Topic > Relationships > Encouragement >
Words for the Weary
A few days after his father died, 30-year-old C. S. Lewis received a letter from a woman who had cared for his mother during her illness and death more than two decades earlier. The woman offered her sympathy for his loss and wondered if he remembered her. “My dear Nurse Davison,” Lewis replied. “Remember you? I should think I do.”
Lewis recalled how much her presence in their home had meant to him as well as to his brother and father during a difficult time. He thanked her for her words of sympathy and said, “It is really comforting to be taken…
The Swagger
In the summer of 2015, Hunter (aged 15) carried his brother Braden (8) for a fifty-seven-mile walk to raise awareness of the needs of people with cerebral palsy. Braden weighs sixty pounds, so Hunter needed frequent rest stops where others helped him stretch his muscles, and he wore special harnesses to disperse Braden’s weight. Hunter says that while the harnesses helped with the physical discomfort, what helped him most were the people along the way. “If it weren’t for everyone cheering and walking with us, I wouldn’t have been able to do it. . . . My legs were sore…
Coming Alongside
Her thirty classmates and their parents watched as Mi’Asya nervously walked to the podium to speak at her fifth grade graduation ceremony. When the principal adjusted the microphone to Mi’Asya’s height, she turned her back to the microphone and the audience. The crowd whispered words of encouragement: “Come on, honey, you can do it.” But she didn’t budge. Then a classmate walked to the front and stood by her side. With the principal on one side of Mi’Asya and her friend on the other, the three read her speech together. What a beautiful example of support!
Moses needed help and…
Keep Climbing!
Richard needed a push, and he got one. He was rock climbing with his friend Kevin who was the belayer (the one who secures the rope). Exhausted and ready to quit, Richard asked Kevin to lower him to the ground. But Kevin urged him on, saying he had come too far to quit now. Dangling in midair, Richard decided to keep trying. Amazingly, he was able to reconnect with the rock and complete the climb because of his friend’s encouragement.
In the early church, followers of Jesus encouraged one another to continue to follow their Lord and to show compassion.…
Understanding how much God loves you
How much does God love you? Today on “Discover the Word,” we begin our study on “The 4D Love of God.” Interestingly, when the apostle Paul described “the height, the depth, the width and the length” of God’s love for us, he himself was under house arrest. How can understanding Paul’s circumstances change our own perspective about how much we’re loved by God? Join the group today on “Discover the Word”!
How do we best pray for others
Today, we’ll pose the question, “How do we pray for others when we don’t know what’s best for them?” In his letter to the Philippians, the apostle Paul gives us a model on how to do that, so we can pray, even when we don’t know what to pray for. That’s today on “Discover the Word.”
True confidence comes in Christ alone
In the film, “The Sound of Music,” Maria von Trapp sings, “I have confidence in sunshine, I have confidence in rain.” But nature can’t help you when you need answers to prayer. The apostle Paul modeled true confidence. His trust was in Christ alone and the power of prayer to transform people into His image. Don’t miss this important conversation today on “Discover the Word”!
Praying with joy
In today’s busy world, does the thought of having to pray consistently for someone seem burdensome? Today on “Discover the Word,” we’ll discuss how Paul is our example when it comes to praying with joy. It’s all about relationship. Don’t miss the discussion, today on “Discover the Word”!
Bearing each other’s burdens
One sign of a healthy church is bearing each other’s burdens in prayer. Today on “Discover the Word,” we will discuss what it means to be “Praying for Others” with the apostle Paul’s words to the Philippians, “I thank God every time I remember you.” Paul had forged a strong bond with the people there. But since Paul was only in Philippi for a few weeks, how was that possible? Join the group today on “Discover the Word”!
What Do You Know For Sure?
“What do you know for sure?” This was the question American talk show host Oprah Winfrey would often ask her guests at the end of each interview on her wildly popular talk show.
New “Dislike” Button: Like or Dislike?
It’s official: Facebook is working on a “dislike” button for your posts—after reportedly refusing to build one for a really long time.
Contrary to what it sounds like, the button is meant to provide a way for people to express empathy—not negativity—says founder Mark Zuckerberg.
Coming Alongside
When my sister Carole was diagnosed with breast cancer, our family worried. That diagnosis, with its surgeries and treatments, caused us to fear for her well-being, which drove our family to prayer on her behalf. Over the ensuing months, Carole’s updates were honest about the challenges. But we all celebrated when the report came back that the surgery and treatments had been successful. Carole was on the road to recovery!
Then, less than a year later, my sister Linda faced the same battle. Immediately, Carole came alongside Linda, helping her understand what to expect and how to prepare for what she…
How I Discovered My Spiritual Gift
“Do you have a spiritual goal in your life?” the guest speaker asked us during a youth ministry meeting one Saturday evening. He then explained that if we were born just to grow up, study, get married, have children, become old, and finally die, this meant that we would be living only to meet death.
A Voice in the Night
Psalm 134 has only three verses, but it is proof that little things can mean a lot. The first two verses are an admonition to the priests who serve in God’s house night after night. The building was dark and empty; nothing of consequence was occurring—or so it seemed. Yet these ministers were encouraged to “lift up [their] hands to the holy place and bless the Lord!” (v. 2 esv). The third verse is a voice from the congregation calling into the darkness and loneliness of the night: “The Lord who made heaven and earth bless you.”
I think of…
Understanding the silence of God
Hardships and troubles can make a lot of noise in our lives, but it seems like it makes it worse when we feel like God is staying quiet! Join us as we continue studying Psalm 55 and David’s plea, “God, please talk to me!”
