Given: The Forgotten Meaning and Practice of Blessing

by Tina Boesch

How do we express the good that God wants for those we love? How do we experience blessing through pain and suffering? Why would we bless even enemies? How do we keep spoken blessings in sync with God’s will? And how do we integrate blessing, a concept woven throughout the entire Bible, into the fabric of our everyday lives?

In Given , you will journey outside of your comfort zone, into a world of blessing as a relational calling―as a way God relates to you and a way you’re called to relate to others. You will travel across countries, cultures, and centuries of church history to expand your paradigm of a word ripe with significance. Along the way, you’ll be inspired to begin the essential Christian practice of being given by God as a blessing.

Journey with author Tina Boesch to discover your calling to a meaningful way of living and relating to God and others, inspired by Christ, who gave himself on the cross so that we could fully experience God’s blessing.

Genres: Christian, Nonfiction, Spirituality, Faith

272 pages, Paperback

Published June 4, 2019

Reviews

[Wes F · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a refreshingly insightful look at the biblical meaning of "blessing"--illustrated with such well-drawn pictures of the biblical practice of it from Genesis through to Revelation. Boesch does such an excellent job of digging into this oft-forgotten biblical principle, reminding us that God who is the source of all blessing was the One who blessed Adam & Eve and told them to "be fruitful & multiply." He also blessed Abraham & Sarah--and told Abraham that through the miracle child He was giving them, the whole world would ultimately be blessed. Yes, going back to the genesis of mankind, the seed of the woman would crush the head of the serpent--the enemy of mankind. And that seed came through Abraham's descendants--ultimately finding its fulfillment in Jesus Christ, born of a virgin in the conquered & subjugated land of Israel under King Herod.

I love how Boesch weaved stories of blessings from her & her own family's life, mostly from their years living in Istanbul, into the stories of the biblical characters who experienced God's blessings--and who received and/or gave blessings to others. The cultures of Central Asia are very familiar with the concept of blessing and the giving & receiving of both God's blessing (barakat) and a father/mother's blessings. Or a neighbor's blessing on a home as they are hosted. Or the reminder of how we are to be & give blessings to others in our communities and world--as we have been blessed by God through His salvific blessings. Blessings spill outward, they are not kept in isolation. Blessings are not to be hoarded--they are to be shared. This book is a clarion call for the Church to be a blessing--and to be involved in the original plan God gives to Abraham, that through him God would ultimately bring blessings to the whole world, to all peoples.

[Scott Burns · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was meeting with a gentlemen who recently retired. For the past year he and his wife have lived in different States, which meant he had a lot of spare time which he spent reading. As he talked about the crazy quantity of books he read over the last year, I asked if there were any books that were particularly impactful. Without any hesitation he told me about this book and I immediately purchased it.

This book is beautiful. It is a literary and devotional work of art.

(And don't gloss over the Guide at the end)

The author sets the scene by sharing her experiences in other cultures where spoken blessings are part of normal vocabulary. Sadly in the West, the best we have to offer tends to be "congratulations" for most occasions or "bless you" after a sneeze. Tina Boesch invites us to discover the beauty and value of the practice of blessing.

The book masterfully weaves Tina's own travel experiences with some deep scriptural insight. She walks through a number of the blessings in Scripture, often pulling together numerous passages and narratives that help to illuminate our understanding of each of the blessings. At points the passages she pulls together are so unexpectedly connected I was left speechless. Her stories are emotionally moving, her Scriptural insights are deep, and the overall content repeatedly brought to the surface my deepest longings for God and left me challenged (or invited?) to be an instrument of God's blessing to others.

Some books about blessing seem overly presumptuous, some verge on magical incantations, and others devoid of Scriptural grounding. This book challenges all of these things, creating a compelling invitation to partner with God in speaking profound blessings into the lives of the people around us.

One of the great treasures of the book is the Reading and Reflection Guide at the end. The questions bring the books content to bare in your own heart and life in a soul-searching and practical way. And for each chapter there are instructions to Compose a Blessing, inviting you and guiding you to write a blessing to be spoken over someone in your life.

This book is a treasure. I'm about to lead my men's group through it as I think it will have a profound impact on their relationship with God, their self-understanding, as well as their interpersonal relationships.

I can't recommend this highly enough.

[Valerie Harder · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me forever…but I loved this. Read it. I’ll be rereading soon.

“Understanding how blessing is threaded all through the arc of the biblical narrative enables us to see that our lives take on fuller meaning and purpose when they’re integrated into this story. I can’t possibly bless all the families of the earth. But I am perfectly positioned to bless the family God has given me.”

[Shelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

Somewhere, past the sarcastic “bless your heart” and sneeze-induced “God Bless You”, is a deep & powerful concept: “God’s blessing is more than a wish, more than a hope — it’s a positive statement of what will be.”(pg 9.)

There are many Christian women who write memoirs about their musings on life (Jen Hatmaker, Shauna Niequist, etc). I like those books, but I often see the authors’ perspectives change just over the course of a couple of their own books! Tina’s Given is not a collection of her life reflections, it’s an assessment of where blessing appears in the Bible, what does it mean, and how does that look, relationally & practically, in her (our) life (lives).

