I suppose it has been a great while since I've posted anything on this blog... I promise that I have taken lots of pictures and things have happened and I will get to posting again soon.
The last year and a half or so, I have been thinking about encouragement. In Hebrews 3:13 we are told to "Encourage one another daily, as long as it is today" 1 Thess 5:11 says "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing". How often do I do this? How often do we as a church encourage each other and build each other up? How do I go about encouraging my fellow believers? my elders? my pastor? those close to me? those I don't know so well? At the church I attend we have folks in different areas of life, young, married, with/out children, widow, and single. What are some ways to encourage these folks in the area of life that they are living?
Sharon Betters has written a book called "Treasures of Encouragement" (Trish gave it to me years and years ago) that I have found to be very helpful. Besides stories of women who reached out in times of need and actively persued ways of encouraging those in their church, there is a great appendix at the back of the book with 50 practical ideas. These ideas range from no money and no time to money and time. I have been able to use some of the ideas in the past and have been blessed by them.
But now I feel the Lord is pressing on my heart the need to be more active in encouraging fellow believers. So what I'd like to do is put together a list of ideas - practical things that we can do to encourage each other. I think that a great brainstorming tool would be "what would I like people to do for me to encourage me?" For those of you who read this blog, if you would care to share some ideas with me, that would be greatly appreciated (either by comments or email). Once I have some ideas together I'll put a list up so that others can share some of the ideas.
The last year and a half or so, I have been thinking about encouragement. In Hebrews 3:13 we are told to "Encourage one another daily, as long as it is today" 1 Thess 5:11 says "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing". How often do I do this? How often do we as a church encourage each other and build each other up? How do I go about encouraging my fellow believers? my elders? my pastor? those close to me? those I don't know so well? At the church I attend we have folks in different areas of life, young, married, with/out children, widow, and single. What are some ways to encourage these folks in the area of life that they are living?
Sharon Betters has written a book called "Treasures of Encouragement" (Trish gave it to me years and years ago) that I have found to be very helpful. Besides stories of women who reached out in times of need and actively persued ways of encouraging those in their church, there is a great appendix at the back of the book with 50 practical ideas. These ideas range from no money and no time to money and time. I have been able to use some of the ideas in the past and have been blessed by them.
But now I feel the Lord is pressing on my heart the need to be more active in encouraging fellow believers. So what I'd like to do is put together a list of ideas - practical things that we can do to encourage each other. I think that a great brainstorming tool would be "what would I like people to do for me to encourage me?" For those of you who read this blog, if you would care to share some ideas with me, that would be greatly appreciated (either by comments or email). Once I have some ideas together I'll put a list up so that others can share some of the ideas.
Comments
In terms of encouragement, one thing I never get tired of hearing is "I'm praying for you". Another thing is keeping track of important happenings in someone's life - like a Dr's appointment, or the anniversary of something difficult, etc, and then letting that person know that you've remembered. I also love a chatty e-mail out of the blue, or, even more, a good old-fashioned, thick, newsy letter in the mail :)
Well, I'm not sure that you need any help finding ways of encouraging others. You have been a great encourager to me and my family with your cards, e-mails, phonecalls, flowers, gifts-even homesewn ones, visits-even the late ones, the meals you delivered, and what the kids find best of all- your Rolo treats! You are a dear friend and I thank God for the blessing you are for Riverside and the van Eyks!
I will always wave my red towel for you! :-)