When You’re a Hugger AND Encourager

That’s me. I come from a family of huggers. So, throw me into a world of social distancing and stay-at-home orders and I’m really uncomfortable. Actually, my heart aches for our world that needs a good dose of love, compassion, understanding and HUGS. Let’s get the truth out there. God, the greatest of all lovers everywhere, didn’t cause this world to be locked up. Not our God Who “reached out and touched” the untouchable and loved the unlovable. It was our Lord’s mode of operation that He modeled for us from the feet of His disciples as He washed them as the greatest Servant of all. Our Lord was the One that crowds thronged around Him. He was the One Who called the little children to Him. He was the One who fed the thousands in a crowded situation. So, who is responsible?

It is the enemy of our souls – the greatest hater of all – the one who locks us up to keep us from loving, the one who would rather kill, steal and destroy our peace, our joy, our hope and our love. He is the one who tried to take our Lord out, once and for all, by crucifying him. He failed. It is he that has us locked up and away from others. But, he will not win. He is a loser in every way because we have read the end of The Book, the Bible, AND, we win!

A friend of mine posted on Facebook: “I hate Facebook”. I commented: “Oh please don’t hate it. It’s my mission field. We just have to let our little lights shine brighter so the darkness gets lit up with God’s love. I’ve learned to avoid the negative in every way. You have too many blessings to not share them. Love you so much sweet girl.” The truth is if we’re not the light and the encouragers, who will be? Sure I might need to stave off my hugging for the time being, but I can still encourage in word through social media, email, and when I am at church (yes, my church is following the 50% rule – sitting in every other pew and 6 feet apart). I can wave and blow kisses through my facemask. Encouragers just have to encourage.

Country Living magazine came out with more scriptures. I posted their encouragement in uncertain times' scriptures a few weeks ago). Now they posted scriptures about encouraging others to brighten their day. I love this so much and I’m passing on excerpts from their article and scripture verses for you to use to encourage yourself and others.

“Encouragement is something we all need to keep us motivated, loved, and feeling confident in ourselves and what we do. It’s something that is important for our mental and overall health and it truly can give us just the same amount of joy to give it to others as it is to receive it. Because God created us and knows this about our personalities, he has provided countless verses in the Bible to not only encourage us but also to teach us the importance of lifting up those around us. Imagine how your community could change for the better with a little more encouragement between neighbors instead of community message boards filled with complaints. Or how strong your team at work could become if each person talked up their teammates' work instead of their own accomplishments in order to get ahead. What a world that could be!”

** Hebrews 10:24-25 -- "And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds..”
** Psalm 31:24 -- "Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the Lord."
** Psalm 121:1-2 -- "I lift up my eyes to the hills. Where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth."
** Romans 15:2 -- "Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up."
** John 16:33 -- "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world."
** 1 Corinthians 16:13 -- "Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be courageous; be strong."
** Romans 8:31 -- "What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?"
** 1 Thessalonians 5:11 -- "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing."
** Romans 15:5 -- "May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had."
** Romans 15:2 -- "Each of us should please our neighbors for their good, to build them up."
** 1 Timothy 4:12 -- "Let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity."
** Isaiah 40:31 -- "But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."
** Joshua 1:9 -- "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go."
** 2 Timothy 1:7 -- "For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control."
** John 14:27 -- "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid."
** Philippians 1:6 -- "And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ."
** John 15:13 -- "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends."
** 1 Corinthians 10:13 -- "No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it."
** Galatians 6:2 -- "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ."

Thank you, Country Living magazine, for giving us exactly what we need to be encouraged and be encouragers!

God's Church Triumphant is Alive and Well

God's Church Triumphant is Alive and Well
I'll be heading home from Tulsa after attending church with so many of my dearest friends this morning. Of course, my sweet godson will be sitting by me. That's been his seat since my Sweetheart went to heaven. Each Sunday, he'd wait for me, or I would wait for him to snuggle close to me, often holding hands, and while in that place, I would remember the precious man whose place he took there. That man and I treated going to church like “date night”, except God was the center of our attention, while we held hands together. I never loved him more than when we were worshiping God together. My godson has helped me carry on that love.

