The Power of Encouragment

This season away from full time ministry has been hard in so many ways. I realized these last few weeks that one of the hardest things is not being with people daily who encourage you in your giftings. Let's face the fact, as a stay at home mom no one gives you daily encouragement. My kids don't say wow mom way to use your administrative giftings as you navigate the pick up line, do the grocery shopping, laundry, get everyone to all of their activities, etc. Plus my boys don't seem to be interested in what the Lord has shown me and how I feel it applies to women!!

As I started thinking back over my life, I have ALWAYS had people around me who constantly encouraged me. Bosses that I worked for or co-workers I worked alongside who would encourage me daily. My last boss at Lakewood was the ultimate encourager. Daily she somehow encouraged me in either my administrative gifts or my ministry gifts. Still to this day almost two years later she calls me to talk through issues and tells me what an asset I was to her and the women. So I went from that atmosphere of encouragement to little or none in my day to day life now.

This situation is causing me to have to step up and encourage myself in Gods' word - Romans 15:4 "Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled." But it has also brought a new understanding of how powerful encouragement is to other people's lives.

Pastor Blaine taught today from the book of James. He reminded us how James 3:1-12 talks about the power of the tongue. How Proverbs 18:21 says "Life and death is in the power of the tongue."

As women we daily have the power to speak life (encouragement) into the people around us. Our husband, children, co-workers, crossing guard, checkout person at Wal-Mart, our friends, even strangers.

People need to be encouraged. Webster's defines encouragement as - to inspire with courage, spirit, hope, to attempt to persuade or spur on. We are called to be salt and light to the world and what better way to fulfill that then by speaking encouragement (life) to others. People need to know that there is someone (God) who loves them with an everlasting love, that if he is for them who dare be against them, that he has a good plan for their life, that all things work together for their good if they love the Lord, that goodness and mercy will follow them all the days of their life, that whatever struggle they are going through if God didn't have a blessing attached to it he wouldn't be allowing it. People need to be encouraged. It doesn't have to be something big just a kind word - a co-worker looks nice, an email to a teacher thanking her for teaching your child, a child who does well on a paper, a husband for just going to work, a boss who solved an issue, etc.

So, I will challenge you as I am challenging myself - be an encourager. Wherever you are be an encourager. Even if you aren't receiving any encouragement in your life - sow encouragement. You have the power to speak life to people today - make a conscious decision to JUST DO IT!