25 Days of Christmas Blessings

25 Days of Blessings: December 1

“…we must help the weak and remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he himself said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” (Acts 20:35)

Try It: Today be intentional about being a giver rather than a receiver.

Idea Starters:

• Give a gift to someone who least expects it. 
• Give your time.
• Give a hug, a smile or the gift of a listening ear.
• Give the gift of serving someone in your family, at your work or in your neighborhood.  

 

25 Days of Blessings: December 2

“Then the man said, ‘Let me go, for the dawn is breaking!’ But Jacob said, ‘I will not let you go unless you bless me.’” (Genesis 32:26)

Try It: God blesses us so we can bless others. Today, pray and ask for God’s blessing on your life. Pray for God’s blessing over your family members, naming each one individually. 

Idea Starters:

• Before a meal today, have family members pray for God to bless the person on their right.
• Before you drop your kids off at school, pray for God to bless every child in your car.
• Before bed, have kids pray for God to bless each family member.
• Pray God’s blessings over your family with your spouse.

 

25 Days of Blessings: December 3

“The Israelites had done all the work just as the Lord had commanded Moses. Moses inspected the work and saw that they had done it just as the Lord had commanded. So Moses blessed them.” (Exodus 39:42-43)

Try It: Did you know that God cares about your work? In fact, blessing comes to those who do their work to the best of their ability and with integrity. Today, be intentional about doing your work in such a way that it is pleasing to God and blesses others.

Ideas Starters:

• Go the extra mile, putting forth your best effort in a project you’re working on today.
• Finish something you started.
• Start something you’ve been putting off.
• Keep a positive attitude as you go about your work today, mindful that the ability to work is a blessing from God.

 

25 Days of Blessings: December 4

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.” (Matthew 5:4)

Try It: Today, reach out to someone who needs an extra dose of comfort during this Christmas season.

Idea Starters:

• Write a note or help your child make a card.
• Invite someone to lunch.
• Listen compassionately to someone today.
• Give someone who’s in a tough season the gift of normalcy or laughter.

 

25 Days of Blessings: December 5

 “And he (Jesus) took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them.” (Mark 10:16)

Try It: Today, bless a child with a big hug and/or affirming words.

Idea Starters:

• Give a child a big bear hug (you can do this with teenage or adult children too!).
• Tell a child the positive qualities you see in them.
• Pray for God’s blessing in the life of your child or a child you know.
• Decide to sponsor a child in need.

 

25 Days of Blessings: December 6

“For the Lord your God will bless you in all your harvest and in all the work of your hands, and your joy will be complete… No one should appear before the Lord empty-handed: Each of you must bring a gift in proportion to the way the Lord your God has blessed you.” (Deuteronomy 16:15-17)

Try It: Today, give a financial gift to your church or to a faith-based organization. Our blessings are given to us so we can bless others and by doing so, we get blessed, too!

Idea Starters:

• Pray about what amount God wants you to give and to what organization.
• Take your wallet and/or checkbook to church with you today.
• Give to a favorite charity online.
• Talk to your kids about the blessing of giving.

 

25 Days of Blessings: December 7

“Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord. Blessed are those who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart.” (Psalm 119:1-2)

Try It: Today, seek to follow God in everything you do and say. If you have children, ask them what they think this would look like in real life.

Idea Starters:

• Ask yourself throughout the day, “Is what I am doing, how I am speaking or what I am thinking, pleasing God?” 
• Share a story with a friend or family member about a time someone’s integrity inspired you to live with integrity also.
• Read Psalm 119, which is all about the benefits of following God’s Word.
• Tell your kids about a time when you decided to obey God even though it was hard and why you’re glad you did.

 

25 Days of Blessings: December 8

“Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance.” (Psalm 33:12)

Try It: Today, pray for your country. Thank God for the blessing of living where you live. Pray that all the chaos in our world would turn people’s hearts toward God. 

Idea Starters:

• Go around the dinner table and have each person share why they think it’s a blessing to live in our country.
• Pray for the men and women who serve in our military, especially those who are away during Christmastime.
• Pray for our nation’s leaders.
• Pray that people in our country would want to know and follow God.

 

25 Days of Blessings: December 9

“Let your wife be a fountain of blessing for you. Rejoice in the wife of your youth.” (Proverbs 5:18)

Try It: If you are married, do something to bless your spouse today. If you aren’t married, do something to bless a loved one’s marriage.

