Category: encouragement

Permission to Sit in God’s Presence

On By vickleaIn encouragement, Scripture, testimony2 Comments

Closer that You Think (Daily Refresh, 12-06)

In one unsuspecting moment, everything can change.

A relationship can shatter, a dream can suddenly end. Your heart can break for a million different reasons: grief, rejection, loneliness, uncertainty, tragedy, betrayal.

When something terrible happens and the world makes zero sense…

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. 
Psalm 34:18 NLT

David, the writer of Psalm 34, preached what he lived. He experienced some intense highs and fierce lows, but he recognized God’s presence in the midst of his circumstances. He knew that God was near, and God could change any situation in an instant.

Is your heart broken? Is your spirit crushed?

God is near.
He hasn’t left you to fight for yourself.
He sees you in your heartbreak.
He meets you where you are.
He has not forgotten you.
He has not abandoned you.

This doesn’t mean you won’t face hard things. But even when your mind races and your heart doubts, God offers a peace and an intimacy that cannot be fully explained.

Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, we now have constant access to God’s presence through His Holy Spirit. There are many places in the Bible where the Holy Spirit is described as the Comforter—ready to soothe, guide, counsel, and encourage. 

The comfort we receive from God is a gift from His Spirit who is always with us. So if your heart is breaking and your spirit is crushed, know that you are in good hands. God is near, and He will not abandon you.

Trials and hardships are a part of life, but God has the final say.

Right now, take a few moments to name anything that has crushed your spirit. Then, give yourself permission to just sit in God’s presence for a few moments. When you’re ready, consider memorizing today’s verse and meditate on it throughout your day.

My Thoughts

Everyone has been through tough times in life. When I was a young married mom, my family in Virginia disappeared. Yes. They disappeared. They packed up and left town in the middle of the night and I had no idea where they were for over two years. My mom, my dad, my two brothers who were 19 and 13 and my five year-old sister. Gone! My husband and I rushed to Virginia after my grandmother’s frantic call that they were leaving, but they were gone. There was a warrant for my father’s arrest and they were in hiding somewhere. The FBI questioned me. I was overwhelmed with grief and filled with questions.

What kept me going? God’s presence and the power of the Holy Spirit. At that time, we were scheduled to go to Youth with a Mission in the fall, so we went there, with my family missing and feeling lost, I went. There, I immersed myself in God’s Word and got through that hard time. I cannot tell you how because it is all a foggy period of my life. But when I got a letter from my mother over two years later, I rejoiced to be able to reunite with my family again.

God is there in the hard times, in the good times, in all the times. We have to accustom ourselves to spending time in His presence to know with certainty that He is there for us. He will make Himself known and be close to you just as He was close to me then and in all of the other times I have called out to Him. God is no respecter of persons and I am a witness to the power and comfort He brings in the hardest times of life.

What’s Your Babylon?

On By vickleaIn encouragement, promises, Scripture, YouVersion App7 Comments

Fulfillment of God’s Promises (Daily Refresh 12-04)

Hundreds of years before Jesus, the people of God were in trouble. 

They were stuck in life, unable to help themselves, and perhaps beginning to doubt that God would save them. Have you ever felt the same way? If so, you might relate to the original audience of this verse—the exiles in Babylon. 

The Babylonians conquered God’s people and land, sending them hundreds of miles away. Maybe they thought that God had abandoned them, or that He couldn’t hear their cries. But God is always close—especially when His people call on His name.

Isaiah let his people know that God would provide a way out of Babylonian captivity. And God kept His promise, allowing His people to return home. 

Generations later, many of God’s people saw themselves as being in a new exile. They were home, but all was not well. So they remembered this verse and its promise—that no matter how dark or desperate our situation might be, God is able to provide a path out of brokenness, heartbreak, and despair into a whole, healthy future. 

Little did they know that an even more permanent solution to the darkness they lived in was coming. Isaiah 40:3 is a prophecy that was not only fulfilled when the exiles left Babylon and went home, but was also fulfilled in the coming of the Messiah. Through Jesus, God paved a permanent path for people to come out of darkness and find hope, strength, and peace. God provided a permanent way out of darkness and into light.

So what are you going through? What’s your “Babylon?” It might be a habit you can’t break, a loved one who keeps making self-destructive decisions, or a mental health challenge that feels overwhelming. No matter what it is, God can make a way out of brokenness and into life.

