Encouraging Others

 

On August 14, 2016 I was thinking that encouraging others is more important than some people may realize.  I remember when I was waiting to go to Mercy for help and once a month I would get an encouragement card from a Mercy girl currently in the program.  They always encouraged me about God’s timing and gave me a scripture to hold onto.

I decided after I came home from Mercy that even though I wasn’t in the program anymore I wanted to do the same thing for the girls that were on the wait list to get into the house.  Normally it would only be the girls currently in the program that would write out the cards, but I thought since I would have more time at home to do them, I would see if the staff would be alright with me doing that.  When I got the go-ahead I decided to make each card a little different using coloured pens and stickers.

It was a lot of fun to make them.  I never knew who would get my encouragement cards, but I didn’t mind as I thought hopefully it would bring a smile to a young woman’s face.  I didn’t know until a while later that it had made an impression on a Mercy girl’s heart.  One of the staff messaged me and told me a Mercy girl was so touched that someone they didn’t even know would care about them.  It helped show her that she is loved.

I never imagined when I was sending out these encouragement cards that I could help someone to see that they are loved.  I think God really does work in mysterious ways.  When you do something for someone else in love, it never goes in vain.  It’s true that not everyone will always hear back how their help has affected others, but it will only improve your own life as it helps you focus on what’s important in life – love.

When you give love, you get love in return.  I find often when I see someone with a big smile and an upbeat spirit I can’t help but smile myself.  Instead of focusing on the negatives in that moment, I end up seeing the positives around me.  I also find that you can encourage others by the way you act.

I was watching the Olympics recently and they showed some of the women athletes in a room just before they were going to compete.  There were some that were tense and focused on their music, while there were others that were excited and in awe of where they were.  One competitor stood out to me. 

At the beginning of the race she was like everyone else determined and ready to go.  It seemed like she was behind, but with one lap to go she caught up to everyone else and actually got gold.  I was completely amazed.  The thing is she didn’t even know she had won at the end of the race as she catching her breath.  When she looked around to the results board she realized in shock that she had won.  Right away she went and hugged the other competitors. 

I thought it was amazing to see that even in her own glory she would congratulate the other women in the race with her.  When she was interviewed about what it took for her to win, all she said was that she gave it her all and wanted to do her best for her country and apparently that was good enough to win.  It was awesome to see that she was driven to do her best, instead of driven to get first place. 

It made me want to look at life more that way as I think a lot of people, including myself at times feel like they have to be perfect, or get first place in life for life to be successful.  The thing is if you enjoy those times in between then it is much more likely that you will be successful in life quicker.  I know that God wants us to enjoy our lives and as we focus more on Him, He can show us the joys of our hearts.

Patricia <3 J     

 

Hebrews 10:24-25    And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

 

Here’s a song about we need our Lord to open our eyes and see that He is shaping our lives.  We ask Him to help us with our faith and to trust what you have to say to us.  To know that He is good, and that His love is great. We need Him to pierce through the darkness and to cleanse every part of us.

 

“Give Me Faith” by Elevation Worship

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BFHudYLt6l0&list=PL3whQX319DaB37iB8NZpJe206iSdpe3kc&index=147