Encouraging Words

As I was writing my post from yesterday, the Lord reminded of the people He placed around me and how they have changed my life, all through their encouragement. I went to look up the word encourage in the Bible the other day and was amazed and how many times it shows up throughout the New and Old testament. In Deuteronomy, God tells Moses to encourage Joshua because he will be leading the Israelites into the promised land. Paul also describes encouragement as a gift, much like prophecy or teaching in Romans. I've never looked at encouragement as a spiritual gift, but in reflecting on those that have encouraged me over the last year, I can see it now. Had my friend and neighbor Melanie not encouraged me the first time I asked her about starting a neighborhood bible study, we still wouldn't have one to this day. For little did she know how apprehensive I was about just asking her opinion about it. My friend Nancy called me almost every day once I agreed to take over the MOPS Coordinator's position from her at church. Much like an adult teaching a child to walk, she held my hand and told me I could do it, when to the deep recesses of my soul I felt I couldn't. Both of these ladies always encouraged me and gave me sound, spiritual advice to which I am grateful for to this day. My mom and mother in law have always told me what a great mom I am at the exact moment I needed it - usually after a night of staring at the ceiling asking God how He could have ever trusted a wreck like me with two beautiful boys. My friends Sandy and Lori who encouraged me through some of the darkest periods of my life and still hung around. My friend Kimberly who offered encouragement to start a prayer for our boys' first day of Kindergarten that now has spread to a school-wide prayer on the first day of school. My steering team at church who encourage me just by letting me watch how God is working so greatly in their lives with the gifts He's given them. They are my closest friends. My sweet grandmother who always knows when to call me because the Holy Spirit prompts her and she obeys. And of course my dear husband. There's not enough room on the internet for how that man has changed my life. Next to Jesus, he is my greatest encourager. So today I am sending this blog to those that have encouraged me over the years. Even if you're not mentioned here, if you get this you have encouraged me in some way. You may never know what a simple act of encouragement can do for someone, or how it could change the course of someone's life. Yes, encouragement is a gift. A gift from a loving God who wants to encourage us every day so that we may encourage others.