An International Women’s Day Blessing

I wrote this blessing for a dynamic group of women who are courageously and purposefully living out their calling while championing others in their midst. It is inspiring and contagious and marvelous to witness. I thought to share the blessing here as an encouragement to you. As we celebrate International Women’s Day, may we be ones who help others rise and ‘stand’, particularly other women.

Journey Girls IWD
Standing together, fittingly, on International Women’s Day. The hosts had these words made for us as an encouragement to STAND. P.S. I’m all in even though I am not holding one!

An International Women’s Day Blessing

When you look at yourself or look over your life—past and present—may you be blessed with a sense of God’s great love and approval over you. May you know you are thoroughly accepted in the Beloved, that He is pleased with you and cheering you on. 

…to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved. ~ Eph 1:6

The LORD your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing.” ~ Zeph 3:17

Be blessed you as you tread through the hard places—the lonely or unpopular places—as you extend yourself for others and for Christ knowing he is with you. When you grow weary or feel lost on the journey, may God impart wisdom, strength, and hope from his vast storehouse. May you ever answer his whisper to trust him and continue onward in faith even when you cannot fully see. 

But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. ~ Isa 40:31

Now faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see. ~ Heb 11:1

I bless you as you pour yourself out in the places, and for the people, God has given you, giving of your time, resources, energy, and love to profit others. May you find time to be still and hear from God and then mobilize to do only what he has asked, refraining from the temptation and distraction of too much. 

“Be still, and know that I am God; I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” ~ Ps 46:10

Wherever you find yourself, may you know that you are equipped by God and his Spirit for everything you face, that you are never alone, and that he is always with you. May he flood your fears with his peace, turn ashes into beauty and mourning to joy, so that you are encouraged and can celebrate that you are victorious in Christ.

…to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of joy instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor. ~ Isa 61:3

…in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. ~ Romans 8:37

May God protect you from jealousy and the sabotage of the enemy who seeks to stir up strife. May you have peace in your relationships as you love and serve others, continually freeing yourself by forgiving your offenders, just as the Lord richly forgives you, and praying for your enemies.

But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you, that you may be sons (daughters) of your Father in heaven. ~ Matt 5:44-45 

May your life shine as a beacon to others, a safe harbor, imparting hope for their journey and a welcoming embrace to join the fullness of God’s rich kingdom. May you live filled with God’s peace, joy, hope, and love, and lavishly pour it over all those around you. 

I bless each of you in the name of Jesus Christ.

Amen 

 

 

What Kind of Impact Are You Making?

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A precious offering from a student: a reminder of the little hands I held and also helped teach how to print their names.

This past Tuesday, I spent my last day in the kindergarten class. At the end of the day, just before nineteen little humans trundled off for home, I was inundated with colourful masterpieces and priceless hugs. Working to hold back tears, I received their affectionate gestures. The teacher commented on the impact I’d made after being in the class just over a month and added, what if it had been a full year as he had hoped.

It begs the question: what about an entire lifetime?

Within such a lifetime – composed of one day piling on top of another – there exists the opportunity to make a day-by-day, moment-by-moment difference. Some of those difference-making impacts will be the result of a cognitive choice or disciplined action, but there will be many that won’t. Some impacts will occur without you giving them a second thought; the mere result of you being a living, breathing human with the potential to leave an imprint on other human beings, for better or for worse.

I think to myself, what sort of impact am I making? Am I helping or hindering those around me to be the best versions of themselves? Do my words and actions encourage and build others up, or tear them down? Am I using my resources, including my time, finances, skills, and gifts to make a difference, or am I selfishly expending them only on my personal comfort?

Some may not think it matters, but I prefer to think it does. As a child, whenever we visited somewhere, my mom used to instruct us to leave it better than when we arrived. I think that applies to people as well as places. We can leave a person better than we found them. Our exchanges, no matter how small, can leave a positive or negative impact. The ability to shift the atmosphere is ever at our disposal.

It’s easy to grumble about poor service, complain about a coworker to another, treat a server poorly, or lose it entirely. But how much greater is a simple smile, a kind word of encouragement, a well-placed compliment, a small offer of help, a show of affection, or an extension of forgiveness. All of these can make all the difference. You won’t often know the mountains another is scaling in the midst of climbing your own, but at every handhold there exists the opportunity to make that assent just a little kinder and more manageable.

Beyond all this, there’s the impact in eternity, which, though temporarily invisible, will one day be all there is left, and all that matters. Not that we do these things for gold stars. We do them out of the outflow of love and forgiveness that we each have the opportunity to receive and extend. But make no mistake, everything, whether seen or unseen, applauded or ignored, matters.

I’ll leave this last thought: Be the person your dog thinks you are, the person your family wishes you were, and the person God made you to be!

For there is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed, and nothing concealed that will not be known or brought out into the open.

~ Luke 8:17

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  1. In what ways are you leaving people better than you found them? In what ways could you stand to improve?
  2. Look for opportunities this week to make a difference.