Idea Starters:

• Do something spontaneous and fun with your spouse.
• Offer to babysit for a couple who desperately needs a break.
• Pray specifically for someone who you know is struggling in their marriage.
• If you have kids, tell them why you think your spouse is great.

 

25 Days of Blessings: December 10

“Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you, who walk in the light of your presence, Lord.” (Psalm 89:15)

Try It: Today, tell someone why you love and follow God.

Idea Starters:

• As a family, share your favorite attribute of God. 
• Tell someone something God has done for you and why you are grateful.
• Sing a Christmas carol about Jesus’ birth.
• Read Psalm 37 as a springboard for remembering what God has done and continues to do for us.

 

25 Days of Blessings: December 11

“Blessed are those who have regard for the weak; the Lord delivers them in times of trouble.” (Psalm 41:1)

Try It: Today, be intentional about helping someone who is weak physically, emotionally or spiritually this Christmas season.

Idea Starters:

• Hold the door open for someone with packages and/or shopping bags, or for an older person, or mom with small children.
• Write a card of encouragement to someone who needs a little extra dose of strength.
• Offer to help someone who’s feeling weak today.
• At dinner tonight, share a time when someone helped you when you felt weak.

 

25 Days of Blessings: December 12

“Joshua blessed them and sent them away, and they went to their homes… When Joshua sent them home, he blessed them.” (Joshua 22:6-7a)

Try It: Today, whenever someone leaves your home, office or school, send them out with a blessing.

Idea Starters:

• Speak heartfelt words of encouragement.
• Pray a blessing over your child as you drive to school.
• If you’re having people in your home this weekend, make it a point to say something encouraging to every person.
• Say a silent prayer for every person you talk to today.

 

25 Days of Blessings: December 13

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.” (Matthew 5:9)

Try It: Today, where there is conflict, choose to bring peace.

Idea Starters:

• Say “I’m sorry” the moment you realize you are in the wrong today.
• If you are caught in a potential conflict, think to yourself, “Tonight, when the day is over, how will I be glad I acted?” and choose to act rather than react.
• Infuse a negative conversation with something positive.
• Help siblings learn to work through conflict positively today.

 

25 Days of Blessings: December 14

“Blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven and whose sins have been covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord will not take into account.” (Romans 4:7-8)

Try It: Today, if you are a believer, take time to reflect on how blessed you are to have all your sins forgiven and covered because Jesus was born, died and rose again.

Idea Starters:

• Spend time telling God “thank you” for blessing you with salvation and forgiveness.
• Reflect on what it means to be loved unconditionally by your heavenly Father.
• Because God has blessed you with the gift of forgiveness, give someone else the gift of forgiveness.
• Read Matthew 1:18-24, which gives the account of what the angel said to Joseph regarding Jesus’ birth.

 

25 Days of Blessings: December 15

“It is a sin to despise one's neighbor, but blessed is the one who is kind to the needy” (Proverbs 14:21)

Try It: Today, be kind to someone in need. 

Idea Starters:

• Give to a food pantry or shelter or volunteer your time to help.
• Make a financial contribution to an organization that helps the needy.
• Buy a Christmas present for a child in need.
• Help a neighbor in need.

 

25 Days of Blessings: December 16

“Surely you have granted him unending blessings and made him glad with the joy of your presence.” (Psalm 21:6)

Try It: Today, live with aware that you are continually in God’s presence and are the recipient of unending blessings.

Idea Starters:

• Start your day off by thanking God that He walks with you throughout your day today.
• Spend intentional time with God today by reading His Word, the Bible.
• Sing a praise song out loud—and sing it as loud as you can.
• Name as many blessings as you can think of.

 

25 Days of Blessings: December 17

“The blessing of the LORD brings wealth, without painful toil for it.” (Proverbs 10:22)

Try It: Today, tell God thank you for your job and for all your possessions. They are blessings from the hand of God.

Idea Starters:

• Walk around your home and look with fresh eyes at your possessions and tell God “thank you.”
• Have your kids count their toys (if they are young) or technical gadgets (if they are older). 
• Every time you pay for something today—a gift, a meal, anything—silently tell God “thank you.” 
• If you are in a season of financial struggle, thank God for what you have and for his faithfulness in the midst of it all.

 

25 Days of Blessings: December 18

‘Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who hurt you.” (Luke 6:28)

Try It: Today, pray for someone who hurts you.

