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Blessing your teen...
...an event made for times such as these!
The concept of blessing our children is not by any means new. Beginning in Genesis we read about Abraham's blessings, and the value placed on them by his own sons. Scripture is replete with blessings, and we can find some beautifully-worded prayers in both the Old and New Testament.
Think about a few of them. Is there a parent alive who would not want to pray this over and for their offspring?
Surely you have granted him unending blessings and made him glad with the joy of your presence. Psalm 21:6
or You will eat the fruit of your labor; blessings and prosperity will be yours. Psalm 128:2
I have seen this with my own eyes: blessing our children changes us, changes them, and sets into motion something deep and profound in all of our lives.
The Blessing: the book
A while back I published a book about a special coming-of-age ceremony that we have done for each of our five children. It's based on the Jewish Bar and Bat Mitzvah and designed to launch them into Biblical adulthood with spoken blessings. Our teens have all looked forward to it since it's inception, and because we saw such fruit in their lives, my husband and I were encouraged to share both our experiences and the process we followed, in order to encourage other parents
The culmination of that desire and dream was a short, easy-to-read book entitled "Blessing the Next Generation: Releasing God's Best in Your Child's Life"
I've been really happy to be able to share this with parents of teens (and future teens!), but I took one extra step to make it possible for ANYone feeling so led to do this in their home...
Blessing your teen: the course
Hey, I remember what it was like to be a busy homeschool momma.
And back when we started crafting these blessing services for our teens, I also had a middle schooler, two toddlers, and was pregnant with our baby. Who had time for tons of reading and studying?!
Certainly not I - and I'm guessing you don't, either...
So let me tell you about the blessing "course" I've made available for anyone who is eager to do this but is totally overwhelmed with the idea of crafting this unique occasion unaided.
The course is a series of 5 lessons, complete with concrete action steps, additional helpful resources, and 30 minutes of live time with me to answer questions, make suggestions, offer feedback, etc, if you feel you need or want it.
It covers:
- Why a blessing? And when?
- Preparing Hearts: Yours and Your Teen's
- Logistics: Preparing for the Day
- Day to Day Blessings
- Further Resources
Of course, there are many ways to bless our children and teens, our families in general, and all those whom the Lord puts in our path. This book and course focus on a very specific ceremony that fosters the long-term visions we have for our kiddos...
My dream is that more and more parents will craft a unique and meaningful ceremony for their teens...and together make a Biblical coming-of-age not only the norm but a traditional spiritual milestone in Christian families everywhere.
And when you have a moment, pour yourself a cuppa, head on over to the Life as a Lifeschooler podcast and listen to my interview with Danielle Papageorgiou on the Ultimate Homeschool Radio Network
But really: "for a time such as this"?
- gives them a public opportunity to own their faith,
- strengthens their resolve to be a light wherever God leads them,
- builds their character through intense study of the Word as they prepare for the occasion, and
- provides them - and your whole family - with a unique experience and family memory that builds closeness through a shared tradition
As we start a new year, prayerfully consider if this is something you may want to start in your family.
The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.
Want to get started doing a blessing of your own?
You can craft a simple yet significant even of your own with just 4 simple steps! Shoot me your name and email, and I'll send you the link to the video where I explain how you can get started - plus, a few more resources if you'd like more confidence...
Do it today - while you're thinking of it!
Thanks for the link-up.
Happy New Year!
You’re welcome, Debbie! Thanks for stopping by..and wishing you all the best in 2018 🙂
What a great practice to intentionally bless our children. We have done something similar with all our boys when they turned 16, and are now in planning process for #4. We have people they respect and love write them a letter, and my husband writes one as well about being a godly man. We take them out for dinner to a nice restaurant and buy them a nice piece of jewelry to mark the occasion. Then, later there’s a party with family and friends. Can’t believe “the baby” is going to be 16 this month!
What a wonderful tradition! So simple and sweet…and I’ll bet they all remember it well. Your baby is 16? Gah! Where does the time go, right?!?
Thank you for hosting. I linked some nachos, a taco trifle, and an egg nog pie. I hope you enjoy them! Have a happy holiday! #OverTheMoon #WWBlogHop #ThursdayFavoriteThings
Oh Marily, that egg nog pie was to DIE for! Thank you for sharing it here 🙂
And have a wonderful 2018!!!
New Year blessings, Pat, and thanks for hosting!
Thank YOU, Donna! And backatcha 😉
They say blessings for their children at the Jewish new year too. It is awesome! Thanks for sharing this and hosting!
I didn’t know that, Sherry! What a wonderful way to start the new year for our kiddos 🙂