My Thoughts

Honestly, until I read this devotional, I never thought about it before. What is my Babylon? I think it is my health challenges and how discouraged I get sometimes because of them. But I also think it is being distant from children and grandchildren and feeling lonely at times. So, can God move me out of Babylon? I think He does that for me daily as I spend time with Him and have my soul refreshed by His Spirit and power. The aches and pains and illnesses don’t immediately disappear, but I am more able to cope with them and know that one day I will no longer have pain and that I will be able to breathe well without the help of nebulizer and inhalers. Jesus gives me that hope. The loneliness of not having grandchildren nearby doesn’t go away either, but God reassures me that He is close and that He will always be there. When I am feeling alone, I only have to speak His name.

So, what is your Babylon? What is holding you captive in the darkness of everyday life and its challenges. I would like each of you to think about it and release it to God so that it’s not a place of captivity but it becomes a place of looking up to the One who always offers hope. He has a plan for each of us, just as He did for captive Israel, and His plans are always good.

Use Every Opportunity to Pray

On By vickleaIn Admonition, encouragement, Scripture, worshipLeave a comment

Cultivating Honest Conversations with God (Daily Refresh, 12-3-25)

Prayer is one of the most important habits we can develop. Not only does Scripture command us to pray often, but there are tremendous benefits to building a life of prayer. 

Prayer connects us relationally to God. We can thank God for who He is and what He has done for us during our prayer time. We can ask Him for things that we need.

Even though we know we should pray, we often don’t take the time to do it. Unless we set aside time to talk to God, it doesn’t always find a way into our daily schedules. But Paul, the writer of the letter to the Ephesians, urges Christians to build a life of prayer. He says that every occasion is a chance to talk to God.

All of our requests and needs should be given to God. However, our time praying should not only be asking God for things. We should also spend part of our time in worship—thanking God for who He is and all He has done. 

Paul also encourages us to pray for other people. In fact, part of our responsibility towards others is to advocate for them through prayer. We typically remember to pray for others when something negative is happening to them. But God’s Word says we should always be praying for the people in our life.

As we pray, we should not be discouraged when we don’t see immediate change. God is always working in our lives, even if it doesn’t match our desired timeline. We may not receive the answers we want, but we can rest assured that God is always listening and working on our behalf.

Take some time today to pray to God. Thank Him for all He has done for you. Tell Him your needs. Think of a few people in your life that you can pray for. Throughout your week, use every opportunity to pray to God.

My Thoughts

I have banged this drum on several other occasions, but this article today says some things that I don’t recall saying before, so I want to reiterate how vital to your spiritual life prayer is. If I knew my husband was right there next to me and never spoke to him, I would not be valuing our relationship, would I? How much more important is God in our lives? He is always close by and yet we rush into the day often without even thinking about taking time to pray.

Prayer doesn’t have to be an hour; there is no timetable to talk to God. Just make time to do it every day and build the habit of making Him a priority every day. Then, throughout the day, you can continue to talk to Him about what you see that He needs to address.

I find myself sometimes with my thoughts wandering as I pray. People I haven’t seen in years come to my mind as I sit quietly before the Lord. I don’t claim to know exactly why, but I think the Holy Spirit knows that those people need some kind of intervention from God, so I pray for them. Whenever God brings someone to my mind, I pray. I don’t have to know why, I just have to know the One who does know and who will work in their situation. We are truly being advocates for others when we pray for them.

For me, the most important aspect about prayer is establishing God’s sovereignty in my life and my awe that He wants to spend time with me. It’s not all about my “wish list” but it is all about just taking time to talk to the Lord and then to listen to what He says to my heart, before I start my busy day.

Sometimes God comforts me, other times He admonishes me, and still other times, He just listens and I feel His calming presence. I need God every day, all day, and I think that ongoing relationship starts with prayer.

Mindset of Abundance

On By vickleaIn Admonition, encouragement, God’s blessings, ScriptureLeave a comment

Refreshed (Daily Refresh, 12-02, YouVersion)

Do you know someone who constantly pours themselves out?

They’re generous with their words, unselfish with their time, and openhanded with their money. And yet, somehow, they always seem to have more to give.