The recent “church” tragedies could cause one to question that attending church isn't that safe place that it once was, but, without fear or doubt, I know it is still a place of hope, peace, comfort, faith, community, and fellowship with God and His people. Of course the enemy of our souls celebrates if he can create fear in our churches, in outdoor music concerts, in our schools, and even just a walk down the street, but fear only paralyzes us and keeps us from the abundant life Christ came to give us. Isaiah 41:10 says 'Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.'

Rather than being on the defense, St. Paul gave us a warfare strategy against our greatest enemy in Ephesians 6:10-17 Ephesians 6:10-17 “Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the BELT OF TRUTH buckled around your waist, with the BREASTPLATE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS in place, and with your FEET FITTED WITH THE READINESS THAT COMES FROM THE GOSPEL OF PEACE. In addition to all this, take up the SHIELD OF FAITH, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the HELMET OF SALVATION and the SWORD OF THE SPIRIT, which is the word of God.” Now that's what I call "suited up for day AND night patrol!

We continue to ready up each day by putting on our whole armor and that includes carefully choosing those friends that brighten our day with good news instead of bad news. That's why I love attending my church. It's the Body of Christ -- fellow believers. We're the family of God and when we gather together, we realize that these are the people who love to talk about the things that we love to talk about; they love to dwell on the topics that are dearest to our hearts. If our hearts have been given to the LORD, we gravitate to hanging out with His people who are like-minded in our desires to know Him and his children more. We even sincerely desire to reach out more to others to help them know Him more, too. We are motivated and inspired to live out our faith in word and deed. We find solace and peace within the Body of Christ. And in a world that presents so much chaos and confusion -- it's a safe place of refuge. I would propose to you that the Church is such a place. I am who I am today -- faith-filled, joy-filled, purpose-driven, and passionate about my Lord because of Church. The fact is: I've got friends in high places, where the Spirit of God dwells, not in just a building or place, He lives inside us. We are not just going to Church. We ARE the Church triumphant -- and we are ALIVE and WELL!

Love is the Answer to EVERYTHING!

Day 29 in this Month of Love -- Love is the Answer to EVERYTHING
This day marks the last day in my celebration of this month of love. Why would God want me to post about love this month? And perhaps a more telling question, why would our enemy NOT want me to post about love? Love is the answer to everything that this crazy world needs more than anything, and, of course, the enemy of our souls wants to keep us from loving. But, we refuse his tactics and lies, and with everything in us, we choose to love. I want to end this month of love with a strong nudge to all of us to take these messages of love beyond today and this month to a love that lasts a lifetime. A love that is generational. A love that is universal. May we become radical about the love we have for others that will cause this world to be shaken up with the power of love.

Mother Teresa said, “I am not sure exactly what heaven will be like, but I know that when we die and it comes time for God to judge us, He will not ask, 'How many good things have you done in your life?' Rather He will ask, 'How much love did you put into what you did?”

Since the beginning of time, the enemy has done his best to try to eradicate love from this earth. He keeps failing at it. One of these days he'll get it -- BIG TIME! He's doomed. Love created this world and all that is in it. Love created you and me. Love will win in the end, for God is love and His love is unchangeable, unending, and best of all -- UNFAILING.

Love will still conquer any and every matter of life. May love be our driving force as we pursue it in every way. What if our world could be changed by the measure of love we give. Where do we start? Remember the "love is" chapter -- 1 Corinthians 13? Putting the love chapter in the "first person" tense and REALLY strive to live it and be it -- that's where......
OUR LOVE IS.....
We determine to be patient and kind.
We refuse to be envious and boastful.
We will not be arrogant or rude.
We will not insist on having to have our own way.
We will not be irritable or resentful.
We will not rejoice at wrongdoing.
We always rejoice with the truth.
We bear all things.
We believe all things.
We hope all things.
We endure all things.
Our love never ends.

Love is the answer to everything. 1 John 3:18 "Dear children, let us not love with words or tongue, but with actions and in truth."

Let's change our world with LOVE! I love you and you and you.....pass it on!