{The Blessing Of Encouragement}

Let me start by saying this- my attitude lately has been less than stellar. When it comes to handling stress apparently, I'm just not. And that's not me. For the most part, I feel like I typically handle things well but in the past few weeks, it's like I'm a whole different person.

That being said, I really am trying. I'm trying to daily make a decision to choose joy and to lift my eyes a little higher than this world and its brokenness, focusing on the peace and hope of eternity.

Last Wednesday I thought I was doing really well. I had made a conscious effort all day to choose joy instead of an attitude of bitterness. Do you ever have those moments where you think you're doing really good? You think you've got things figured out. Your handling the stress of the day well and things finally seem to be heading in the right direction? Helpful hint- if you're there, don't say it out loud. Because I can almost guarantee as soon as you do, something is going to come and try to knock you over.

Obviously I'm speaking from experience. I couldn't even tell you now what set me off Wednesday afternoon. But something did and I spent most of the 20 minute drive to bible study trying to ward off tears. And then I spent most of the hour at bible study trying to do the same.

Now, I typically try to hide my emotions, especially tears and disappointment in most situations. I'm almost always unsuccessful but I try. Apparently Wednesday I was once again unsuccessful because by the time I got home Wednesday night I had messages from two different people asking me if I was ok and offering encouragement.

Those first two messages Wednesday night must have started something. Because in the last week, I've gotten messages or had conversations  with six different people that told me I had been on their heart, they had been thinking about me, and praying for me.

Thursday morning while I was at work, I got a message from a lady in bible study. Someone who I had never met but who had gotten my name as someone to pray for during the week and who had noticed my lack of a smile the night before. Her encouragement and prayer Thursday morning blessed my life more at that moment than I think she could have possibly known.

I have been absolutely overwhelmed by the blessing of encouragement in my life this week. I can promise you this- when you have six different people tell you that they're thinking about you and praying for you,  choosing joy is the only natural reaction. It's amazing because of those six people, I hadn't had a conversation about what I was dealing with or even that I was struggling with any of them. But they each allowed themselves to be a blessing by reaching out when God laid me on their hearts and it began to change my attitude on everything.

I can't stop thinking, that's exactly how The Church is intended to function. When we see someone struggling or walking through a tough season, we should always be there to offer encouragement and support. Unfortunately what I see all too often in "The Church" today is more hurt and more wounding when someone is already struggling.

Life is tough enough and I would hate for anyone to ever feel like they have to walk through it alone. I certainly didn't deserve the blessing I received this week with each message of encouragement or each prayer, but gosh, what a gift and what an encouragement that things weren't as bad as they felt in that moment.

I sincerely hope that each of you have people in your lives that are there for support and encouragement when you need them. And I hope that you can be that person for someone else. If we all took the time to encourage the people around us each day, there's no doubt in my mind lives would be changed and this world would be a better place.

I used to worry about what people would think if I sent them a text or a message out of the blue and told them I had been thinking about them or praying for them; that they would think I was weird or that it would freak them out. But I don't anymore. In all my years of life, I can't think of a single person who didn't appreciate a little bit of encouragement or to know that someone was thinking about them and cared enough to say it. I'm convinced at the very core of who we are, everyone just wants to be known and to know that someone, somewhere cares about them.

So if someone's on your mind, tell them. Let them know that you care and let them know you're there as a support if and when they need you. Maybe they're walking through a small storm right now and they just need some encouragement to keep going. Maybe they aren't walking through a battle yet but one's coming. Let them know you're ready when the time comes. Let them know that you care about them, because it's always nice to know that you have people in your corner supporting and ready to fight with you; and it just might change everything for them.