The Power of Encouragement

By Carin LeRoy –

Encouragement is important in everyone’s life. While living as missionaries overseas, my husband and I went through some discouraging trials in our earliest years on the field. During those difficulties, the director of Pioneers, Ted Fletcher, wrote us letters of encouragement. His words gave us the boost we needed. He even came to where we lived for a visit. Without his inspiration and support, I wonder if we would have made it through the obstacles we faced.

One of my favorite Bible characters (among many!) is Barnabas. His name means “son of consolation,” or “comfort.” In Acts 13-15, we read the story of Paul and Barnabas and their missionary travels to spread the gospel. On the first part of their journey they took John Mark along as a helper. But during the trip, he deserted them. Later when planning other places to visit, Barnabas wanted to give John Mark a second chance and take him along. Paul disagreed. Their sharp argument separated them, and they departed for different areas of ministry. Barnabas took John Mark, and Paul left with Silas.

Both were great men of God, but Barnabas was a mentor. He saw something in John Mark that he deemed valuable and worthy of his time and effort. After spending time working with John Mark in ministry, he soon became an important asset, even to Paul. Later he said, “Get Mark and bring him with you, because he is a great help to me in ministry” (2 Timothy 4:11 NET). I wonder if Paul would have said that had it not been for the encouragement and mentoring that Barnabas invested in John Mark’s life.

It is interesting to know that in Acts 9, the disciples rejected Paul because they feared he wasn’t a believer and might persecute them. Barnabas became his advocate and supported him. He not only mentored John Mark, but also Paul! Both became great missionaries in spreading the gospel.

We underestimate the power of encouragement. Each day we encounter people who need a word of praise, a kind word, or time from us. Who are they? Maybe they are within our own family, in the work place, or a neighbor across the street. Let’s also take heed of God’s reminder to “encourage one another and build up each other” (I Thessalonians 5: 11 NET). Be a Barnabas in someone’s life today.

PRAYER: Father, help me learn to be a person of encouragement. Keep me mindful that people are more important than my goals and schedule. Show me today how You can use me to build up and show kindness to others.

“And we urge you, brothers, warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, and be patient with everyone. Make sure that nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else” (I Thessalonians 5: 14, 15 NIV).

Today’s devotional is by Carin LeRoy, wife to Dale and mother of three grown children and one almost-grown teenager. She has been a missionary with Pioneers since 1982. Her passions are family, missions, piano, and writing to challenge others to live faithful lives for God.

Shining In the Dark

By Jennifer Slattery –

It is easy to live in self-protection mode. It is comfortable to surround ourselves with Christians, seated in a nice, safe, predictable church pew. But as I read the Bible, I never see God calling Christians into seclusion. Consider Joseph in an Egyptian prison. Egypt was a pagan land. How many prisoners, enslaved by darkness, watched Joseph pray day after day? And what about Paul? One of our favorite stories is of Paul singing in prison. How brightly did his light shine surrounded by inmates?

When our daughter was young, we lived in Southern California. Life in California is unique in many ways. It is not uncommon for a child to go through life without ever touching snow. You can live on top of your neighbors and not know them. You’ll spend hours in your car, not moving in rush-hour traffic. You’ll drive forty-five minutes to find the hiking trails cut in the center of the city. You’ll sit in your back yard, which will likely be covered in cement or gravel, and stare into the night sky in search of those ultra-bright stars that somehow manage to outshine the city lights.

One evening, we wanted her to see the night sky without the “dimming” city lights, so we drove to the desert. We lived on the edge of the Mojave, so it didn’t take long, but once we got there, the view was spectacular! The stars that appeared so faint at home blazed, and numerous stars that were previously out-glimmered by streetlights, dotted the sky.

This image often comes to mind when I pray for guidance. As new opportunities come my way, my first reaction is always self-protection—to remain tucked in my nice church pew, surrounded by brightly shining Christians, waiting…just waiting for that occasional non-Christian to trickle in. And yet, where does our light shine the brightest? In the dark. God’s love is extravagant, initiating, self-sacrificing. God’s love penetrated the darkness.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. In him was life, and that life was the light of all mankind. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:1-5).

The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness cannot, does not, will not overcome it. So, carry your candle and run to the darkness.

Jennifer Slattery is a novelist, columnist and freelance writer living in the midwest with her husband of fifteen years and their thirteen year old daughter. You can find out more about her and her writing at htt://jenniferslatterylivesoutloud.com.

Skip the Wipe Warmers

By Hally Franz –

Recently Natalie Portman accepted the Oscar for Lead Actress in a Motion Picture for her performance in Black Swan. She looked gorgeous in her designer gown and jewelry—a stunning mother-to-be on the red carpet. Pregnancy is very stylish for women today, including those who aren’t celebrities. Maternity clothes are now available in a range of colors, rather than plain pastels with bows, and they have shape, unlike the old-fashioned smock.

Not only are future mommies donning trendy clothes, their infants are living in style upon arrival too. In my circle there has been a run on babies lately. Consequently, I’ve attended several baby showers in the last few months. These precious little ones have it made.

There was a time when baby shower gifts included basics like diapers, sleepers, pacifiers, lotions, baby blankets, rattles and bottles. Now, newborns are welcomed home to private baby-sized bathing spas, state-of-the-art music and security systems, nurseries decorated with the most soothing and, simultaneously, the most stimulating walls, mobiles, and playthings, and environmentally-friendly and organically-inspired diapers. My favorite of the modern baby necessities are the wipe warmers, designed specifically to prevent the little love morsels from experiencing the traumatizing chill of a straight-from-the-box wet wipe. Wow!

