The Kindness Box

[Geoff-Allen]

Prayer for the sick

Gathered together on this page are a number of prayers for those who are currently ill in some way. There are prayers you can say for sick friends or relatives, including a specific one for a poorly mother. There are also two inspiring prayer messages suitable for including in a get well card or posting on social media:

7 Short Prayers for the Sick and Suffering

www.lords-prayer-words.com

 

[Geoff-Allen]

Dear God, as I begin my day, I ask for your guidance and strength to help me serve others. Please remind me that every person I encounter is created in your image and deserves to be treated with love and respect.

Help me to see the needs of those around me and be willing to step in and help in any way I can. Whether it’s offering a kind word, a listening ear, or a helping hand, please give me the courage and compassion to serve others selflessly.

Lord, you have shown me through your life and teachings that true greatness comes from service. Help me to model my life after your example and put the needs of others before my own.

As I go about my day, please give me eyes to see the lonely, the hurting, and the marginalized. Help me to reach out to them in love and show them that they are not forgotten.

A Morning Prayer For Serving Others

It's easy to get caught up in your own tasks for the day. Let this morning prayer for serving others help guide your perspective.

abide.com

All the best!

 

[Geoff-Allen]

A Prayer for the Lost: Dear God, I pray for a world that doesn’t know you. I pray for those who are lost. God show yourself to those who don’t believe. Allow me to be a source of your light to those who need you. Help me to lead people to you. Help me tell others about you and have the words they need to hear. I pray for the loss that if not by me, something or someone else will intervene in their life and direct them to you. I pray for divine appointments all across the world today. God, I pray for the world to know you. In Jesus' name, Amen. (Read: 1 Timothy 2:1–7)

Daily Devotional | Today in the Word

A daily devotional Bible study brought to you from Moody Bible Institute. Each day is a new opportunity to grow closer to God. We're here to help you.

www.todayintheword.org

Cheers!

 

[Geoff-Allen]

Intercessory Prayer

Have you ever felt an unexplained burden on your heart to pray for the masses, for unnamed others, for your community or the world at large? That is the Holy Spirit calling you to intercession. The Bible is filled with examples of men and women who lifted up others in prayer, and Ephesians 6:18 tells us to: pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord's people.

An Intercessory Prayer - Encouraging Others

Have you ever felt an unexplained burden on your heart to pray for the masses, for unnamed others, for your community or the world at large? You are being called to intercession.

www.crosswalk.com

All the best!

 

[Geoff-Allen]

Is there a difference between someone who is kind, friendly or nice? Or do all these words convey the same meaning? Typically, in our culture, nice is used to refer to something momentary, a word that describes a pleasant encounter. “He was a nice guy,” a woman may say after meeting a dashing gent. She may even call him friendly after seeing him interact with herself and others, but she won’t call him kind until she gets a more intimate glimpse into his heart.

Kindness implies intention. A kind person is friendly, but they’re friendly as a way of living, at all times with all people. The Bible encourages us to be more than nice, more than friendly. Living like Jesus is living as kind people.

Here are fifteen Bible verses about kindness we can use to improve ourselves.

15 Beautiful Bible Verses about Kindness

Kindness implies intention. A kind person is friendly, but they’re friendly as a way of living, at all times with all people. The Bible encourages us to be more than nice, more than friendly. Living like Jesus is living as kind people.

www.crosswalk.com

Much more at that site!

 

[Geoff-Allen]

There is no bullying gene. Bullying is a learned behavior that can be caused by multiple different factors, and it’s up to parents and teachers to pick up on the signs of bullying as early in a child’s development as possible. By the age of two, children typically develop a sense of genuine empathy, or understanding how others feel even when they themselves don’t feel the same way. So, this is the age when children should understand that other people can be hurt by their words and actions. According to Psychology Today, kids who exhibit overly aggressive behavior by the time they’re only two can turn into bullies if there aren’t any interventions to help them develop prosocial habits.

