e is for encourager

Anybody care if I switch horses in the middle of the stream? Don't panic. I'm not going to stop in the middle of the ABC's. But I may change "how" I'm doing them (as evidenced by the above title). On Thursday, I wrote about our Everlasting God and then needed to pause in the writing to take care of some of the demands of life beyond the blogosphere. I fully intended to write about the "little e," encourager, later that afternoon or evening. Here it is Saturday morning and I'm just getting back to it. UGH! However, I am determined to become a BWG - a Blogger Without Guilt. That means that I may not get to blog every day. And sometimes that may even mean that I spent the time I could have been blogging taking a NAP like I did yesterday. GRIN! I even have a friend that suggested the THREE - count 'em - THREE hours I slept in the middle of the day yesterday should be called something other than a "nap." I called it refreshing! And, trust me, I needed refreshing!

So - I'm thinking that as we journey through the ABC's (with the capital letters representing Who God Is and the lower case letters representing who we are IN Him) I may split the "letters" up into two separate posts like I'm doing today. Some days that will make it easier to find time to write.

e is for encourager - are you an encourager? Am I? God wants us to be.

Therefore encourage one another

and build each other up . . .

I Thess. 5:11

Liz Curtis Higgs who wrote Reflecting His Image (the devotional book that launched this ABC adventure) says that when she was about five years into the professional speaking ministry God had called her to she hit a snag. When people would ask what she spoke about she would stumble around trying to find a word that described a blend of inspiration with humor. One time she blurted out, "Well, I encourage people." She said it was such a divinely inspired "aha" moment for her that she had it trademarked. On all her books beside her name you will see the registered trademark symbol and the words An Encourager.

You and I may not register being an encourager as a trademark, but it is definitely part of our heavenly calling. It is definitely an attribute scripture sets forth as desirable. Joseph the Levite was much better known by the name Barnabus - which means Son of Encouragement. In some translations of the Bible encouragement is even listed as a spiritual gift, right up there with preaching and teaching.

As encouragers we are called to

• exhort
• beseech
• comfort
• console
• strengthen
• persuade
• support
• sustain
• cheer
• embolden
• entreat
• build up
• appeal
• urge
• invite

Wouldn't you like to be known as a "daughter of encouragement"? I sure would. Why don't you leave your comment below (YES - even if you've never commented on a blog before - it's not hard!) and tell us about a time you encouraged someone or a time someone encouraged you. Encouragement can be expressed in MANY different ways.

Here's how someone encouraged me yesterday afternoon: Two friends and I were sitting in my backyard watching the grandchildren play. One of the little boys (part monkey I suspect - and a mighty cute little "monkey" at that) had climbed up into the pecan tree. Not to be outdone, my little competitive granddaughter began putting on her shoes and declared she was going to climb up there too. My first instinctive response was, "Oh, sweetie, I don't think you can do that." One of my friends responded, "Why can't she?" I whispered that I didn't think she was coordinated enough - might be a bit clumbsy. My friend asked, "Well, how will she ever know what she can or cannot do if someone tells her she can't before she even tries?" WOW! Good point! TRUTH! It set my brain on recall mode and I began thinking of the many times I do that very thing. God kept reminding me of things all evening. I began to realize that I very often tell one of the grandchildren - or even myself - that something can't be done before we even try! I am now encouraged to break that negative pattern. Will it happen instantly? Maybe not, but you know what, at least my eyes are opened to it now and I'm encouraged to ask God to change me in one more area. I believe He will! You know why? Because He promises me that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. That means, through Him, I can change even deeply ingrained habits if they do not represent God's best for me and my descendants.

I hope all of you have friends in your life who encourage you. Friends who have the courage to speak God's truth into your life are rare finds. Even rarer are the encouraging friends who allow God to use what they've said to encourage new levels of commitment in your walk with Him without trying to "fix" you themselves.

Lord, I am so grateful for the wonderful encouraging friends you have brought into my life. They encourage me in so many different ways. I know our world is starving for genuine encouragement. I see the hunger for encouragement in the eyes of the women everywhere. I hear it in their words. Father, You fill my heart with encouragement. Let it overflow from me and fall in the direction where it's needed most!

e (In Christ I am . . .)

empowered to obey (Philippians 2:13)
enriched in everything (I Cor. 1:5)
equipped (2 Tim. 3:17)
eyes fixed on Jesus (Heb. 12:2)
enlightened (Eph. 1:18)
encouraged (2 Thess. 2:16-17)