At the risk of sounding terribly old school, could we be taking things a little far when it comes to pampering (pardon the pun) our children? I remember my sister and me begging Dad to turn on the air conditioning by the time July rolled around, and wearing layers all winter. My children dwell in a temperature-controlled environment. When I was a child a Saturday evening treat meant a ride to town and an ice cream cone, but today meals at McDonald’s are standard operating procedure. My summers were long and boring; my children’s are busy with camp and pool visits, the county fair and family vacation.

Honestly, I would probably use the wipe warmers if I had a baby in my home too. The truth is most children are blessed and comfortable, more entertained and worldly-wise than they need to be. Parents naturally tend to do and give more where our children are concerned. So our real challenge is to instill in them a grateful and giving spirit, a sense of appreciation for the blessings they’ve been given and of responsibility to serve and give back to others.

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, how You have blessed us in America! Please help me to always be grateful for those blessings, to be giving to others, and to raise children who are appreciative and generous Christians.

“So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness” (Colossians 2:6-7 NIV).

Today’s devotion is by Hally Franz. Hally is a former high school guidance counselor, turned homemaker. Hally sees each day as a new exercise, where routines change and weights vary. Her goal is to maintain all-around fitness for service, while training her children to be competitive, compassionate and Christ-like in the world in which we live.

Pure

By Heather Allen –

On this sanctification journey there are moments where I reflect on where I have been.  Sometimes I travel pretty far back, to the spot where it began: on my knees, next to my bed, at the age of six. Even as a little one I felt an internal conflict when I was asked to do something I did not want to do.  At times I disobeyed, and other times I lied. I fought with my brothers when they provoked me. For the most part I was a happy kid in a happy home.

And my world grew as I grew, and I found myself struggling with other types of sin.  The root was pretty much the same, selfishness and conceit. I think I loved God since I was a wee tot, but verbalizing that Jesus is Lord and that God raised Him from the dead gave life to my heart.

A few nights ago I was reading the news headlines, our world has been set on fire.  Sexual sin is everywhere. Theft, dishonesty, and dishonorable behavior are the new norm.  At one point I closed my computer and laid flat on my face.  This is an age of deception and I am fighting to keep from being deceived.  I feel the weight of contending with sin every single day. And it is tiresome.  But then I think about all of the changes in me.  There are thousands of small, daily victories where I have not given into my wants and feelings.  And learning to deny myself has led to character change.

A friend of mine said, “We will not be pure on accident, it will be something we fight hard for.”  I think she is right.  The point of purity is not so I can look shiny and clean and it isn’t just a nice thing to say because I am a Christ follower.  It is a down and dirty all out battle against my flesh.  It shows up everywhere, even in the grocery checkout where I am assaulted by magazine cover stories featuring infidelity, selfishness, and greed.  All presented in such a photo-shopped way, that the average girl cannot help but wonder what went wrong in her genetic pool.  It is a mind game. And as a whole, one I do not see being won.

So, how do I raise my kids in this culture?  How do I raise two Daniels and one Deborah?  My solution is not youth group, or Sunday school classes.  It is not counseling or involving them in good activities. This is battle. And being involved in good things is not the same as being armed.

“How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you.” (Psalm 119:9-11 NIV).

At some point, they will, like all of us, have to choose. They will decide. But while my babies are still home, I will teach them to hide the word in their hearts. I write this knowing that hiding His word in my heart will provide the only map that keeps me from stumbling head long into the apostasy minefield that Jude spoke of. The truth is I need to be cleaned and changed and the only source I know is the Word.  It is, after all, what endures.

“The grass withers and the flowers fall, but the word of our God stands forever” (Isaiah 40:8 NIV).

Heather Allen spends most of her time caring for her hubby and 3 kids.  Check out her blog: http://www.theknottedapron.blogspot.com/

Fixed

By Robin J. Steinweg –

I’ll fix you! This is beyond fixing. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Daddy, can you fix my remote-control car? I’ll go fix lunch. That election was fixed. We fixed the date for our wedding.

Ple-e-e-e-ase fix my printer! Fix these grades or else. Got the dog fixed. Don’t fix blame on everybody else. I’m fixin’ to head south. No worries, it’ll be a quick fix. It’s easier to toss it than to fix it.

Face it. We are folks with a fixation for fixing things.

Parents fix formula for babies and boo-boos for toddlers. Students fix mistakes. Teachers fix students’ mistakes. Medical personnel fix broken bones or worn-out parts. Computer technicians and programmers fix the world for computer users. Government leaders try to fix the world.

Everything and everyone needs fixing. It’s the oldest problem we have. Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the Garden and introduced entropy—the measure of disorder in a system—the tendency of everything toward chaos, breakdown and decay.

In case anyone doubts that I’ve fixed upon a truth here, let me suggest we imagine how my kitchen looks if I neglect it even for a day. Or the bathroom sink. Or the kids’ bedrooms. Picture the house siding in a month’s time. It’s as sure a law as gravity—left to follow the natural course of things, our very lives are headed for destruction.

Is there a fix for the human condition? Of course there is! God has shown His love for us in this: Jesus Christ died for us while we were still sinners. Like the dirty dishes in the sink, we can’t clean ourselves. We must look to Him to do it for us. And then He makes plans for us, plans to give us a future and a hope. A permanent fix!

AUTHOR QUOTE: As we fix our eyes on Jesus in faith, He doesn’t only repair us; He makes us new.

“But my eyes are fixed on You, Sovereign Lord” (Psalm 141:8a NIV).

Today’s devotional is by Robin J. Steinweg. Robin’s life might be described using the game Twister: the colored dots are all occupied, limbs intertwine (hopefully not to the point of tangling), and you never know which dot the arrow will point to next, but it sure is fun getting there!

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