Everyone wants it and we all need it. Encouragement! That seems to be the cry around Bloggyville lately! I read this post and this post and was so upset by the whole situation. I tend to agree with Sarah when she says, in much nicer words, to keep your mouth shut if you can't say something nice! (She almost quit blogging because of some things that were said in comments). Wouldn't we all be well-served to heed these wise words? What in the world makes us think we have the right to speak unkindly to our Christian sisters--or anyone else for that matter--including our families? Why is it that criticism seems to fall out of our mouths so much easier than encouragement? I know that I am sometimes much quicker to criticize than to encourage, especially with my children and husband. We would do well to learn that encouragement goes much farther than criticism does to change things. Let's do take the time today to be an encourager and lift up everyone we come in contact with. Wouldn't the world--and the blogging community be a much better place? I know that the vast majority of Christian women bloggers are very encouraging, and I have never received an ugly comment, but I am going to give it an extra effort today! I hope you will too! I leave you with this quote and a Bible scripture I found:

Labels: Faith

Do you ever struggle with feeling weary? Do you feel like, as a Christian, you shouldn't be feeling that way? So many times, Christians are just tempted to quit. We get fed up with doing all the right things and feeling like it's all for naught. The Bible says: "And let us not lose heart and grow weary and faint in acting nobly and doing right, for in due time and at the appointed season we shall reap, if we do not loosen and relax our courage and faint." Galatians 6:9 (Amp). Weariness comes from working hard at something and not seeing any results. We wonder why we are not seeing the fruits of our labors. Why is that loved one not responding to the Gospel? Why is our teen-ager still rebelling? Will my spouse ever be saved? Will God ever heal my friend? We set our own time-table and wonder if God knows what He is doing. Why do I bother, we might ask. Rest assured that God knows what He is doing--He knows when to do it and how to do it. He sees the eternal picture--one that we cannot see. He is always on time and He is never late. We must trust Him in this. Jesus said that if we continue in doing right, we will reap. That is a promise. My encouragement for you today is to take courage. When you feel like you can't go on, let Jesus carry the load for awhile. Rest in Him, build up your strength by staying in His Word and in prayer, listen to some worship music, and remember that you are more than a conqueror through Jesus Christ our Lord. He will give you rest when you need it and He will walk beside you all the way--He'll even pick you up and carry you in His arms if He needs too. After all, He is your Father and He cares so much! The harvest is coming, my friends. My Father said so.

Labels: Faith

I started reading through the Bible again this year. The last time I started this, it took me 4 years to finish. Not because I was only studying the Bible every fourth day but because I would stop every time I did a Beth Moore study--and then pick it up again. This time I am DETERMINED to finish it in 1 year. Now I know there are some out there who are doing the Bible in 90 Days and I am highly impressed! 90 DAYS? It took me 4 YEARS to get through it the last time! I am going for a year--whether our church does a Beth Moore study or not. We just finished her study of Daniel a few weeks ago and I have managed to stay on track so far! Anyway, I was reading in Numbers today--Numbers chapter 12 to be exact. And I have a big question-- Can any one of my two or three readers tell me why Miriam was stricken with leprosy for speaking ill of her brother Moses-- and Aaron got off scott-free for the very same thing? What is up with that? Maybe because Aaron was the High Priest-- and not just because he was a man? Hmmm... Sometimes, it is all mystery to me! I am loving the Old Testament though. ( I love Moses too because I am like him in that I am not good at public speaking either).! I am keeping a notebook this time through and I feel like it is really helping me to soak it all up! God is so good and his Word is everlasting and life-changing!! If you're not reading, you should be! *Updated to add: I looked my question up in my commentary--(I was being lazy to ask you!)--it says it was because Miriam was probably the chief instigator and if Aaron had been stricken, it would have been bad for the priesthood.

Labels: Faith