This book is definitely deeper than a simple memoir/musing on a churchy buzzword. Tina's Biblical exploration — both in specific accounts like creation, call of Abram, etc. as well as the overarching story & themes — is thorough, deep, & academically rooted. But, the book does not read like dense theology AT ALL.

To be honest, I rarely make it past the first chapter in most Christian/theology books. But, I found that, reading Given, I was hungry to understand more about God's blessing as it is revealed in the Scriptures. And, I felt desperate to inherit Tina's wisdom & direction about how to bring everyday, meaningful blessing into my own life.

It's cliche or pun-ny or something, but I feel like this book is a gift and by it I am truly #blessed.

[Blythe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think there is a longing in all of us to be blessed to know the favor of God and to rest in it. In the book, Tina Boesch delves into the beauty, theology, and practice of blessing. Her words paint rich pictures of God most high weaving blessing and the practice of blessing into the fabric of his redemption story from the beginning. As we are grafted into God’s family through Jesus, we become partakers of the blessings and become “blessing bearers to the families of the earth”. Tina walks us through how being “blessing bearers” impacts us, our families and the people around us. Tina’s words bring clarification to a subject that is infrequently spoken of in western society and makes available practical ways to start blessing those around us. I wholeheartedly recommend this book.
Thank you to Tina Boesch and Nav Press for allowing me the opportunity to read (and highlight) an advance reader copy.

[Barbara Campbell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book on Blessing is itself a blessing. Truly one of the most beautifully written books I’ve read. And amongst the vibrant descriptions and lyrical text, there’s a wooing of the Spirit.. a call to something more than the everyday existence most of us endure. It is a call to receive what God has given and to turn around and give it away. To receive blessing and to bless.

Yes, I’ve learned to craft a blessing from Scripture and speak blessing over others... I don’t diminish that lesson learned.. but more than that Tina has shown me that blessing is a way of life. It’s lived out in the everyday. It’s the breath of God’s love that fills our lungs that we exhale out onto a world full of need.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Given by Tina Boesch offers you a moment to slow down and be in the presence of God, listening to Him speak life over you that you may share His life with others. The lessons I have learned in this book have changed my understanding of relationships, evangelism, and blessing. Biblical, thoughtful, artistic, inspiring.
I received an advance copy of this book.

[Rhonda · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a beautifully written book that communicates the forgotten meaning and practice of blessing. In a culture that casually throws the word “blessing” around, this is a breath of fresh air. If you are tired of being offered fluffy and shallow books, then this one is definitely for you. It is deep and thoughtful and full of biblical truths reiterating the true meaning of blessing.

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed the examples of blessings in the book, so well thought out and complete.
I do wish the associated readings at the end of the book followed each chapter instead of waiting until the end. I didn’t realize they were even there until the end, now I want to go back and reread with the biblical readings so it’s easier to put it into context.

[Margaret · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book - expounded on "blessing others" that I have read in other books. I appreciated that the author was living in Turkey at the time of writing this book and the perspective from another culture's eyes that brought to the topic.

[Carol Ghattas · Rating 5 out of 5]

After hearing Tina Boesch speak at the 2024 Gospel Coalition Women's conference on the lost art of blessing, I was very interested to read her book on the topic. Mixing personal experiences with scriptural references for each chapter, Tina has provided an excellent resource on understanding the role of blessing in the lives of those who follow Christ. Not only are we blessed beyond imagination by our Lord and Savior, but we are to be his instruments/channels of blessing to others. This includes blessing our family members, fellow believers, friends, and even enemies. What this looks like and the basis for the mission is clearly explained in Given.

Thank you, Tina, for providing such an encouraging resource and clear call to be a source of blessing for the cause of Christ.

A recommended read.

[Nan · Rating 3 out of 5]

I like this book but have to confess that I mostly skimmed it! It was a book that the women went through and discussed over zoom from my church and I wasn't able to attend this time. I think it is an interesting topic and my main take away and challenge has been to write or speak specific blessings as a prayer for people in my conversations and correspondence.

[Brandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never really knew what blessing was until I came across this book. Changed my life. Great read for the individual Christian, but I wish all Christians would read it. I can only imagine a whole Christian community living out the call to bless one another.

[Teresa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tina Boesch is an excellent writer. This book makes you think, gives us a true meaning of blessing and finishes with the desire to bless your family and friends. Thank you Tina.

[Julie Silva · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved learning from her experiences living in Istanbul and the different perspectives she gleaned along the way about true Christian blessing. Wish I could give 3.5 stars.

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting read on blessings throughoit Scripture. I didn't agree with everything she said, but overall it was an informative book, and well-written.

[Yolanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

I find it difficult to tell you what this book is about, because Tina conveys much of her truth through well-told stories. Read the book, but even more so, give blessings.

[Shanna Stanley-Gibson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great perspective.

[Shannon Maddox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Please see my review here:

https://iron-diva.blogspot.com/2020/0...

Thanks.

[J · Rating 3 out of 5]

Actual rating: 3.5 stars