At the college I attended, in addition to completing required courses in your major—mine being English—students also submitted a portfolio of their best work, which after the approval of an academic Board of professors qualified them for graduation.

Tucked inside my portfolio, I still have an orange 3 x 5 card on which one of my professors wrote: 

A beautiful body of work—I’m proud of you and feel lucky to be one of your readers. . . . I hope you continue writing and try to start publishing. You have talent, and heart, and wonderful wit; and equally important, you can produce graceful pages.

Me? Start publishing? Really??

At the time it sounded impossibly overwhelming, but his words gave me confidence and vision to press on and consider that “maybe I could be a published writer some day . . .”

His words gave me encouragement then, and still do today when I read them.

We all need encouragement from time to time. To encourage means “to inspire with courage.” It’s to spur on, to stimulate, or initiate hope.

The antonym is to discourage, or “deprive of courage or confidence; dishearten.”

Proverbs 25:11 tells us our words of discouragement or encouragement can make or break a person’s spirit—imparting death or life. 

Death and life are in the power of the tongue. 

Encouraging words are words of blessing. We all need to be reminded of our potential, our goodness, and most of all the beautiful qualities we carry as image-bearers of God.

A word of encouragement, fitly spoken, can be exactly what’s needed to spur us on and give us the courage to live out the high and holy calling God has bestowed upon each of our lives.

Like apples of gold in settings of silver is a word spoken at the proper moment.  (Proverbs 25:11 REV)

Here are a few thoughts about the value of encouragement:

Words of encouragement:

• are deeply connected to faith, hope, and love.
• can propel us into action.
• offer hope.
• help us feel loved.
• confirm our need for one another.
• cast a vision for the future.

Let us hold tightly without wavering to the hope we affirm, for God can be trusted to keep his promise. Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.  (Hebrews 10:23-25 NLT)

It’s been said that encouraging words are oxygen to the soul.

An encouraging word is a word of blessing.

Lord, show me who I might encourage today, and give me the words to say. In Jesus’ mighty name, Amen.

Do you have a story of encouragement? Please share in the comments below.

Copyright © 2019 Cheryl Elton

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In every decision, plan, and purpose of life, we choose between two distinct ways to function—with or without God’s help.

You see, God always wanted a family—we were created “in His image“. A family shares and communicates. How our Heavenly Father longs to speak with us!

While most people in the world function by vision, God’s people are called to operate in a radically different way—by revelation.

Let me explain . . .

People devise plans: businesses and organizations craft mission and vision statements, mapping out what they’re about and where they are going. Individuals often set goals. In all these things, people then orchestrate their lives to achieve those purposes.

As Christians, God desires for us to live differently: by arranging our lives according to His revelation, and trusting Him even when things don’t seem to make sense.

“Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; But happy is he who keeps the law.” (Proverbs 29:18 NKJV)

Whenever people fail to base their lives on God’s revelation they live unrestrained—or do what is right in their own eyes. They may make goals, arrange their agendas, and even pray for God to bless their efforts—all without His guidance and direction.

Yet God is not hiding His will from us!

God’s revelation is revealed primarily in two ways: in His Word, and via the Holy Spirit.

His Word contains everything we need for life: 

“His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him who called us by glory and virtue, by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these you may be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.” (2 Peter 1:3-4 NKJV)

God also reminds us of the daily dependence we’re to have on Him:

“Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word [rhema = speaking] that proceeds from the mouth of God.” (Matthew 4:4 NKJV)

God’s “speaking” or revelation is revealed through His spirit. Hebrews 12:25 tells us He is always speaking.

We need only quiet ourselves to listen . . .

God wants us to trust Him with all our needs. This doesn’t mean we fail to plan or prepare for the future. He knows what we need to do and what tomorrow will bring. He understands the problems we face and He will not withhold His help from us.

He simply asks that with trusting hearts we look to Him each day and carry out with obedience what He tells us.

How wonderful that God provides for us His words to live by—today! 

Will we hear and obey?

Copyright © 2016 Cheryl Elton

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