Encouragement

Have you ever sat in a restaurant eating your meal and been forced to listen to a know-it-all sitting nearby? Of course you have. Voices carry, and sometimes no attempt is made to turn down the volume. We’ve all had to listen to their loud phone and table conversations. It’s a bit like being served a delicious burger with a side of rotten fruit. In between bites of fast food, people bitterly complain about their messy lives and lay blame on other people.

My phone dinged and alerted me to a new text. It was from my cousin. Earlier, Jenny and I had talked about my ministry to share Christ with others. I admitted to feeling vulnerable because I am transparent about my spiritual walk. When I read Jenny’s text, I recognized the reason she sent it to me. There were photos of three different pages from her mom’s journal. Her mom died years ago, and eagerly I read the words written by my Aunt Delores.

My heart is lighter today, but I'll admit, I've been in a place that I don't like to be... a bit lost and in need of encouragement. The reasons are probably no more than many of you are facing, but here's the thing. Usually, I am the encourager. Encouragement/Exhortation is one of my spiritual gifts. I love encouraging others. I am encouraged when I encourage others.

In February 2019, we moved from Pensacola to a small Alabama town east of Birmingham, so that my husband could continue his long career with the power company. We spoke many prayers prior to our move and were absolutely certain God was directing our steps. God and His church are important in our lives, so after settling into our new home we began a church search.