Idea Starters:

• Instead of venting, rehashing or gossiping about someone who hurt you, pray for them.
• Pray for a friend or loved one who’s been hurt.
• If praying for someone who hurt you is hard, ask God to help you to even want to pray for the person who has hurt you.
• Thank God that hurts can be healed.

 

25 Days of Blessings: December 19

“Taste and see that the LORD is good; blessed is the one who takes refuge in him”  (Psalm 34:8)

Try It: Today, experience God’s goodness.

Idea Starters:

• Taste that the Lord is good by making a yummy meal/dessert or eating one.
• See that the Lord is good by pausing long enough to notice the beauty of nature.
• If you feel overwhelmed by people, tasks or schedules, take a break from the rush.
• Make Christmas cookies with your kids or grandkids.

 

25 Days of Blessings: December 20

“Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.” (Matthew 5:7)

Try It: Today, give someone the gift of grace and mercy.

Idea Starters:

• Give mercy to the shopper who shoves you in her hurry, the driver who cuts you off, or the salesclerk who is as slow as molasses. 
• Show mercy to a friend or family member who is grumpy or unkind due to the stress of the holidays.
• Show mercy to a spouse or child who messes up today.
• Tell God “Thank you” for showing you mercy, even when you’re at your worst.

 

25 Days of Blessings: December 21

“’Bring all the tithes into the storehouse so there will be enough food in my Temple. If you do,’ says the LORD of Heaven's Armies, ‘I will open the windows of heaven for you. I will pour out a blessing so great you won't have enough room to take it in! Try it! Put me to the test!’” (Malachi 3:10)

Try It: Today, give a financial offering to your church or to a God-honoring organization

Idea Starters:

• Pre-determine that you will give back to God a portion of what He has so graciously given to you.
• Watch for God’s blessings in your life.
• When you give, remember that giving is worship.
• Use this opportunity to teach your children about giving.

 

25 Days of Blessings: December 22

“Children are a heritage from the Lord, offspring a reward from him. Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are children born in one’s youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.” (Psalm 127:4-5)

Try It: Today, bless a child by telling them how they are a blessing to you

Idea Starters:

• If you have kids (even adult kids) tell each one how they bless your life.
• Thank God for your children.
• If you don’t have children, find a child to bless anyway.
• Write a child a note for their birthday, or no reason at all.

 

25 Days of Blessings: December 23

“Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold.” (Proverbs 3:13-14)

Try It: Today, seek wisdom before acting or making a decision.

Idea Starters:

• If you’ve been wrestling with a decision, seek godly advice today.
• Look up Bible verses on wisdom.
• Stop and think before you offer an opinion today.
• Pray for wisdom.

 

25 Days of Blessings: December 24

“‘Do you understand what I have done for you?’ he (Jesus) asked them. ‘You call me Teacher and Lord, and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.  Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.’” (John 13:12-17)

Try It: Today, serve others with a positive, loving attitude, knowing that when you serve others you are most like Jesus.

Idea Starters:

• As you work in the kitchen, help your kids get dressed for Christmas Eve service, or wrap those few last gifts, pray for the people you’re serving.
• Even if your day is full, treat others like you would want to be treated.
• If you need extra help today, ask your spouse, kids or friends with a loving attitude—before frustration sends you over the edge.
• Offer to do a task no one else wants to do.

 

25 Days of Blessings: December 25

“Then Jesus told him, ‘Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’” (John 20:29)

Try It: Today is Christmas Day. God has a gift for you—a relationship with Him through His son, Jesus. Don’t reject the gift or neglect the gift. Accept the gift today.

Idea Starters:

• Read the Christmas story found in Luke 2:1-20.
• Take a few private moments and consider how your life is different because Jesus was born.
• As you open your gifts today, remember the first and greatest Christmas gift ever given was the gift of Jesus.
• When your head hits the pillow tonight, say a silent prayer thanking God for blessing you with a multitude of blessings and ask that he uses you to be a blessing to others in the new year.

 

Donna Jones is a national speaker who travels from coast to coast helping women find and follow God in real, everyday life. She’s the author of Seek: A Woman’s Guide to Meeting God, Taming Your Family Zoo and Raising Kids with Good Manners. She resides in southern California with her pastor hubby and their three kids. She loves a good cup of coffee, great conversation and laughing until her sides hurt. For more on her books, ministry or free resources, visit Donna at www.donnajones.org.

Photo courtesy: Thinkstockphotos.com

Publication date: November 30, 2016