“Therefore encourage one another and build each other up…”
1 Thessalonians 5:11
When you need encouragement, where do you go? To a good book? To the Internet? There are many encouraging blogs such as this one. But sometimes you need more than words, you need someone with skin on. Someone who will listen to you, stand by you, pray for you, believe in you. Right?
I found this someone in Mr. Turner, a man in his eighties, who had served God all of his life. I would find his comforting notes in my mail box. He would call me by telephone to ask how things were going. Sometimes he would say, “If ever you need to talk, come over to our house. Mrs. Turner and I will be happy to see you.”
When I did go to their house, I was received with genuine pleasure and a cup of tea. Mr. Turner would position himself so he could hear me better. Then he would ask, “What’s happening?”
For one hour they would listen to me carefully. Then Mr. Turner would say, “We’ve heard enough now, Helen, let’s take it to the Father.”
Hushed I listened as this man and his wife thanked God for his abiding faithfulness to them throughout the years. They thanked God that he would be just as faithful to me. They affirmed me as a good person. They breathed hope into me that God would use even this experience for good in my life.
Before I left the safety of their home, my friends would give me some words of encouragement from the Bible, “Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: ”(Psalm 37:5)
Gently closing the Bible, he would say, “Leave it in God’s hands now. He will work this out in due time.”
Can you be an encourager to someone today? Send a note, make a phone call, go for a walk, and above all, listen more than talk.
Father, I thank you for people who’ve encouraged me. I want to be an encourager today
By Helen Lescheid
To read more of Helen’s writings go to http://www.helenlescheid.com
Learn more about knowing Jesus at: http://thoughtsaboutgod.com/four-laws/
Follow Us On:
