I’m sure you’ve heard someone say, “God bless you!” at least a few times. Maybe you heard it after a sneeze or during a prayer. It’s a fairly common phrase in cultures around the world. I love saying God bless you because I know it can have a spiritual impact on a person. This was one of the first phrases I started using when I came to live in the U.S. I used this phrase the first time I met my husband, and we continue to bless each other in God’s name. When I was a little girl, my parents would often give me their blessing. They taught me to always go to them and ask for their blessing if I left the house. Every morning before I went to school, they would say I bless you in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Then they would give me a hug and a kiss. This tradition became part of our lives and even to this day when I call them, my mother blesses me at the end of every conversation we have. If I were to describe blessings, I would say they are like kisses from heaven. The dictionary defines blessed as someone enjoying happiness, enjoying the bliss of heaven, bringing pleasure, contentment, or good fortune. The Bible tells us that we are blessed by God starting in Genesis 1:28, the story of creation. “God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky and over every living creature that moves on the ground.” Later in the Bible, Paul comments on the blessing God gave through Christ. “He redeemed us in order that the blessing given to Abraham might come to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that by faith we might receive the promise of the Spirit.” - Galatians 3:14 Proverbs reminds us that, “The blessing of the LORD brings wealth, without painful toil for it.” God delights in blessing His children, in blessing you as a person, blessing your marriage, your family, and your friends. He also delights when you bless others with your words and actions. Still, God teaches us to be a blessing to those around us and especially to our spouses. One tool that God has given us is the power of a spoken blessing over your spouse and loved ones. Truly, the tongue has the power of life and death. My husband blesses me every morning with a sweet prayer and a short declaration of God’s peace over me. I treasure those moments and feel empowered as a wife and a woman every time he does it. I have also found out that when my husband and I are not communicating well, one way that we can bring clarity to any situation is through a blessing. The Lord has showed me that my mouth should be overflowing with blessings towards everyone I encounter. Luke 6:45 states, “A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.” Bless someone today. Encourage your children, spouse, or friends with a blessing from God.