encourage.

it seems like a lot of the time we look for ways to fix things. we look for grammar to be corrected, ideas to be improved, stories to further develop, a remedy for the pain in our lives, an area to improve our theology, ways we can do better in school, sin in our lives we need to give up, relationships and friendships that need to be let go of, and so many other things. not to say that examining such things is wrong, however it breaks my heart that this becomes so much of the focus. everything is not "warm and fuzzy" and christianity is not a comfortable "religion". rather, it is a life commitment to follow God to the depths of the earth with a joyful heart, if He asks us to do so. and we do this simply because He is so worthy of our lives and so much more.

although we cannot gloss over life and pretend we have nothing to work on and improve, there is a time to simply relax. love. worship. encourage. and encouragement seems to disappear in a lot of circles. why is that? is it because we do not want to risk "puffing someone up" or cause someone to feel like they are "something" when really we are nothing.

honestly, this whole aspect of christianity confuses me. i know that i am nothing without Christ. too many times i have attempted to do things on my own, only leaving me to realize that i am in desperate need of a savior. but my Savior does not leave me feeling downtrodden; He does not reveal who i truly am without offering a sense of hope and encouragement.

i would like to challenge whomever is reading this, whether it is one person or twenty, to go out of his or her way to be encouraging this week. no, i am not a pastor and no you do not have to listen to me. however, i have had a few girls (mostly ones i have just met or am just starting to know better) in the past few days who have been incredibly encouraging to me. simple encouragement may go unnoticed, maybe even by the person speaking, but they mean the world to someone who might just need it. sometimes, through other people's kind words it is like God saying to you, "daughter [or son] I love you and I so desire to see you happy and encouraged and delighted by My presence alone." i seriously believe our God can and does do things like that; He has most definitely prompted people to be kind to me, especially in the past few days. and when others are kind and loving towards me, when they encourage me immensely- even by just a smile- it reminds me that i have a God who is loving and caring and looking after me.

and that God is so much bigger than anything else. He is so much stronger than anything you are facing.

1 thessalonians 5:9-11

"for God has not destined us for wrath, but for obtaining salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us, so that whether we are awake or asleep, we will live together with Him. therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing."