by wendy | Sep 4, 2020 | Tips for Encouraging Others, Uncategorized
Take a second to tally it up – how many small business friends do you have? You might be surprised at how many you know when you stop to actually think about it. Count in the total those who own restaurants, small shops, and real estate or insurance agencies. Don’t forget the crafters, artists, and writers (like me). And consider the home child care providers, tutors, and private home health card providers. Oh yeah, and the self-employed mechanics, plumbers, electricians – wow – we could really go on and on!
Now that you have reminded yourself how many people in your circle run small businesses, you can imagine the need for encouragement. Let’s look at some ideas for encouraging our small businesses.
- Hire them, buy from them, support them! These businesses don’t succeed without the support of friends, families, and neighbors. They are here to serve, please give them a chance to serve you!
- Share them! Make an intentional effort to call them out (in a good way) on social media and in person. Tell others about their business and about the great experience you have had when using them.
- Give them grace! These business owners are people just like you. Chances are they also have off days. If you have experienced one of those off days, purposefully give them a chance to try again.
- Speak (or write) encouraging words! Express your gratitude and praise by telling them how much you appreciate their hard work. A note is always amazing because they can read it any time they need to remember.
- Pray for them! Pray that the community will benefit from their service and that God will bless their business.
by wendy | Sep 3, 2020 | Encouragement, Encouragement For Your Heart, Focus on God
I love the scene in the movie, “Facing the Giants” when the prayer walker encourages the coach to prepare for rain. He tells the story of two farmers waiting for rain. He reminds him that though rain will fall on both fields, the farmer that will reap the most rewards is the one who has prepared his field. That farmer will harvest a crop and the other will simply get wet.
Which farmer will I be? Are my “fields” prepared for the rain of God’s righteousness and blessings?
“Sow for yourselves righteousness; reap steadfast love; break up your fallow ground, for it is the time to seek the Lord, that he may come and rain righteousness upon you.”
Hosea 10:12
If I am to be prepared for the Lord to rain on me, I must examine myself for fallow ground. What areas of my life are overgrown, not fruitful, or simply not in use? I must clear those areas of weeds – get rid of any ungodly attitudes and activities – and sow righteousness there by replacing the ungodly with the godly. I must submit those areas to prayer and seek to give them to God.
“For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. They will spring up like grass in a meadow, like poplar trees by flowing streams.”
Isaiah 44:3
When I prepare for rain – and God pours it out – the rewards are amazing! He says we will spring up like grass – and that is a picture I can fully relate to in this time of rain we are having lately. So much rain and sun that we cannot keep the grass mowed!
“You heavens above, rain down my righteousness; let the clouds shower it down. Let the earth open wide, let salvation spring up, let righteousness flourish with it; I, the LORD, have created it.”
Isaiah 45:8
We can receive God’s righteousness and salvation when we are open to it. And the Scripture says we will flourish!
“Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants.”
Deuteronomy 32:2
His Word is as refreshing and restoring as the dew, showers, and abundant rain. Oh, that we would soak it in!
“As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my word that goes out from my mouth; it will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”
Isaiah 55:10-11
Praise God that His Word does its work every time. I pray that I am open so it will do its work in me!
“Blessed are you whose heart is set on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baka, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pools. They go from strength to strength till each appears before God in Zion.”
Psalm 84:5-7
The Valley of Baka is also known as The Valley of Weeping. When I am intent on seeking Him – even in the difficult places – may I see His blessings in all things and rely on His strength each day!
Amen
by wendy | Aug 28, 2020 | Tips for Encouraging Others, Uncategorized
There is nothing more refreshing than meeting someone with a thirst for God’s Word. Let’s talk about some tips for how to encourage the thirsty.
1.Give them a Bible. Choose a Bible with good study notes, topical devotionals that relate, or even a journaling Bible – there are so many to choose from. You can even give away your Bible that has your own notes.
2. Give them a journal. Fill a journal with Scriptures, or just write Scripture references at the top of each page. Give a blank journal for recording blessings, taking sermon notes, or writing prayers.
3. Give them a Christian book. Hundreds of authors write about biblical topics in a relevant way. When we read their words we ingest the Word from a different perspective and that causes us to think through Scripture in a deeper way.
4. Invite them to a Bible study. Or to study the Bible with you! Studying Scripture together gives us the opportunity to learn from each other and bonds us together.
5. Speak Scripture to them. Share verses, talk about the Word, explain what you are reading/learning, and have conversations about what God is speaking to you through His Word.
“But whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst.”
John 4:14
by wendy | Aug 27, 2020 | Encouragement, Encouragement For Your Heart, Focus on God, Trusting God
Just one month ago – in the midst of a hot July – the brown, dry grass crunched beneath my feet as I walked through the yard. Grass weaves a mat of shallow roots just below the surface of the earth and it depends on frequent moisture to keep it alive. There was no moisture in July this year. Just when I decided to count my blessings that at least we wouldn’t need to mow, the rains of August began to come. and come. and come. It has rained so much this month that our once dried up lawn is lush and constantly growing! Now, instead of crunching beneath my feet, I can’t walk across the yard without my shoes becoming soaking wet and we cannot keep up with the mowing. Those shallow roots are drinking in their fill and new grass has sprung up!
“They will spring up like grass in a meadow,like poplar trees by flowing streams.”
Isaiah 44:4
It is wonderful to see the new green grass, but I don’t want to be like that grass – here today when the blessings flow and withered tomorrow when the sun is scorching – instead I would rather be like my blackberry plants. When we planted the blackberries, we inquired about their care from a neighboring berry farm.
“Do you water them often?” I asked.
“I never water them,” she explained. “I want their roots to go deep to access the natural water supply. If I watered them, the roots would stay shallow depending on me.”
We stay shallow when we depend on earthly things.
We need to go deep – and depend on God.
“But blessed is the one who trusts in the Lord,
whose confidence is in him.
They will be like a tree planted by the water
that sends out its roots by the stream.
It does not fear when heat comes;
its leaves are always green.
It has no worries in a year of drought
and never fails to bear fruit.”
Jeremiah 17:7-8
What does it look like to have confidence in the Lord?
Send out your roots by the water – transplant yourself
All of the language in this passage is active – not passive. Jeremiah says that a person with confidence in the Lord SENDS out their roots. The word for PLANTED in verse 7 also means “transplanted.” If we are not planted by the water currently, then we must dig up our roots and move them.
Dig into the Word, drink in the Spirit, be intentional about staying in the presence of God.
“Blessed is the one
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,
but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.”
Psalm 1:1-3
by wendy | Aug 20, 2020 | Encouragement, Encouragement For Your Heart, Godly Relationships, Trusting God
I came across this passage this week in my reading. Though I would normally just read over these words, they continue to call to me for a deeper look.
“Grace and Peace be yours in abundance.”
1 Peter 1:2
Let’s take that deeper look at the words “grace,” “peace,” and “abundance” together.
Grace
The Greek word for grace is “charis” which describes God freely giving Himself away to us (sinners) simply because His nature is to reach out to us, to be near us, and to bless us! This actually means that God leans toward us – and don’t miss the term “freely.” He doesn’t bless us because we deserve it or we have earned it.
“And since it is through God’s kindness, then it is not by their good works. For in that case, God’s grace would not be what it really is—free and undeserved.”
Romans 11:6 NLT
Grace literally means an underserved gift. There is not one of us that deserves God’s grace. He gives grace to us because of who He is – not because of who we are!
“For by grace you have been saved through faith; and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God;”
Ephesians 2:7
In response to this unmerited favor we receive from our Father, we should also give grace to others! Easier said than done when we are disappointed or hurt by them, but let us remember that we are called to offer grace – unmerited favor – just as we have received from God. In the article, “How to Show Grace to Others: 10 Great Ways,” David Peach says this:
“Have you been criticized by someone? Even unjustly? You don’t have to let others walk over you, but you can respond in a gracious way. Accept what they have to say and thank them for their input. The news they bring you may upset you and hurt you deeply. The way you respond can help the healing begin immediately. A quick response with anger will leave you seething. But the sooner you can respond with a smile and a calm spirit the sooner you will be able to see the truth in their words and make the changes that need to be made.”
-David Peach, “How To Show Grace To Others: 10 Great Ways”
It may be difficult to be gracious with those who have not been gracious to us, but just like with God, when we show grace to others, it says more about our character than it does about theirs.
“See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled;”
Hebrews 12:15
The opposite of grace is unforgiveness and bitterness. The Bible warns of letting a root of bitterness spring up – and that is just how quickly it can happen. When it does, if not dealt with, bitterness and unforgiveness causes trouble in our own hearts. Author, Larry Thompson, reminds us why we should forgive:
“Remember that Christ forgave you far beyond what you deserve, and forgive others in the same way. Give up that grudge or bitterness. Forgive that family member, friend, associate at work or other person with whom you have a problem. The stakes are high, for if you fail to grow strong in grace, and are unable to forgive, you are charting a path to pain and heartbreak — not for the other person, but for yourself.”
-Larry Thompson, “Why We Should Extend Grace To Others”
We must forgive others as God has forgiven us – for that is grace!
“Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.”
Colossians 3:13
Peace
The Greek word for peace is “eirḗnē” and it means wholeness – specifically God’s gift of wholeness. This reminds me of the Old Testament word “Shalom” which also means peace and wholeness. The lack of peace is distraction, agitation, and conflict – all of which cause division.”
The lexicon at Bible Hub describes peace in this way:
“the tranquil state of a soul assured of its salvation through Christ, and so fearing nothing from God and content with its earthly lot, of whatsoever sort that is”
Paul says it this way in Philippians:
“I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.”
Philippians 4:11-13
This state of peace (wholeness) is a gift of God, but it also requires a cooperation from us to receive it. When we continually practice trusting Him, peace reigns in our spirit. This doesn’t happen overnight and it usually doesn’t happen naturally – being content and trusting God is something we consciously develop as we get to know Him.
“The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace.”
Romans 8:6″
The word “eirḗnē” – peace – not only applies to our relationship with God, it also refers to peace between individuals. Just as we must work to develop the gift of God’s peace within our spirits, peace with people also requires effort. We can choose to live a life that sets a course of promoting harmony. We certainly cannot control the words and actions of others, but we can control our own words and actions.
“If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.”
Romans 12:18
If we are unsure how to set a course of peace with others, we need only to follow the example of Christ.
“For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross.”
Colossians 1:19-20
It was the grace of God – the gift of Jesus’s life that we did not deserve – that made peace between us and God. We too can make peace with others through grace – undeserved favor and blessing from us to other people. And God says we will be blessed for it!
“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God.”
Matthew 5:9
Abundance
The last word I want to take a deep look at today is abundance. God does not say, “I will give you a little peace and a little grace.” He also does not say, “You only need to give others a little grace and a little peace.” He says we are to have both in abundance!
This word “plēthýnō” abundance in Greek means to have it to the full and maximum level and increasingly so. According to this definition, how much peace and grace is enough? There will never be enough, and God will never max out on how much grace and peace He has to give us. That, my friends, is good news!
“Grace and Peace be yours in abundance!”
“I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”
John 10:10