The author of Proverbs, traditionally attributed to King Solomon, said this:

“The generous will prosper; those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭11‬:‭25‬ ‭NLT

King Solomon knew a thing or two about generosity. In fact, Scripture tells us: “King Solomon was greater in riches and wisdom than all the other kings of the earth” (1 Kings 10:23). But he was also generous, spending years of his life funding and building the temple in Jerusalem, as well as sharing what he had learned with others.

Some of the unhappiest people on earth are stuck in a cycle of selfishness. But if you’ve ever been generous with your life—whether you’ve given financially, contributed your expertise, invested your time, opened up your home, or offered spiritual, emotional, and physical support—you know from experience: those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed. 

Of course, we shouldn’t give to get. And we also must apply God’s wisdom when it comes to setting boundaries and avoiding burnout. But Jesus is the King of an upside-down Kingdom, where:

The last will be first.
The greatest will be a servant.
Those who give up their life will save it.

Jesus even told a story of a poor woman who gave more than anyone else—because she gave everything she had (Mark 12:41-44).

You don’t have to be rich to be generous; you just need a heart that is willing to serve.

So today, instead of a scarcity mindset, let’s have a mindset of abundance. Our God has unlimited strength, power, and resources.

My Thoughts

As I write this, it is actually “giving Tuesday,” a phrase I am certain was coined by someone who wants you to get out your wallet. I am publishing it on Wednesday, however, because I want to think about it a while first.

It isn’t that I am against giving. Certainly not! But I am against anything that comes close to the “prosperity gospel” that I think has turned many away from the Lord, giving them the idea that they have to give to be saved and if they don’t, they will never prosper. I’m more of a proponent of giving when God tells you to, what God tells you to, how God tells you to and to whom God tells you to. The God who provided all for me will also give me the wisdom to know when, what, how and to whom without designating a specific day for it.

I had no less than 100 email messages in my inbox today, all asking for contributions of some kind or reminding me that I need to give to them for whatever reason. The “delete” button is my friend this morning. I already give to those I want to give to and if God prompts me to give more or to give to someone else, I will, but an email messages and various ads in my inbox won’t cut it.

I apologize if I sound harsh; I really don’t mean my words to hurt feelings or turn people away. I just want people to know that giving is a heart thing and whether you give or not, that is between you and God. God knows your heart, your resources and your abilities and He will speak to you if you listen.

I could now be a walking advertisement for the good that the organizations to which I contribute do and try to convince you to give to them, also. But that is not my purpose. My purpose is to let you know that God’s Word is true. When you give, you will be refreshed, but you need to give in the way God prompts you, not other people or even the messages that are flooding your inbox. The saying is that the “squeaky wheel gets the grease.” I would like to encourage you to let God be the “squeaky wheel” in your life so that when you give, it will truly be God-led and you will not feel pressured but blessed.

Stepping off of my soapbox now to wish you all a blessed day. Blessed to be a blessing, I am His servant.

Life Cycles: Dormancy

On By vickleaIn encouragement, God’s blessings, Scripture2 Comments

According to the Cambridge Dictionary online, dormancy is “ the state of being dormant (not active or growing but able to become active later.” Plants and trees go through a period of dormancy during the winter months, but they are not dead. They are just waiting for spring.

We also go through periods of dormancy, although they may not always occur according to season. Did you know that during the period of waiting, the plant is actually sending its roots down and gaining strength in order to flourish later? When we are in a period of being dormant, when we think that God has forgotten us (Note: He never does), then that is the time to lean in closer to God, to spend more time with Him and His Word, to send our roots down to the source of our strength. Likely, you have prayed and waited. And then waited some more. I would like to invite you to see this season as a period of dormancy, not a forever season that is there to destroy you. Rather, it is a season to make you lean more on God and to strengthen you for whatever may come later. God wants us to be joyful and at peace, trusting Him during the waiting periods. The trees and wildflowers are not whining and complaining. Instead, they just wait patiently and do what they were meant to do. They strengthen what they can while they can and just wait. We could learn a lot from a tree, couldn’t we?

I am not personally a fan of winter, but I do understand that it is part of the life cycle. Well, waiting for answers from God is part of our faith cycle. It is a necessary part of our growth, just as winter is a necessary part of a tree’s growth to make it stronger. If we want to flourish in the hard times, when we are waiting (usually impatiently), then we need to know that it has an ending and that springtime, the time of new life and growth is coming. God set the seasons for a reason and He makes us wait for a reason. Most of the time we don’t understand the reason, but if we can hold on and trust God, He will answer and we will be praising instead of whining. I encourage you to praise during the waiting, too. When I look at the trees with their bare limbs in winter, they are not bowing down to the earth. No, they are stretched up high to the sky, getting whatever sunlight is available. That is what we should be doing, too. Stretching and reaching for God with all that we have. Our period of dormancy will soon be over, but not until the time is right, and God determines the right time. We may not like waiting, but just think of the growth that is coming even as we wait.

