~ Be An Encourager ~

Have you ever thought about how your words, whether spoken or unspoken, affect another person? Well, it is no secret how much I love my family. I speak of them often and I thank God every second for the blessings I have in my husband and three kiddos. God uses them in a lot of my “teachable moments” and grows me in ways that stretch and reshape my life. I praise him so much for that!

My kids are fortunate enough to have both sets of their grandparents here in the same town. They get to see them quite a bit and that is such a treat for them. They also get the privilege to spend the night with them from time to time and be spoiled as grandparents love to do. I am so grateful for the time they have with their grandparents!

The other day, the kids spent the night with their grandparents and I called to talk to them. I love hearing each one of their sweet voices on the phone! When Caleb got on the phone the first thing he did was ask, “Are you having a good day at work, mommy?” Well, of course, that blessed my soul! Here my precious little 7-year-old is asking me how I am doing. It made me stop and think of how many times I get wrapped up in my own “things” that I forget about all the people around me who may just need a word of encouragement.

I am so blessed to be surrounded by a family of encouragers! We really try to find ways to encourage each other in our home. I love leaving my husband love notes in his car or suitcase as he travels and sneaking notes in the kids lunchboxes or under pillows. My husband is always quick to leave me a note or an unexpected text message just to tell me he loves me, my teenage son, Ben, will come through the kitchen as I cook and give his mama a big “bear hug” and say “love ya, mom”, my sweet Callie-boo writes me letters and even sneaks notes on my phone to tell me all the things she loves about her mom, and little Caleb, just smiles and says “I love you mom, you look beautiful.” What a sweet aroma to the soul!

As Caleb offered me that encouragement the other day, I wondered how many times I have missed an opportunity to offer that encouragement to someone in need. You know, our words can be a powerful thing, but also our lack of words can be just as powerful. I admit that there are times that I am so distracted by life that I have missed an opportunity to be the word of encouragement that a person needs. Sometimes it could be as easy as just stopping, paying attention, and offering a smile. Think of a time when you were having “one of those days” and someone encouraged you. Think of how that brightened your day! We can all be encouragers and take after the Master Encourager, Jesus! He has given us a whole Book of encouragement and we can share that with others!

We are in a day and time when tough times seem to be the “norm”, but what power we have to make a difference in the lives of others. That power is the gift of encouragement!

Proverbs 12:25 “Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up.”

I have been challenged this week to be more aware of times that I need to encourage others. I thank God for his sweet gift of my family and their encouragement but I also thank him for reminding me to love others through my encouragement. He has set the example by loving me so much and I want to imitate that love and encourage others!

Ephesians 5:1-2 “Be imitators of God, therefore, as dearly loved children and live a life of love, just as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us as a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.”

So as we begin our day, may we all be encouragers and love those in our paths!

Blessings~

Allison

~ Laughter In the Air ~

I have really enjoyed spending lots of time with my kids this summer! We spent a fun ten days in Orlando, but most of our time has been right here at home just relishing in the comfort that is HOME! During the busyness of the school year (which we are NOT ready for yet), time at home is not as accessible so we are enjoying this precious time. One thing I have really treasured this summer is the sound of my children’s laughter. Wow! Though I have heard it many times, because we laugh a lot in this house, the joyful sounds of their laughter really are music to my ears. Each of my children’s laughter is very different but when I hear them, I praise God for it! Our family dinner times are a lot of fun! When I grew up in a family of five kids, dinner times were a hoot! I recall macaroni noodles being flicked off of forks seeing if they would stick to the ceilings and lots of laughter. Well, now the dinner table at my home is becoming the same special time (minus the macaroni noodles flying through the air!). We use that precious time to enjoy each other and laugh! It is not a time to see how much etiquette we have, though manners are important, but a time to enjoy each other and the uniqueness that makes us family!

Have you ever noticed when someone is laughing it begins to be contagious? I remember a YouTube video going around with a group of baby quadruplets lying on the bed with their mom just giggling and cackling. That is all it was but anyone who watched it found themselves laughing along. It was adorable! I have realized that people are so busy and stressed lately that they forget to laugh. We are in a day and age that is very difficult. It is hard to even cut on the television or radio without being bombarded with depressing news of where this world has gone. What I do know with all certainty is that God is in control! That in itself brings such comfort to my soul! During these uncertain times, we need to be more consistent with finding the blessings right in front of us. So many times we miss opportunities to celebrate and rejoice because we get wrapped up in the negative things in our paths. God’s Word says:

Psalm 118:24 “This is the day the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.”

Every day is a day to rejoice to the Maker and Giver of that day! Life is so precious! It truly is a gift from Almighty God and finding the blessings, make the day even sweeter. I have rediscovered three beautiful blessings this summer in a new way. That is my children’s laughter! Though it was there all along and I have always enjoyed it, I have listened with fresh ears and a renewed spirit! Priceless!

