The Power of Spoken Blessings

Mentor Mom Devotional by Mary Timmers

 

In Place of a major life overhaul--an maybe you need it, try using a blessing to bring peace and calm.

 

God gave this blessing to the Israelites for a good reason. He wanted them to remember it and then USE IT OVER AND OVER. It's an example of w hat a blessing looks like, but we can always come up with our own.

 

The important thing is to take God and His qualities and personalize them and then place them up to the person you want to receive God's blessing.

 

One for your child going to sleep at night is:

 

"Johnny, May God give to you deep and refreshing sleep.  May He bring dreams of you walking with Him in beautiful places. May you rest in Him tonight and all day tomorrow.  Love and peace be with you as you close your eyes."

 

These are the last words your child will hear from you before he falls asleep.

Maybe you're thinking "Oh yeah, you don't know my kid.  He might hear many more words from me before he finally goes to sleep." :)

 

Here's my challenge to you.  Keep doing this every night. Say a blessing over your children, to your teenager as they go out the door to school, to your husband as he leaves for work, and see how God blesses you and your loved one!

-Mary

mentor mom devo Romans 12:15

Romans 12:15 “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.”  

I love being able to celebrate good things happening in a friend’s life. But how can I begin to help a friend who is going through something difficult?

 Sometimes it feels easiest to pretend that nothing has happened, to say nothing, do nothing. I can justify it by telling myself that I don’t know what to say and it is probably better to just stay out of it. Has that worked for you? For decades I regretted not saying anything to a classmate whose father had died suddenly. I came to realize that my lack of knowing what to say was much less important than his pain.

 A big first step is to listen to what your friend feels comfortable with sharing. Look for a time when the two of you can talk without others around. Instead of asking how she is, try asking how she feels about something. Each of us reacts to things differently. What can be small to one may be a deep grief to another. The important thing is to listen to her, to acknowledge her pain, and to listen without giving answers.

 Respect how much she feels like sharing and don’t push for more than she wants to give. Focus on her. Remember that what she shares is private. Ask before sharing with another person. The only exception to this would be if you felt your friend was in danger of hurting herself or another. If you are feeling overwhelmed, it may be appropriate to suggest she get help from a professional. There should be no shame in asking for help.

 A hug might be the best thing you could give.

 Be sensitive to her. If you have something to share that may be painful for her to hear, let her know the news privately before sharing it in front of a group or sending the news electronically. If you can think of some practical service to offer your friend, and are able to give it, offer. Could she use a meal? Would an hour or two of childcare help? Pick something up at a store? Ask her what would be helpful.  Sometimes a short note of encouragement can be wonderful. Take the time to write out a special verse that has encouraged you.

 I asked the other mentor moms for any suggestions they might have, and Mary mentioned women like to get stuff and bringing a small gift of something that is your favorite is a practical thing. A gift card, even in a small amount says you took the time and made the effort.

 Letting others know you will be praying for them is good, but Mary also had a wonderful suggestion. “Instead of saying ‘I’ll pray for you’, say ‘May I pray for you right now?’ And then do it. This can be scary, especially for people who are not comfortable praying out loud in front of others. But this is the time to get over that and realize what comfort and peace come from hands on, face to face delivering of blessing from God. Make it simple. Be honest. ‘Lord, I’m not so good at praying out loud, but I love______, and I’m asking you to bless her with Your comfort and peace.’ The enemy hates when we do this and would much rather we go away and then forget that we promised to pray. Obedience is stretching, but we need that.”

 I’ve realized over the years that I want to make a difference in someone else’s life, but that shouldn’t be my focus. If I am intent on making someone feel better, I’m more focused on myself than them. It is better for me to remember that while God can use me in the life of a friend, He is the only one that can bring healing.

I recently came across a new translation of the Bible called “The Voice” and love how 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 reads. “All praise goes to God, Father of our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One. He is the Father of compassion, the God of all comfort. He consoles us as we endure the pain and hardship of life so that we may draw from His comfort and share it with others in their own struggles.”