What Do You Have to Give?

On By vickleaIn encouragement, God’s blessings, Scripture, YouVersion AppLeave a comment

How to Live Generously

What’s your most prized possession? It might be the most valuable thing you own, like the house you’ve worked your whole life to afford. But it could also be a photo from a special time you spent with someone you loved. Or it could be a meaningful gift from a friend.

The value we assign to our “things” is tangled up with our emotions. How we choose to use the things we cherish most reveals our true priorities. 

Jesus’ death on the cross is one of the greatest examples of God’s generosity. Despite knowing we could never repay Him, God didn’t hesitate to give up his greatest treasure—His only Son—for us. And through that sacrificial act, He demonstrated what generosity looks like: willingly offering up what we have so that someone else can thrive, even if it causes us pain in the process.

You don’t have to just give financially to practice generosity. Living generously simply acknowledges that God is able to do anything He wants through the gifts He has given you. When you let God give through you, and you honor Him with your giving, it draws you closer to Him. Generosity flows out of a thankful and trusting heart, and when you trust God with what you have, He starts to entrust you with more. 

Practicing this habit will remind you that you are not in control, but you know the One who is in control—and He can provide for all your needs. 

So what do you have to give? Try finding a place where you can invest what you have in some way. Start small, or go big. Just start.

My Thoughts

Instead of “Just Start” I would end this devotional with “Just Give.” Just give something from your heart, something that will help someone else in their quest to trust God. It may be a gallon of milk, a turkey with all of the trimmings, or even a very small thing like a dollar bill with a scripture clipped to it. This is the season of giving, and we can start it out by being thankful for all that we have, taking stock of what we haven’t used in a while and find a new home for those things. What may seem trash to us may be the treasure someone else has been praying for. So, pray, look around and just give. And if the recipient doesn’t seem grateful, remember that you are not giving for gratitude. Rather, you are giving to follow the Father’s example. There are a lot of people in the world who have never yet said “thank you” to God for the gift of His Son, yet He continues to love and show mercy.

Daily

On By vickleaIn Admonition, encouragement, God’s blessings, promises, Scripture1 Comment

The Cambridge Dictionary says “daily” means “happening on or related to every day.” Of course, you already knew that! And I am sure that you can think of more than a few things that you do daily. For me, what comes to mind immediately is brushing my teeth, taking my meds and checking my blood pressure. But did you know that the Bible talks about doing things “daily” also?

One of the first scriptures I learned about and took to heart was the one in Matthew where Jesus says to give Him your burdens because what He gives in return is easier to bear. In the Old Testament, Psalm 68 encourages us to praise God for daily bearing our burdens. Well, guess what? The Lord cannot bear for us what we are holding onto and refuse to let go of. So, we have to daily lay down our burdens, whatever is worrying us, and trust that God is taking care of it. It’s a habit that I plan to work on because I am not there yet.

I am almost certain that this scripture verse is familiar to all of the Christians here in the blogosphere. Deny, take up your cross and follow…did you see that very important word daily? This is not a once-and-done action. Daily, we deny ourselves. Daily we take up our cross, the life that God has gifted us with along with the purpose that we are fulfilling in Him. And we follow Jesus, daily. We cannot say that, “Well, back in 1973, I became a Christian, so that is all done and I’m on the right road to heaven.” Again, this is a daily commitment to the Lord, not a “I did it, I got the tee shirt and now I am securely on my way to heaven.” Maybe. The assurance comes because we daily re-commit our lives, our everything, to Him. Sometimes, it’s easy to walk backwards and get tangled up in the world’s standards and attractions. That’s why it’s important to daily commit ourselves to our life with God, in God and through God. He is the one who sustains our lives, in every way, including physically, emotionally and most importantly, spiritually. We cannot stay alive spiritually without daily spiritual food. I didn’t eat a meal back in 1973 and tell myself that was all the food I needed for the rest of my life. I need to daily soak in His truth from His Word and allow the Holy Spirit to nourish my soul so that bearing my cross is not a burden but an honor because I am carrying out God’s plan for my life, daily.