Bullies can come in any form, and while boys are more likely to be described as bullies than girls are, the fact is that girls are equally as likely to bully; they just are not as likely to demonstrate overt aggression. Bullying isn’t only reserved for children either. Many have experienced bullying from other adults, but it often takes on different terms, like harassment.

Bullying helps kids act on their impulses in a way that provides for immediate results. They want to get on the bus sooner, so they might shove another child out of the way. Or they want a toy that they don’t have at home, so they take it from someone else. Once you have identified that your child is bullying others, it’s important to develop communication and interactions that include a focus on kindness along with any needed discipline. Oftentimes, there is underlying hurt that must be resolved in order to move forward with correcting the bullying behavior.

How to Combat Bullying with Kindness - Learning Liftoff

Bullying is a learned behavior that can be caused by multiple different factors. Learn how kindness can help students combat bullying.

learningliftoff.com

All the best

 

[Geoff-Allen]

Isn’t it so wonderful when you watch your kid treat someone with kindness? Whether they’re helping a friend, saying an encouraging word, or treating someone with respect, it feels good to see them choose to be kind in their day-to-day actions.

It’s National Bullying Prevention Month, and we want to put the spotlight on the importance of encouraging our kids to be kind. To give you a helpful teaching tool, we’ve created these Kindness Tokens for you to give your kid to recognize their stellar behavior. You can also encourage them to give these out to friends to acknowledge their acts of kindness.

We’ve included some blank Kindness Tokens so you can write your own messages of appreciation. Print and cut these out and keep them handy so you can show your kid that they’re doing a great job at being kind.

Kindness Tokens: A Fun Activity to Encourage Kindness for Kids

Kindness Tokens are a fun activity to encourage kindness for kids. Find Kindness Tokens you can download & print out to reward your child's kindness.

learningliftoff.com

Cheers!

 

[Geoff-Allen]

Has someone ever said something to you that hurt your feelings or made you feel like you aren’t good enough? Unfortunately, most of us have gone through a painful experience like this, and oftentimes, it sticks with us.

Now, think about a time when someone said something kind to you or about you. Did it boost your day or make you feel special? Chances are, it did. Imagine if each of us put a little more effort into random acts of kindness, what an incredible impact we could make on the people around us—and the whole world!

In honor of National Bullying Prevention Month, we want to invite you to take part in 31 Simple Acts of Kindness for kids and their families. Use this calendar to focus on one simple act that you and your child can do to spread kindness in your community and help instill the power of compassion in those around you. This calendar can be used for any month of the year—just start on the first calendar square at the start of each month.

We’d love to hear your stories and the impact you’ve made, so share your experiences using #AgainstBullying and #K12DrawsTheLine. We each have a role to play in putting a stop to bullying, and it starts with kindness.

31 Simple Acts of Kindness for Kids and Students

Practice kindness daily with your student with our simple acts of kindness calendar, available to print.

learningliftoff.com

 

[Geoff-Allen]

Acts of kindness family

Every person can use their head, heart, and hands to make the world a better place. I truly believe that we all have the power to make a change, even if it is small… you really never know what that change may mean to someone else.

But life is busy, and a bit crazy with young children. And sometimes small acts of kindness – even though they are simple – take a bit of preparation or at least thought ahead of time. So they may get left until “later”…

That is why I have created this list of 52 acts of kindness for families, which I plan to incorporate into my family’s *real* plans throughout the coming months. Some will be repeated numerous times, others may be adapted to a certain circumstance, but the list just gives us a ready set of ways we can practice kindness to others. The idea is not to take the fun out of spontaneous acts of kindness (we can still do those as much as we wish!), but just to make sure we keep kindness on our radar. I think this will also help us recognize the opportunities to be kind even more.

52 Acts of Kindness for Families with Young Children - Moments A Day

Busy with young kids but still want to make a difference? Here is a list of acts of kindness for families - simple and fun ways you can enjoy serving together.

www.momentsaday.com

 

[Geoff-Allen]

Jeremiah's hope for kindness

Jeremiah’s Hope for Kindness was created in honor of our precious son, Jeremiah who took his life on October 22, 2006 at the age of 21. In a letter to us he wrote that he no longer wanted to live in a “world where people are so cruel.” In another letter he wrote about being bullied. He wrote that the bullying he endured left him “with no self esteem and feeling like a loser.” We are dedicated to changing the world Jeremiah described as so cruel by creating kind and caring schools and communities so that every child feels valued and cared about.

