We draw inner strength from words of encouragement, but how can we be effective encouragers?
All in Encouragement
Help, I'm a Mess!
“I can’t find anything after I put it away. I know I need to organize, but I just don’t know where to start. I want to invite friends over, but my house is such a mess. I want less clutter, but I just can’t figure out how to get started.” Sound familiar?
Help, I'm Falling!
“Mrs.___, have you fallen lately?” Young people have yet to encounter that question. My husband and I have. We laugh when we share the experience because as a couple we average about three or four falls a year. We fall off ladders, in flower beds, down stairs, and sometimes for no reason. Welcome to the world of seniors.
Help, I'm Drowning!
“Lucas, get your soccer shoes from the utility room. Katie, the half-time snack is in the refrigerator. Sean, come here so Mom can button your jacket.”
Walking with Believers
Man was not created to walk alone. God created each of us to walk with Him. He also designed us to walk with others. In Genesis 1 God declared all He created to be good. But then God identified something as not good. God said, It is not good for the man to be alone… (Genesis 2:18).
Hello! My Name Is: Day 5
Jehovah Mekoddishkem (mek-KAH-dish-KIM) is a long, tongue-twisty name for an incredibly important truth.
Hello! My Name Is: Day 4
So far, it has been a week of a big God. Today, we will look at a small moment and the God who was in it.
Hello! My Name Is: Day 3
Throughout history, people believed that a Supreme Being brought the physical universe into existence and continued to act upon it. In the mid-1800’s, with the introduction of evolutionary theory, a new worldview emerged. It centered around a universe that not only thought itself up, but continued to keep itself running. Today the creation vs. evolution debate is still alive and well.
Hello! My Name Is: Day 2
What is that old saying? “You never have a second chance to make a first impression.”
Hello! My Name Is: Day 1
You are at a large party where most of the faces are unfamiliar. However, everyone is wearing a stick-on name tag—always helpful among strangers. A nice lady comes over and introduces herself and, as you catch a quick glance at her name tag, you notice: “Hi! My Name is Mary and I am generous.” What? You look around and notice, “Hi! My Name is Jim and I am kind and understanding.” And “Hi! My Name is Alice and I am Intelligent and Wise.” And so on…
Fight the Good Fight
Down I fell, flat on my face! I was running downhill with my dog when suddenly she darted ahead. I hung onto the leash trying to slow her down. Instead, her momentum pulled me down until I was face down in the dirt.
What is that Smell?
“What is that smell?” my husband asked as we entered the resort where we were vacationing. “Whatever it is, I want it!” he exclaimed.
The Promise That Kept Going
I listen to Christian music throughout the day, so it’s no surprise that’s how I hear God speak many times.
Lessons from Dirty Dishes
Have you ever let dirty dishes sit for a day or so? Really, it doesn’t have to be that long. Maybe just a few hours.
Unlikely Lifelong Friends
Kimberly and I met when we were both about 23 years old. We both worked in corporate communication for a large bank.
Could More Be Better?
Recently one word out of this verse hit home: advisers. Plural.
Go With Us!
I am taking a large group of teenagers from Texas to Austria in the coming months. I am already working hard in planning and preparation. I have promised to go with them, to be ready to handle the details of our travel as well as the unforeseen encounters. And I’ve promised to bring them home safely. It is a sobering task.
FEAR
“Why are you so afraid?” Just as Jesus asked this of the disciples in the storm-tossed boat, I wonder how many times God has posed that question to me, but I haven’t heard it over the thunder of my frets and worries and hand-wringing.
What Do You Want Me To Do For You
My sweet husband regularly asks me, “What do you need from me right now?” Often, this serves as a needed reminder of his presence and willingness to help. Sometimes it is the springboard I need to ask for help. And occasionally, it is irritating as I think he should know what I need after 34 years of being married to me!
His Temple
I was bogged down in my daily Bible reading. After I trudged through Exodus, past the victory of the plagues, the miracle of the manna and quail and the water from a rock, I sat mired in the details of the Tent of Meeting….the place where God planned to meet and fellowship with His people.