March 6, 2013

W.R.A.P. #5 - Encouragement: Setting Hearts on Fire


Encouragement is one of your most powerful allies in the world. Encouragement can turn a fearful wanderer into a courageous visionary. It can cause a shambled marriage to be infused with life. It can turn an insecure dreamer into a confident accomplisher. And, it can take an apathetic heart & set it on fire with relentless passion!

Recently, I was overwhelmed to hear one of my friends share with me how the encouragement from a message I preached, The Risk of Faith, inspired the courage she needed to move forward & begin her own dessert business. Now her business, P31 Cakes, is picking up. She has shipped orders across the country & has even been invited to sell her desserts in a restaurant! All because of encouragement.

You often don’t realize how powerful encouraging words are to you or people around you. Encouragement literally means, “to inspire courage.” Through your words you have the power to infuse courage into the heart & mind of another. Your encouragement can help someone take a step that they desire to take by giving them an inspirational nudge; it can help someone go from “I know I can” to “I’m doing it!”

Today’s Challenge
Today’s W.R.A.P. (Wednesdays Random Act on Purpose) is for you to intentionally encourage 2 people around you in what they are doing or dream of doing. Perhaps it is a coworker you see working hard who needs some inspiration. Maybe it is your spouse who has been working hard on an area in his or her life, or maybe it is your leader or child. Whoever it may be, find 2 people that you can give specific & intentional encouragement to in order to inspire courage in their life. You never know, you may be inspiring a future New York Time Best Seller, Teacher of the Year, Pastor, World Traveler, or Business Owner.

Let’s Do It Together
How has the encouragement from another inspired you to move forward in an area of your life? When you gave encouragement to your 2 people, how did they respond?

2 comments:

  1. Russ, was that "encourager" in my life. In fact, it was Russ the one who taught me how to pray, worship, and seek God's prefect plan for my life above all things. As a result, I found out what "exactly" it was that God wanted me to be and do. Now, I am attending College after 20 years and doing really good. I am ought to become what He said I could become and it was all the result of Russ taking the time to build me up spiritually to be able to translate that physically.

    My wife was the next one in line so I encouraged her, built her up and inspired her more with my actions. She went back to get her GED and is now attending College. She wanted to become a Therapist as I, but I encouraged her to be better and so she is in the wonderful predicament to become either a Medical Doctor or Nurse Practitioner. Most importantly, she believes she can do it! As Do I.

    Today, I encouraged my eldest daughter, Marsalia. Marsalia is 12 going on 13, but sometimes thinks she's 20 :)
    She's been struggling with some personal girl issues lately. We prayed and read a scripture together and then I hugged her tight. Then I began to share with her of all the times Daddy went through some pretty hard times as a kid and wished there had been a way out, but there wasn't. We talked about ways to communicate, spending time with God, and loving one another. Her response surprised me. She wanted more time with me. To visit her at school and to allow her to stay with me while I spend time with God alone. can't wait to see what results that brings!

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    1. Rene, that is so great to hear how one person's encouragement in your life became a pattern for you to follow. It's so beautiful to hear how you are moving forward, how your wife has felt empowered by you to move forward, & how your daughter is awakening a deeper sense of fatherhood in you. All are results of encouragement. Can't wait to hear how you & your daughter continue to grow through your encouraging words & actions. Thanks so much for sharing!

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