Are You Ready to Speak Life and Love?

This past Friday, the women in my small group and I talked about blessings.

Then we blessed one another.

I had written out various blessings for us, and one by one, each of us looked into the eyes of the woman on her right and spoke the blessing over her.

Most of them had never received or given a blessing before.

It was a morning overflowing with the awareness of God’s great love for us as we experienced the beautiful joy of blessing and being blessed.

What does it mean to be blessed?

Jesus tells a story of a son who left home, taking his inheritance with him—before his father died. He ended up squandering all the money and disgracing his family.

When the son finally came to his senses, Jesus said, he went home, his head hanging in shame. But as he walked toward his father’s house, there was his father, running toward him. Before he could finish his I-know-I’m-no-longer-worthy-to-be-your-son speech, his father threw himself on his son, kissing him.

Then the father reinstated his son’s position of authority by stripping off his old, torn, foul-smelling clothes. He placed his best robe on him, gave him a signet ring of legal authority, and outfitted him with the shoes of a free man who belonged in the house.

Then the father hosted a joyful dinner party with music and dancing.

A Picture of a Blessing

This is the picture of a blessing, and Jesus calls us to be like the father who welcomed his son home and authorized him to prosper. When we bless someone, we are, in effect, authorizing God to bestow favor. We are inviting people home to their heavenly Father, where they belong and are loved.

It’s this kind of unconditional love that forms the basis for blessings. It’s not about blessing someone to gain appreciation or to impress other people. Blessing is about love that is fearless, authentic, and exposed. Jesus loved and blessed people, no matter what it cost him.

Blessing is about love that is fearless, authentic, and exposed.

Jesus showed us that the way to an abundant life isn’t about taking and keeping. A blessed life is about bold, generous giving that’s rooted neither in advancing nor protecting the giver. A blessed life flows out of love.

I Bless You…

If you’ve never experienced the power of blessing, here are 15 brief blessings, along with their scriptural references. My prayer is that you’ll use one of these blessings every day for a week. Maybe at mealtime. Maybe at bedtime. Maybe before someone goes out the door. Maybe when you visit a friend. Or you might write one out and tuck it into a lunchbox or under a pillow.

As you bless in Jesus’ name, you will powerfully communicate the passionate love of God and also reveal the beauty of Christ in yourself and others. You’ll build the value and worth of those you bless, and, at the same time, you’ll come to better know your own value and worth before God.

You’ll find the blessings below the subscribe button. The line in front of the blessing is for naming the one you are blessing.

And—if you’ve ever experienced blessing and being blessed, I’d love to hear your story. Drop a comment below or share this with someone you’d like to bless today.

__________ I bless you with the confidence that you are fully known and fully loved by your Creator. (Psalm 139:1)

__________ I bless you with the peace that guards your heart and mind, even when life feels uncertain. (Philippians 4:7)

__________ I bless you with deep rest in the presence of God, who delights in you. (Matthew 11:28)

__________ I bless you with fresh strength today—strength that comes from the Spirit and not your own striving. (Isaiah 40:31)

__________ I bless you with joy and courage, knowing God walks with you in every season. (Joshua 1:9)

__________ I bless you with a renewed sense of purpose and the assurance that your life is part of God’s greater story. (Jeremiah 29:11)

__________ I bless you with an open heart to receive every good and perfect gift God has for you today. (James 1:17)

__________ I bless you with wisdom and clarity as you walk forward, trusting the One who sees the whole picture. (Proverbs 3:5–6)

__________ I bless you with the steady guidance of God’s hand upon your life, step by step. (Psalm 32:8)

__________ I bless you with calm in the chaos and the stillness of God’s steady presence. (Psalm 46:10)

__________ I bless you with the nearness of God surrounding you with His love and holding you in grace. (Psalm 139:5)

__________ I bless you with the joy of knowing you belong—fully, freely, and forever—to the One who calls you His own. (Isaiah 43:1)

__________ I bless you with hope that anchors your soul, no matter what comes your way. (Romans 8:28)

__________ I bless you to see yourself as God sees you—chosen, cherished, and created with divine purpose. (1 Peter 2:9)

__________ I bless you with a life that overflows with gratitude, peace, and strength as you walk with your Creator. (Colossians 2:6–7)