Our Story :: Jeremiah's Hope for Kindness

jeremiahshopeforkindness.org

Cheers!

 

[Geoff-Allen]

Teaching children kindness is one of the most important things we can pass on to the next generations. Promoting kindness starts by being good role models in how we show kindness to each other, ourselves, and how we interact with our environment.

Kindness is thought to be a natural human response. The UNESCO Mahatma Gandhi Institute of Education for Peace and Sustainable Development believes kindness is both complex and straightforward. At its most basic, we show consideration for others in the hope they’ll do the same for us.

Being kind can improve other people’s lives. In turn, it can increase the well-being of those who practice being kind. Promoting kindness in children will give them a skill that will bring them happiness and empower them to make the world a kinder place.

7 Helpful Tips On Teaching Children Kindness

Teaching children kindness is one of the most important things we can pass on to the next generation. Promoting kindness starts by being good role model.

www.petitjourney.com.au

All the best!

 

[Geoff-Allen]

“God is love.” (1 John 4:16) Through Christ, we have access to His wisdom through the living Word of Scripture, providing us wisdom to live out a life of love over fear. Love is always bigger.

“Since we are His children, we must walk in His unconditional love. Love is more than just words; it requires action. God’s unconditional love should characterize our lives. As people who have His love living within us, we need to represent Christ’s authentic kindness and forgiveness to others.” -Dr. Charles Stanley, Life Prinicples Bible Notes

Comes from this site -

What Is Love? - Meaning & Biblical Understanding of the Word

“God is love.” (1 John 4:16) Through Christ, we have access to His wisdom through the living Word of Scripture, providing us wisdom to practically live out a life of love, over fear. Love is always bigger.

www.crosswalk.com

Al the best!

 

[Geoff-Allen]

When you think of what it means to be kind, I don’t doubt a very specific person comes to mind. If you’re lucky, maybe a few people come to mind.

Regardless of whom you picture, the reason you think of someone instead of something is because kindness is something we experience tangibly. It is the outward expression of an inward gratefulness.

You can feel thankful or feel grateful, but you don’t feel kind. You are kind.

Walking up to someone and saying, “Hey. I’m feeling pretty kind today,” is not the norm. They will either think you are arrogant and full of yourself or just joking around. People don’t do this.

On a regular basis though, we see different ways people are showing kindness to others. Whether it is the local food pantry supplying meals to families in need, a police officer going above and beyond by caring for a crying baby after a car crash, or most recently in the media, the woman who was left at the altar and invited a large group of homeless people to partake in her now unnecessary reception meal, we see so many glimpses of love and kindness on display. Even if it sometimes seems like people only talk about the evil and the horror in the world.

Why Kindness Is Not Enough from Christians

We can appreciate kindness. We can demand kindness. But unless Christ crucified produces in us a penitent heart, our efforts toward kindness are futile.

www.crosswalk.com

Cheers!

 

[Geoff-Allen]

In today’s fast-paced world, it’s easy to get caught up in our own lives and overlook the importance of kindness.

However, making kindness the norm in our lives can not only improve our own well-being but also create a ripple effect that impacts those around us.

Do you want to make kindness an integral part of your daily routine?

Look no further!

In this article, I’ve put together a list of 15 ways to help you make kindness the norm in your life.

Ready to get started? Let’s dive in!

15 little acts of kindness to brighten someone's day instantly

In today's fast-paced world, it's easy to get caught up in our own lives and overlook the importance of kindness.

ideapod.com

Enjoy!

 

[Geoff-Allen]

Kindness is a powerful force that makes a lasting impact on individuals and communities alike. For the past two decades, Doing Good Together has been dedicated to promoting a culture of kindness and empathy throughout the United States. As we enter our 20th year of service, we are thrilled to share with you some exciting opportunities to join us in our mission of spreading kindness.

