The Blessing

The Blessing: Giving the Gift of Unconditional Love and Acceptance is by John Trent and Gary Smalley. I recently read the revised and updated version of this classic for parents (and everyone else who touches the lives of others!) The intention of the book is to show that children need blessings in their lives, and parents and other care givers are the natural ones to do this. In fact, the blessing or a lack of a blessing, will affect every area of a child's life, right on in to adulthood.

In this book, the authors use biblical elements to demonstrate the need for a blessing and how parents can achieve blessings for their children. Bible characters demonstrate the different aspects of the blessing, which include: meaningful touch, a spoken message, attaching high value, picturing a special future, and an active commitment. Blessing a child is so much more than simply telling him he is loved. It involves every aspect of a child's life. When the blessing is withheld, children miss out on so much and can even feel cursed.

The author's walk parents through each concept of the blessing, backing up their statements with biblical fact. In each chapter, the authors relate personal stories and practical steps parents can take to be sure that their children feel blessed and see themselves as God sees them. The authors walk parents through concrete steps to share the blessing with their children verbally and in written form.

The book also addresses issues for adults who did not receive a blessing. It gives practical advise on how to remove the curse they may have received instead and how to deal with difficult situations.

Overall, the book is easy to follow and offers practical information with biblical support. All parents, caregivers, teachers, aunts, uncles, etc. should read this book to ensure that the children in their lives grow up with a blessing over them.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Publishers as part of their BookSneeze.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”