____________________________________________________________

Notes:

Affirmation, Gratitude, Esteem create
a Godly Culture of Honor

Intern Melissa Camenisch’s thank you to CLC on Graduation Sunday August 7, 2011

There are so many things I could say to you about these last two years, but I felt like the Lord wanted me to thank you and affirm you all for what you have done for me this year. One because I am just so grateful for you and two because of what PD was talking about last week, creating a culture of honor. He said “when we honor one another God is honored, the atmosphere around us changes and His Kingdom comes.”

I want to thank you all for making me feel so loved and welcomed. I remember when I first moved here two years ago being very skeptical and unsure of what it would be like to attend a different church than the one I had been in my whole life. And I remember those first few months here I was really moved and touched with the openness and love you had for me as an individual; however, not only for me but for each other and the community around you.

I have learned so much while being here with you all. You all have taught me a lot about how important it is for us as the church to get outside of the building and reach out to the people around us. Thank you all for helping me be able to go to a whole different level of learning what it means to be a sister, daughter and granddaughter because you all treated me as such.

You loved me and fed me. You prayed for me and encouraged me. You hugged me and cared for me. You teased me and laughed with me (and you know how much I love to laugh). I enjoyed every minute of it.

I am so happy and excited to be going home, but you must know that I am not going back the way I came and a lot of the reason is because of you all. You are some of the most loving and precious people I know. I will miss you all. And I will never forget your kindness to me, and your Christ like example to me-the way you give and give and don’t expect anything in return. You lay your lives down daily for others. I know this because I myself am a recipient of your lives.

Melissa is a member of Covenant Church in Winchester, KY. Her parents attended our church school many years ago and sometimes came over to Richard McAfee’s parents’ house to clean it for them – the very same house which Melissa often helped clean during the past two years while living with us.

Here are some words of affirmation which were shared this week. Our final assignment for the year is to try to put into practice “hearing heart responses.”

Examples of Affirmations

MJ For Melly—"Your excitement and vitality of life is contagious, you encourage others and with just a smile you communicate the pure love of Christ."

MJ for Tim— "It is so humbling to have a brother who cherishes his sisters so much that he will do the little things for us everyday. You value us so much that you are willing to suffer so we don't have to."

Levi for Tim—I am so proud of you for becoming the man you were created to be. You are an encourager, a fierce, trustworthy, reliable man with the heart of a son who is learning the heart of a father. You have stewarded your relationships well. You have remained constant in your dedication to God, and you have adopted His convictions.

Levi for MJ—You were vulnerable, and even when you felt unsteady or unsure of what was happening, you poured out your heart and what the Lord was doing in it, and it has helped to grow not only your classmates, but it has had an impact on all of us.

Laurie For Ryan—You are proactive, you see a problem and go and fix it.

Hannah for Laura-“You are a great example to me of what it means to “push through” and find joy in every circumstance.”

Laura for MJ—"Only the weak are cruel. Gentleness can only be expected from the strong." -Leo Buscaglia

Laurie for Melly -"He knew I needed someone who loves to laugh, someone who cherishes relationships, isn't afraid to be goofy, a fearless leader, and a beautiful women of God."

Melly for Levi— "I respect the man of God that you have become these last two years, I respect the way you love and put others before yourself, I respect your desire and heart for reaching out to boys around you, I respect your willingness to get outside of your comfort zone and do whatever is asked of you in any situation."

Laura for Mel-"You constantly keep me laughing and in a world where laughter can be fake and people can be characters. I love to see you express yourself is in worship, whether you are singing or dancing, you give your whole heart to your audience of One.

Tim to Laura-"Hearing your perspective and your heart to not be taken out of the pain until the Lord was finished doing his work in you definitely taught me a lesson, one that I hope I have courage enough to repeat should the Lord require something similar of me."

Laurie to MJ -”Vulnerability takes strength.”

Tim to Levi - "Whether pulling, pushing, encouraging or exhorting you have been a huge part of the process of me reaching the finish line. I am thankful and have been given an example worthy of following."

Laura to Hannah- “You are a trooper, a warrior and I’m honored to be on your side. The gift you have for words is awesome but it’s the genuine spirit you have behind them that rock peoples hearts and bring truth into their lives.”