We walk by the Spirit daily, with God’s Word hidden in our hearts and with a day that starts right with time with Him. I would no more think of running out the door without brushing my nasty overnight teeth than I would go out without getting dressed first. We cannot even consider being ready to walk by the Spirit daily without preparing ourselves by immersing ourselves in His Word. You may have five minutes, ten minutes, an hour or more to spend in His Word. I don’t think God is as concerned about how much time you give Him as how much quality time you spend daily with Him, getting to know Him better through His Word and devoting time to talking to Him in prayer.

Apollos is named in the scriptures several times by Paul who knew him personally. This verse says he was a “learned man.” Some could say of me that I am “learned.” After all, I have a degree in Spanish and history and a graduate degree in educational administration. But what I consider when I desire to be “learned” is to be versed in the scriptures, in the things that really matter in life, This verse doesn’t leave us to guess what Apollos was learned in because it explains that he had a thorough knowledge of the Scriptures. That comes, I think, by daily spending time in His Word. In a world full of Katy Perrys and Taylor Swifts, I would rather be like Apollos. Thus, I need to give my time daily to what will benefit my most, to God’s Word, soaking it in and letting it bathe me in truth and light.

So, back to my first question? What do you do daily to spend time with your first priority, which should always be God? Think about it. Schedules may need to be adjusted and time managed differently in order to daily devote yourself to time with the Lord, but I consider it a habit well worth cultivating. Don’t you?

Dependence and the Wilderness

On By vickleaIn encouragement, Scripture4 Comments

All of us undergo a wilderness experience at some time in our lives. You know what that is like; it’s dry and you feel all alone. Think about Moses leading the Israelites through the wilderness and Jesus going to the wilderness to be tempted. In both cases, how did they survive? I think it was by total dependence on the Father, and that is what our wilderness experience should teach us too, if we are willing listeners.

Moses led the people in the wilderness, with the Lord leading the way to show them exactly where they should go. Moses was well acquainted with the voice of God as He spoke to him from the burning bush and called him to lead. Moses had already spent forty years in the wilderness as a shepherd, and I am sure that he was learning from God during his sojourn there. Part of the wilderness experience is learning to lean on God and not be so self-sufficient. We can’t follow if we don’t listen for the voice to lead us. We don’t have a cloud or a fire to guide us, but we have the Holy Spirit inside us, guiding us in the way we should go and reminding us of the teachings of Jesus.

Jesus’s wilderness experience was specifically for Him to be tested and He passed with flying colors, as they say. How? He spoke back the Word to Satan and then Satan left Him.

I don’t know that the Spirit leads us into the wilderness, but He might if that’s where God wants us to be for a season so that He can get our attention and speak to us clearly. Many of us, including me, need to learn the lessons that we can only learn in difficult experiences, things we call a “wilderness experience.” It takes us out of our comfort zones and forces us to look honestly at ourselves and our relationship with God as well as what our next step should be.

Our strength comes from the Lord and it is in the challenging parts of life that we learn to depend on Him and not on our own knowledge and abilities, things that God has gifted us with, by the way. We learn that He is the one who sustains us in the dry periods of our lives, giving us just what we need, just when we need it, and also just when we are open to really listen to Him.

I think we can all agree that wilderness experiences are not fun and entertaining. But they are necessary for growth and we all want to become mature Christians, fulfilling God’s purpose for us. If God is calling you to a wilderness, be ready to depend on Him and to wait with Him there until He leads you to the oasis. The wilderness is not where He will leave you; you are just passing through it on your journey to a closer walk with the Lord.

Focus vs. Sidetracked

On By vickleaIn encouragement, Scripture2 Comments

Do you know how easy it is to get sidetracked, even when you think you are focused and moving ahead well? Look at this photo carefully. There’s a straight track and then, suddenly, a sidetrack. As I understand it, the engine cannot go on the sidetrack unless someone shifts the direction towards it and then off they go. Who shifts our direction? Well, the simple answer is that we do, but there are also all of those pesky little distractions in our lives that may or may not be sent by Satan.

I am more determined than ever to stay focused on my purpose in life. I think that I am a helper and that is what I want to focus on, not doing things for recognition (sidetrack), or for monetary benefit (sidetrack) or even for a prize of some kind from others (sidetrack). I just want to help and then go on to the next task that could use my help.

