Image Credit: Charlotte90T/PhotopinCC
As another week winds to a close, I’m keeping this blog post short today, friends.
It’s a busy time. I’m working on a new manuscript, I’m reorganizing my office ( yes, still), and I’m planning a “Sweet 16” birthday party. Whew! This gal’s tired!
Maybe you’re tired, too.
Perhaps, you are experiencing hardship today. You’re physically ill. You’re burnt out. You’re stretched to the max with one hundred and one other demands.
If that describes you, I want you to know I’m praying for you.
I’m praying for the peace that passes all understanding.
I’m praying for God’s provision.
And I’m praying for clarity as you seek His will.
It’s tough to remain encouraged 24/7. Even those with steel-like resolve lose heart occasionally. (I recently talked about a time in my life where I was tested.) That’s why it’s so important we encourage one another.
If we see someone struggling, the tendency might be to placate. To offer a quick, albeit heartfelt, condolence. It’s easier and not terribly time-consuming.
Today, however, I’d like to challenge you to step past your comfort zone and meet a need.
Be present.
Involved.
Eager to help. Willing to extend.
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Some links of interest this week:
Top Tips to Let Go of Fear via ProBlogger
Top 10 Posts for Starting (or Improving) Your Blog by Michael Nichols
Let God Keep You Calm by Pastor Tim Burt
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How have you encouraged someone this week?
How has someone encouraged you?
Happy Weekend!
Blessings Always,
Comments 5
This is sweet, Cynthia. I’ll be praying for this busy time for you. We were talking recently about going to a baseball game. My oldest said, “Mom’s not strong enough yet.” I said, “I’m not, am I?” It was encouraging, because she was allowing me more time to heal … and keeping me from making myself do something I’m not physically able to do yet. I love that kid!!
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Shelli, you’ve had such a rough time of it lately—absolutely, you should listen to your body’s signals. How sensitive of your kiddo to recognize you needed more time to recuperate. It’s amazing how children are more in tune to the world around them than we sometimes give them credit for.
Thanks for your prayers! Right backatcha! =)
I hope I’ve encouraged people. It’s what I want to do, but it’s sometimes hard to gauge results.
I did need encouragement this week – had to go through some very painful medical tests, and a beloved dog died (they’re all beloved, but Elvis was special, and a character in “Blessed Are The Pure Of Heart”).
And it came.
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Andrew, I’m so sorry for the loss of Elvis. I’ve lost a beloved furry friend before… it’s a heartache that’s difficult to put into words. My thoughts and prayers are with you and Barbara.
And you are a huge encourager—truly. (Always praying blessings over you.)
Cindy, thank you so much. To quote Kipling, “I’ll see him later on, in the place where ‘e has gone…”
But it hurts, and having many does not diminish the loss of the one.
The encouragement I received – and my life, really – are an interesting example of the reach of the Internet.
No one I see on a regular basis really thinks of me as anything but a very ill man with a lot of dogs, with Tourette’s on permanent send. No one I know personally reads my blog, or is interested int he conversations I have on others’ sites. (Part of this is because I really can’;t get out much any more, and the social circle’s limited.)
The whole ‘outreach’ is virtual, but that does not make it any less real. It can SEEM less real, but that’s an illusion based on past prejudices. It’s a new world.
The encouragement I received came in the form of an email that said, simply, “You are loved.”
Until I met Barbara, that phrase was foreign to me. I was respected, and not a little feared, but loved? No.
That the love and appreciation and encouragement come from people I may never meet is, in the end, beside the point. It’s genuine. I made the decision to expose my heart.
And people like it.
Wow.
(Sorry for rambling. Feeling sort of rough as I write this. I hope I was coherent, but I;m not up to editing it.)