A (final) blessing for the gifts of a family business.

Life in a family business is full of instances to give thanks for God’s gifts and to ask for His help, to recall the contributions of the people around and before us, and to acknowledge and forgive those closest to us. The act of offering a blessing reminds us we are part of a larger story, that our time together is important, that our presence with one another is meaningful. The ritual of offering a blessing fosters appreciation and invites healing.

The blessings I have written this year have at times been for people in the family business, like grandparents or in-laws or a long-term key employee. Other blessings are for situations, including the healing of estrangement between family members or the difficult process of the senior generation letting go. Still others have been for certain practices, like forgiveness or communication or for blessing a meal.

My final blessing for the year is for the many gifts of a family business. The chance to build a lasting company with those you love, to convey your values and legacy by providing a product or service to others, and to impact employees, their families, and your community, is not easy but is incredibly special. Thanks for joining with me in a year of reflection.

You can download all 24 blessings on my website, here is a nice booklet you can view, you can simply reply to this email to request a copy, or you can send a message to me at lance@lancewoodbury.com. I will return to my Biblical reflections with a new series in 2024.

Merry Christmas to you, and to all those involved in your family business!

This family business provides for us in so many ways 
A gift to us, full of both inspiration and challenge
A source of much joy, yet not without pain
A rich and vivid blessing upon the story of our lives.

As the year closes and our thoughts turn to family
We remember those who inaugurated our journey
Those who sacrificed time and treasure yesterday
So that we could pursue our vocation in partnership today.

Working here was not for everyone in our family
Conflict is a part of our story, as well.
We too often take each other for granted
May God continue helping us find ways to heal.

As we plan the next chapter as a family in partnership
May God bless our time together.

As we work side-by-side
May God bless our relationships with one another.

And as we celebrate our success and move forward after failure
May God’s Spirit remain ever-present in our lives and work.

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Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. (James 1:17) 

Prior blessings: A blessing for communication in the family business, a blessing for those inheriting a family business, a blessing for an aging parent, a blessing for those between roles in the family business, a blessing for in-laws in the family business, a blessing before a meal, a blessing for a couple transitioning the family business, a blessing for those who do not return to the family business, a blessing for one who forgives others, a blessing for a long-term key employee, a blessing for the next generation’s new business venture, for a family member recovering from addiction, for a sibling partnership, for the end of a family business partnership, for grandparents in the family business, for those experiencing family estrangement, for your estate planning efforts, for a family business gathering, upon the passing of a family business member, for rest, for the next generation’s return, for the senior generation letting go, and a blessing for the new year.