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b'We see it in social media hashtags and on T-shirts, but what does it mean to be #blessed?\\nBy definition, bless is a verb. It\\u2019s an action someone takes to give something to someone else. I could just brag about my awesome family, my best friends, or my new shoes, but saying I\\u2019m \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153blessed\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d means someone, somehow, has given me these things.\\nSo what do I expect to be true if I\\u2019m \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153blessed\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d by God? He has all the power in the universe and is the true Owner of it all. As His child in Christ, I\\u2019m cared for by Him. Does that mean I\\u2019ll have wealth? Health? Loads of amazing friends? Success in my grades and test scores? Early acceptance to my dream school?\\nNot necessarily.\\nIn Ephesians 1, Paul tells us we\\u2019ve been \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153blessed,\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d but that this blessing is a \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153spiritual\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d one (verse 3). Our heavenly Father has made it possible for us to be united with Him by faith in Jesus\\u2019 work on the cross (verse 7). He\\u2019s promised that\\u2014no matter what we face in life and no matter what happens in this world\\u2014a time will come when \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d (verse 10). In the meantime, He\\u2019s blessed us with the Holy Spirit (His very own presence living inside of us), sealing the promise that death is not the end\\u2014that God\\u2019s people will be resurrected just like Jesus was and will live forever with Him (verses 13-14).\\nBecause I\\u2019m surrounded by ads promising me all the American-dream #goals, it\\u2019s hard to see that what I already have in Jesus surpasses it all. My desire for Jesus to \\xe2\\u20ac\\u0153bless\\xe2\\u20ac\\x9d me with things only causes me to miss out on the best thing: Himself. \\u2022 Mandy Desilets\\n\\u2022 Reread Ephesians 1:3-14. What are some of the blessings and promises found in Christ?\\n\\u2022 In Christ, we have a true family and community\\u2014the church\\u2014centered around Jesus, our true King. How can knowing we have this forever community give us hope when we feel anything but blessed? \\nAll praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Ephesians 1:3 (NLT)\\n\\xa0\\nRead Verses:\\nLuke 18:1-8'