Dark days come...and more are coming...it's in the Bible y'all. In this world you will have trouble, sorrow, heartache, hurt...but listen to this....all the way...seriously...turn it up loud...listen to it again and again and again.....be encouraged.
Showing posts with label encouragement. Show all posts
Showing posts with label encouragement. Show all posts
Saturday, January 9, 2016
Saturday, January 24, 2015
Sunday, March 4, 2012
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
The Right Thing To Say
I'm not an overly depressed person. I don't usually stay completely overwhelmed by life's trials for a long period of time. I've learned through the years to surround myself with friends who will call me out on self-pity, inquire when I am in a funk and love me enough to cry with me...or tell me to get over it. I'm blessed to have a few friends who will be that iron-sharpens-iron gals in my life.
However....just like you (I'm guessing), sometimes life throws me a curve call and I get sad or mad and God sends just the right person to say just the right thing my way to speak truth, grace, joy and peace over my life.
Something like that happened the other day. I heard an encouraging word that not only blessed me, but Bruce too. Hearing that you are valued, gifted, talented, special, unique, hardworking, dedicated... not only did just the trick for our spirits but motivated us to keep at it...keep going...press on, work hard. Sometimes you need to hear it from someone you know isn't just stroking your ego....but from someone who has taken a hard look and watched with a discerning heart...someone who has even walked in your shoes a mile or two. The last thing you or anyone needs to hear is a fake compliment...or worse yet, a complete lie.
I'm thankful for a man who was pure in motive, gave some wonderful insight, spoke a word in season and loved us enough to make the time to say something nice. It made me think a little about the times that God has prompted me to encourage or bless someone with a compliment or a good word. The Bible tells us that a good worker is due praise, Christians should edify one another, and that a word spoken at the right time is beautiful. I'm motivated to really take a look around me and look at the many people that are doing wonderful things for the kingdom of God. Because, just like the soothing balm the words of an encourager were to me, a word spoken at just the right time, might be just the thing someone who is discouraged and disheartened needs to hear.
On a side note....sometimes when you're feeling sorry for yourself or having a bad day....speak an encouraging word to someone else and you may just find your day gets better too!
Leave a comment to share how you've been encouraged by someone else or if you have an idea that would encourage someone else. I'd love to hear it!
However....just like you (I'm guessing), sometimes life throws me a curve call and I get sad or mad and God sends just the right person to say just the right thing my way to speak truth, grace, joy and peace over my life.
Something like that happened the other day. I heard an encouraging word that not only blessed me, but Bruce too. Hearing that you are valued, gifted, talented, special, unique, hardworking, dedicated... not only did just the trick for our spirits but motivated us to keep at it...keep going...press on, work hard. Sometimes you need to hear it from someone you know isn't just stroking your ego....but from someone who has taken a hard look and watched with a discerning heart...someone who has even walked in your shoes a mile or two. The last thing you or anyone needs to hear is a fake compliment...or worse yet, a complete lie.
I'm thankful for a man who was pure in motive, gave some wonderful insight, spoke a word in season and loved us enough to make the time to say something nice. It made me think a little about the times that God has prompted me to encourage or bless someone with a compliment or a good word. The Bible tells us that a good worker is due praise, Christians should edify one another, and that a word spoken at the right time is beautiful. I'm motivated to really take a look around me and look at the many people that are doing wonderful things for the kingdom of God. Because, just like the soothing balm the words of an encourager were to me, a word spoken at just the right time, might be just the thing someone who is discouraged and disheartened needs to hear.
On a side note....sometimes when you're feeling sorry for yourself or having a bad day....speak an encouraging word to someone else and you may just find your day gets better too!
Leave a comment to share how you've been encouraged by someone else or if you have an idea that would encourage someone else. I'd love to hear it!
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
How to Encourage Someone
I've been discouraged lately and a few people have done a few nice things to encourage me (mostly unbeknownst to them). I thought I'd share a few ideas on how we can be a blessing to others through the ministry of encouragement.
Here are a few things I have learned:
1. Money is not necessary to send encouragement someone's way. It doesn't matter if you have $50 or $5 there are ways to bless someone. Here are a few...a note slipped under an office door, a love note in your child's lunch, words spoken at an opportune time, a good solid hug or an "I LOVE YOU".
2. Small thoughtful deeds mean something. A little boy in my class brought me a diet coke a few weeks after school started. I had know idea that he knew I drank diet coke but he had been paying attention and seen me pour one into my cup one day and went home and told his mom. What a thoughtful deed that encouraged me so much.
3. A well thought out word. I'm not saying a habitual "thank you" doesn't go a long way, but I am saying that someone can tell if you have thought about what you are going to say to them. I was eating at a restaurant a few weeks ago when I saw one of my students waving frantically at me. After her meal was eaten she and her mom came over to say "hello." The mother then expressed some extremely kind words to me and when she walked away I was overwhelmed by her kindness and encouragement. In the midst of a difficult week she had spoken life into very weary bones.
4. Don't assume people know how you feel. If you appreciate someone...let them know. If you love someone... tell them. People don't automatically know that you feel that way about them... but if they did...think about how secure that would make them feel in the relationship.
5. Think of what would make the other person happy. Would going fishing with your son make him the happiest boy in the world? Would bringing your friend a coffee to work one day make her happy? So many times we don't even think about what brings happiness to another person's life. Make them feel special by truly thinking about things that bring happiness to their life.
6. Encourage with scripture. Share a verse in a sweet...loving...gentle way.
7. Be interested in someone else's life. It's easy to get consumed with what's on your plate or behind your front door. But when we are so inwardly focused we tend to put everything else on the back burner. That back burner still needs some attention every now and again.
Have you been encouraged lately...I'd love to hear how......please comment!!!
Here are a few things I have learned:
1. Money is not necessary to send encouragement someone's way. It doesn't matter if you have $50 or $5 there are ways to bless someone. Here are a few...a note slipped under an office door, a love note in your child's lunch, words spoken at an opportune time, a good solid hug or an "I LOVE YOU".
2. Small thoughtful deeds mean something. A little boy in my class brought me a diet coke a few weeks after school started. I had know idea that he knew I drank diet coke but he had been paying attention and seen me pour one into my cup one day and went home and told his mom. What a thoughtful deed that encouraged me so much.
3. A well thought out word. I'm not saying a habitual "thank you" doesn't go a long way, but I am saying that someone can tell if you have thought about what you are going to say to them. I was eating at a restaurant a few weeks ago when I saw one of my students waving frantically at me. After her meal was eaten she and her mom came over to say "hello." The mother then expressed some extremely kind words to me and when she walked away I was overwhelmed by her kindness and encouragement. In the midst of a difficult week she had spoken life into very weary bones.
4. Don't assume people know how you feel. If you appreciate someone...let them know. If you love someone... tell them. People don't automatically know that you feel that way about them... but if they did...think about how secure that would make them feel in the relationship.
5. Think of what would make the other person happy. Would going fishing with your son make him the happiest boy in the world? Would bringing your friend a coffee to work one day make her happy? So many times we don't even think about what brings happiness to another person's life. Make them feel special by truly thinking about things that bring happiness to their life.
6. Encourage with scripture. Share a verse in a sweet...loving...gentle way.
7. Be interested in someone else's life. It's easy to get consumed with what's on your plate or behind your front door. But when we are so inwardly focused we tend to put everything else on the back burner. That back burner still needs some attention every now and again.
Have you been encouraged lately...I'd love to hear how......please comment!!!
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