God’s Perfect Peace Children’s Book

The Inspiration for God’s Perfect Peace and the Power of Speaking Bedtime Blessings Over Our Children –

When I was a young mom, I would pray with my four children each evening, but it wasn’t until I became a grandma that I realized the power and privilege of speaking words of blessing over my grandchildren before they fall asleep.

This idea, based on the blessing given to Abraham in Genesis 12, is more than simply praying over your child or with your child. When we bless our little ones using this method, we create a truly sacred moment when our words, like seeds, take root in our children’s minds and hearts. If you begin when your children are newborns, they will grow up believing they are blessed to be a blessing.

It is nighttime in Portland Oregon. I finish reading a bedtime story to Colette and after I tuck her in, I lean towards her, look into her eyes, trace the shape of a heart on her forehead and say,

“Colette, you are a blessing, and I love you.”

Then I turn out the light and Colette closes her eyes and falls asleep, secure in the knowledge that God is holding her, and she is a blessing.

This little bedtime routine that we share takes less than one minute, but I believe it will positively impact my granddaughter for a lifetime. Children internalize our words. The names we speak over them and into them tend to be self-fulfilled. If we tell our child they are naughty, they most likely will be naughty. If we tell our child they are a blessing, they will most likely be a blessing.

The simple but powerful notion of blessing our little ones before they fall asleep is the inspiration behind Bedtime Blessings: God’s Perfect Peace, the first in a series of three titles from Paraclete Press. My goal, as I wrote it, was to offer a tool for parents and caregivers to use at bedtime to help soothe their little ones…

Little One, I pray for you, as you lie down to sleep, that you will know you’re gently held in our God’s perfect peace.

However, the idea of blessing our children is not just for parents or grandparents. Imagine the power of a children’s minister speaking blessings over each child in their care as they finish their time together.

The book closes with an invitation for the adult to insert their child’s name into one of four simple blessings and to speak these words over their child…

__________, may God fill you with perfect peace. (Isaiah 26:3)

__________, in peace may you lie down and sleep. (Psalm 4:8)

__________, may the God of hope fill you with joy and peace. (Romans 15:13)

__________, you are a blessing, and I love you.

I pray this little book will, itself, be a blessing to many, and that you will discover the power of this simple, sacred act for you and your own children.

Glenys Nellist
http://www.glenysnellist.com

Learn more and download your free Activity Pack, including Blessing Prints, Bookmarks, Coloring Pages, and more at: bedtimeblessingsbooks.com.

Glenys Nellist was born and raised in a little village in northern England. The author of multiple children’s books, including the bestselling ‘Twas the Evening of Christmas, The Wonder That Is You, and five popular series: Love Letters from God, Snuggle Time, Good News, Bedtime Blessings, and Little Mole, her writing reflects a deep passion for helping children discover joy and hope in the world. Glenys lives in Michigan with her husband, David.