I am so thankful to my Heavenly Father for alerting my spirit to many things this summer! Things that have been there all along but have a newness that is refreshing to my soul! I praise him for his mercies, which are new every day! I encourage you to rediscover laughter and enjoy the beauty of this life that God has blessed us with! Listen to your kids as they laugh and laugh along with them! Find ways to celebrate life! Life in Christ is worth living for and worth celebrating!

Psalm 96:11-12 “Let the heavens rejoice, let the earth be glad; 
let the sea resound, and all that is in it. Let the fields be jubilant, and everything in them; let all the trees of the forest sing for joy.”

Is God Really Enough?

I know my blog has been pretty quiet over the last few weeks as I have been out of town for the better part of a month now. It really has been an amazing month with such sweet time with my sisters and then a wonderful vacation with my hubby and kiddos to Disney for an awesome reunion with our China family! Though my blog has been quiet, that doesn’t mean that God hasn’t been teaching me quite a few things, to say the least. If I had a computer keyboard hooked up to my heart I think I could have written a novel with all the truths he is showing me from his Word. Lol! Upon our arrival home from vacation, I got the word that my dear cousin, Lea Ellen had gone on to be with Jesus. I spent the next couple of days celebrating her life with our family in Virginia and was reminded of how precious life really is. Through her 42 years on this earth, physically she endured so much. Never being able to walk and run and do the many things that we take for granted every day, but to think that she is up in heaven with my Jesus running and dancing brings such a smile to my face. I praise God that she is healed and whole right now and I look forward to the day that I will see her again!

Over the last month of jet-setting and family fun time, God continued to teach me valuable lessons. My prayer will always be to remain teachable so that through any and every circumstance I “get” exactly what he wants me to see to ensure that my strength and dependence remains in him and him alone! Over time, I will Lord willing, share with you many of the special moments that have taken place during this last month. I don’t want to forget any of them so I love to journal as a way to keep them embedded in my heart and mind.

One thing that God kept bringing to my heart over the last few weeks is the question, “Am I really enough for you?” I won’t go into all the details of why this question kept coming up, but I will say that this last year has been a time of real growing in my faith in a lot of different areas. God has been doing a work in my life and my faith has been tested. This question when you first look at it is easy to answer. “Well, of course God, you are enough for me.” But when times of trial emerge, can we still answer with all certainty, “Yes, God, you are enough for me.” I can’t even begin to tell you how I love studying through Scripture. The pages just come alive for me like never before! His Word says,

“For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.” Hebrews 4:12

That is so TRUE! His Word penetrates to the depths of my soul and I long to stay right there and continue to immerse myself deeper and deeper!

Through my Christian walk, there have been many trials come and go, and many more still to come. I thank him for his Word that is the “go-to” book for every issue that comes forth. There are many times we don’t know why we go through certain things and we just want them to end but God allows those things to happen for a reason and it is not for us to ask “why” but to stay steadfast on him for the strength to make it through. Our human natures want to figure it all out and “fix it”. That is where I am! But, oh, how my gracious Father has reminded me that he is enough for me. My hope, my trust, my faith, is in him alone and I desire to learn and grow through the trials. Now here is the hard part (yes, it gets harder! Lol!) I am going to rejoice through the trials and praise my God through it all!

James 1:2-8 says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. Such a person is double-minded and unstable in all they do.”

You see; these times of trial are opportunities for us to grow toward our Father. Times to mature and grow in wisdom. Are they easy? No! Absolutely not! But praise God that he is with us through it all. In the midst of the trials are when we really have to face the question, “Is God really enough for me?” When we don’t understand and things really don’t make sense in our human eyes, is God enough for you?

There was a song we sang years ago by the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir that really ministered to me. The words are a beautiful prayer to God and I find myself singing this to my Lord even now. I encourage you to look this song up but here are the lyrics:

Jehovah Jireh, my provider

You're more than enough for me.

Jehovah Rapha, You're my healer,

by Your stripes, I have been set free.

Jehovah Shamma, You are with me

and You supply all of my needs;

You are more than enough,

You are more than enough,

You are more than enough for me.

Dear Abba Father, your grace is sufficient for me; your power is made perfect in my weakness. I thank you for your never-ending love and your comfort during the times we don’t understand. You never promised that this life would be easy but you did promise that you would never leave us nor forsake us and that you would give us everything we need to make it through. I thank you for the trials, I thank you for Word, I thank you for your sweet fellowship through prayer, and I thank you for your comforting presence! Lord, you are good and your mercy endures forever! No matter what comes my way, I praise you and I say with confidence to you my precious Savior, that YOU are enough for me!