Doing Good Together™

DGT™ is a national nonprofit that offers families and educators kindness tips and volunteering resources. Sign up for the DGT™ newsletter, blog, and monthly lists of family-friendly volunteer opportunities in Minneapolis, St. Paul (Twin Cities), MN; NYC, NY; Boston, MA; Baltimore, MD, Miami, FL; Se

www.doinggoodtogether.org

All the best!

 

[Geoff-Allen]

May this month-long kindness challenge become a much-loved tradition for your family’s giving season. Each activity is an invitation to spend meaningful moments together, share kindness in your community, and enjoy an exorbitant amount of hot chocolate and cookies.

Just when I think my own family has possibly outgrown this tradition, the kids remind me of its importance!

Family life often feels full, never more so than in December! With year-end events and holiday responsibilities crowding out already-scarce free time, it can feel impossible to add in one more thing. Much less a daily kindness challenge!

Share 31 Days of Hygge-Inspired Kindness — Doing Good Together™

May this month-long kindness challenge become a much-loved tradition for your family’s giving season. Each activity is an invitation to spend meaningful moments together, share kindness in your community, and enjoy an exorbitant amount of hot chocolate and cookies.

www.doinggoodtogether.org

Plus links at right of page!

Cheers!

 

[Geoff-Allen]

Over the years, Doing Good Together has helped my family weave compassionate conversations, big ideas, and the habit of reflection into our everyday lives. These chats are shaping who the kids are becoming. If I’m being honest, these conversations have informed the way I look at the world too.

Emerging research is confirming my family's experience. Both volunteering and conversations about giving make a difference, when it comes to raising empathetic kids.

I Wonder: Tools to Inspire Curiosity, Reflection, and Empathy in Kids — Doing Good Together™

For nearly fifteen years Doing Good Together has connected parents with essential tools to open a thoughtful dialogue with their kids. We've seen time and again that by reflecting on our experiences, volunteer efforts, and everyday interactions, children develop strong skills in compassion and probl

www.doinggoodtogether.org

Enjoy!

 

[Geoff-Allen]

“Kindness toward others and radical kindness to ourselves buy us a shot at a warm and generous heart, which is the greatest prize of all.”

Anne Lamott

 

[Geoff-Allen]

Prayers for God's help to love others

Prayer to an Evolutionary God

You accept us--at times of self-doubt
Thank you, God of all,
Co-creator of our world,
For allowing us to be imperfectly made:
Because it makes us, if we are wise, forgiving.
Do you accept us as we are?
We condemn people too quickly:
We judge them for flawed thinking, disguised egotism,
Unworthy acquisitiveness, or skewed opinions.
But we can forgive them once we accept our own shadow,
And realize how well we ourselves fit
Into the ranks of a less than perfect human race.
You, Holy God, accept each of us,
Prophets tell us, just as we are:
Provided our moral judgments of others
Are reciprocally generous and compassionate.
Imperfection fits this evolving reality,
For the universe thrives on diversity,
Including random failure,
One of the very preconditions for the unfolding advances.
May it be so.

William Cleary

God's Love Prayers

God's Love Prayers

www.xavier.edu

Cheers!

 

[Geoff-Allen]

When I first saw this prayer, I was immediately taken aback by how beautiful it is. The Metta Prayer is a prayer or mantra used as part of loving-kindness meditation.

Metta Prayer

May all beings be peaceful.

May all beings be happy.

May all beings be safe.

May all beings awaken to the light of their true nature.

May all beings be free.

It comes from a Buddhist tradition of using mantras to clear your mind during meditation. To repeatedly say the same words over and over to put you in a trance-like state and prepare you to receive the benefits and insights you get from meditation.

You can also use the Metta Prayer by changing “all beings” to “I”. In fact, maybe the best way to use this prayer is to recite both.

The Metta Prayer of Loving Kindness

The Metta Prayer is a beautiful mantra that emphasizes loving kindness for yourself and others. Use it in your daily routines.

livingmarvelously.com

All the best!