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

Find Blessing the Next Generation on Amazon today!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.

Blessing your teen can be a significant event in your family's faith lifeThe 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

Listen to the Life as a Lifeschooler podcast on the Ultimate Homeschool Radio Network

But really: “for a time such as this”?

It would be easy to be dismissive about a statement like that…until you spend some time thinking about the times we live in. While Scripture tells us that there is nothing new under the sun, today’s environment certainly gives us greater access to news, events, activities, lifestyles, and attitudes that are at least confusing and oftentimes horrifying.

 

Fortifying our children and teens with a blessing:
  • 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.

In the meantime, since you’ve read this far, let me leave you with a blessing as well:

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.

Numbers 6:24-26

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!



Yes, I’d love to watch it!

Share this with a friend!