 As I finish today, I’d like to pray a prayer from Ephesians. “Father, out of Your honorable and glorious riches, strengthen Your people. Fill their souls with the power of Your Spirit so that through faith the Anointed One will reside in their hearts. May love be the rich soil where their lives take root. May it be the bedrock where their lives are founded so that together with all of Your people they will have the power to understand that the love of the Anointed is infinitely long, wide, high, and deep, surpassing everything anyone previously experienced. God, may Your fullness flood through their entire beings. Now to the God who can do so many awe-inspiring things, immeasurable things, things greater than we ever could ask or imagine through the power at work in us, to Him be all glory in the church and in Jesus the Anointed from this generation to the next, forever and ever. Amen.”

Meet Menor Mom Karen!

Hi Karen! Tell us a little about yourself and your family.

I have been married to Paul for almost 27 years.  We both went to two different colleges and our time overlapped one year at Bethel.  Most of our courtship for the next several years was long distance, with him showing up two days before we were married.  Yes, we had lots of adjustments to make our first year.  We are far from perfect people, and while our end goal is usually the same, we generally have different approaches to get there.  It does make life interesting!  Our daughters have come through birth and adoption...Erica - 25, Jillian - 21, and Adriana - 15.  Yes, I was at home for 15 years with young children and can relate to MOPS moms. 

Do you currently work? 

While I don't receive a pay check, the closest thing I have to a "real job" is caring for my mom after my father's death several years ago.  He took care of their finances and wanted me to look after her investments as he didn't like paying a financial advisor.  While I grew up hearing terms and general ideas, this is a new area for me and I spend about 7-10 hours a week reading, thinking, and choosing investments.  I am far from an expert, but feel more confident as I go along.

What books are you currently reading?  

I love words, stories, learning, and libraries, so I usually have several I'm working through.  I also have found audio books to be wonderful as my hands and eyes are free to do other things.  This last month I have read/listened to "Heaven is for Real" by Todd Burpo, "The Screwtape Letters" by C.S. Lewis, "The Help" by Kathryn Stockett, and "A Visual History of the English Bible" by Donald Brake.  Currently I'm working my way through 40 years of Ellery Queen mystery magazines, "The Pearl" by John Steinbeck, and "Within My Heart" by Tamera Alexander.  One added bonus of using headphones is that my daughters assume I can't hear them and talk freely.  I have learned some interesting things this way.

 

What is a hobby you have that some of the moms may not know about?

I love seeing things grow and have come to see this in the things I enjoy...gardening, sewing, children, knitting, embroidery, photography, puzzles, travel, friends, cooking, and baking.  Well, perhaps the "growing" results of baking are ones that I would rather not deal with.  I delight in seeing children and adults understand things that are new to them and gain confidence in their skills.  Another quieter area of interest is being a friend to those who are easily overlooked or overwhelmed.  I have been involved in training and ongoing work for Stephen Ministry at Woodcrest for several years.

What was the most challenging part of being a young mom?  

There seemed to be so many!  One big area for me was learning how to work in partnership with my husband rather than working as two individuals.  Another was learning how each of my girls were different and how to work with them rather than being rigid in how I wanted things done.  Being far away from my family and friends was also difficult as it was hard to find a spot to fit in here in Minnesota where so many had grown up together and remained good friends.  I also felt isolated dealing with secondary infertility while other moms continued to have children.

 What is one piece of advice about motherhood that you would like to pass on?

As for advice, I'd probably suggest not trying to do/be perfect, and get to know God and trust Him.  When God is first in your life it doesn't mean that things are easy, but that He is there with you. Also, each stage of life has advantages and disadvantages.  It helps to find something to like and concentrate on being thankful for that rather than grumbling about the difficult parts.

 Do you have a favorite Bible verse you would like to share?

One of my favorite verses is Psalm 16:8 (NASB) "I have set the Lord continually before me; because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken."  I find it easy to get "stuck" reading the psalms and return to them regularly.

How has your experience been with being a MOPS mentor mom?

As for being a mentor mom, I feel like I am just beginning and have much to learn.  While I wish I could greet everyone by name, my brain will mix everyone up...feel free to wear nametags and help me out.  I like hearing your joys and concerns.  I would love to be a part of encouraging you as women, wives, and moms.