Thursday, December 20, 2007

Encouragement

Hopefully you have read my latest article: "A Leader's Greatest Gift."

I cannot tell you how important encouragement is to me! I thrive on it. What I find funny about myself is that I know the value of encouragement however, I often fail to pass it on. Keeping that in mind, I have made it my goal to provide encouragement to at least one person everyday for the next six weeks. My hope is that encouraging others will become a habit. While that seems easy, I know it will be a challenge.

Like it or not, our world is negative! We are bombarded with all types of negative media and messages. However, I am in for the fight and at least ready to change the world around me. So, I have made my list of people that I will encourage in the next few weeks! I am already writing the notes and preparing to send out the greatest gift I can give - ENCOURAGEMENT!

So, as you read my random thoughts on encouragement, I have two questions for you to ponder.
  1. Do you need to be encouraged?
  2. Do you encourage others?

As I close up shop I ask that we all keep in mind that "praise" and "encouragement" are different. (More on that next week!)

Lastly, I would like for any of you to post any anecdotal stories or thoughts based on encouragement. Feel free to leave an encouraging for any you wish and then send them here to read it!! I do not mind being the "encouragement" hub. In fact, I am going to sign off and see if "encourage.blogspot" is available. If it is, I will get it!!!

I hope you all have a great holiday season!!

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I absolutely agree! I cannot say I've got this down and am without need of improvement. However, encouragement is one gift the Spirit has developed in me. What I can say is there are too many times when the encouragement I would like to have or feel I need does not come.
Those are times when a mere head shake enables me to re-focus: It's not about me. Truly, life is too wonderful and beautiful to allow one's self to become engulfed and wallow in the negative.
It did dawn on me many years later that the line I so admired for its meaning had, MY GOD, been my reality: Ten years had got behind me, . . .no one told me. . ., I missed the starting gun. Even then, though, the encouragement in Jesus was present and abundant so that I would neither dwell on nor beat myself about it.

The need for encouragement is greatest when it is least deserved or expected. Those instances in life are precisely when some engage in anything but encouragement.
Regardless, whether, what turns off one's encouragement button is something major or minor, encouragement is what God would have us to give.

The encouragement of the Spirit allows me to proceed toward the red light in the road not knowing quite what I will do when I get to the red light. The reward of steadfastness to obey and follow the guidance of the Spirit is that as I draw closer to the red light something unexpected happens. It may change to green. I may
see there's another route to get me to my destination and the red light on the road becomes a non-factor.
The disciples of Jesus have the high, exalted vantage point of the cross to provide a clear perspective. I'm not a hunter, but I know cross hairs enable one to get a good focus.

My prayer, Ron, is that we all remain sensitive, attentive and obedient to the guidance of the Spirit as he leads us to those who need encouragement.
Have yourself a Merry little Christmas!