Let me give you a concrete example that happened recently. One of the authors for whom I help to launch books has her team members share graphics and/or create them. I have Canva so I create graphics frequently and I am better at it than when I first began since I have learned by trial and error what may or may not work. Anyway, this author gives points for these graphics and sharing them. Points can lead to rewards like gift cards. (Sidetrack) So, I decided to help others who cannot create graphics; I make graphics out of the quotations from the book that they provide. Then, they can share the graphic and get the points for it. One friend said she would mention me and give me credit for the graphic, but I told her not to do that because I am not turning in points this time. I am staying focused on my task of being a helper, not a winner of prizes.

Our granddaughter is totally focused right now on working towards her Master’s degree and getting ready for her August wedding. She left this morning about 4:30 to head to college for her every-other-weekend in-person classes. She studies and works on projects every afternoon when she gets home from her part-time job. She goes to bed early so she can get up and get busy the next day, or as in the case this morning, head out for her two and a half hour trip. She is a practicing Christian and takes time every morning for her devotional before she heads to work, so she is keeping her priorities straight. But her main focus right now is to get her degree in occupational therapy so that she can help others. I have no doubt that she will reach her goal because she is continuing forward with “her eyes on the prize.”

We need to pray and ask the Lord what He wants us to focus on. When I prayed, I felt the Holy Spirit nudging me that I am to be a helper, in as many ways as I can given my advanced age and limited capabilities. My heart is on Christ as whatever I do, I do for Him. I don’t desire or seek earthly rewards. After all, they all perish. I just want to be a helper. I don’t remember a single scripture in which Jesus asked for remuneration or any kind of payback for His work that He did for others. He simply wanted them to go and tell what had happened so that others would believe. Jesus accepted their gratitude, although their thanks was not a prerequisite to receiving His blessing. I am not trying to compare myself to the Lord; rather, I am trying to emulate Him and just help out where I see a need.

This is my prayer today for me and for you. I hope that you will recognize what is worthy of your attention and keep your focus on God’s Word. That is what I am trying to do, and I hope that this post today is helpful to you and your walk with the Lord. God bless you.

Under Construction

On By vickleaIn Admonition, encouragement, Scripture1 Comment

When you see a sign like this, do you rush to get around it or do you look closely to see how much progress is being made? I think the answer depends on how much you have at stake in the completed project. How interested are you in it, in other words?

We recently had a new Dunkin Donuts being built in a nearby town. My husband who loves all things coffee and donuts commented every time we went by about whether they were making significant progress or not. It was just completed, and of course, he went to check it out. How could he not when he was watching them build it? His interest was piqued and he couldn’t wait to see it all done.

We are all buildings under construction, and sometimes others are interested in what is being built and want to help us along to being completed. Others just want to gawk and keep going. But there is a third group that wants to try to tear down whatever has already been built. How do some help and others tear down? God is the builder, and some help by encouraging us in our walk with Him. We may not have a roof and be leaking, but God is repairing, replacing and restoring as fast as we will allow Him to do so. We have to be open to the changes in our hearts and attitudes that need to occur in order to complete the building. In order to be open to the changes, we need encouragement from others, especially those who have already experienced some of what we are going through.

When we encourage others, we get encouraged ourselves. We are a community of believers, not a one-man show.

The ones who discourage us are those with disparaging remarks, like, “You say you’re a Christian, but I’m just not seeing it.” Or, “If you’re such a good Christian, why do you use the language you do sometimes?” You know what I mean. We are Under Construction, meaning God is still working on us. We are not perfect and probably never will be on this side of heaven. But we keep reaching for that perfection and each time the Holy Spirit leads us away from temptation and toward goodness, we are helping to build the person we are supposed to be. Unbelievers don’t understand the whole thing about not being finished yet. They expect us to be super-Christians, without sin or errors or any humanity left in us. Only Christ would meet their expectations and they don’t believe in Him. The truth is that we all hear more discouraging remarks every day than the positive ones.

I want to encourage you today to build someone up. Think of someone who can use an encouraging word. Call that person, write him/her a note, go to visit them. Just make a point of being an encourager today. Running errands today? Who might you meet that could use an encouraging word? You have a vested interest in the progress of others because they are your brother or sister in the Lord, or even possibly someone with whom you can share your testimony so that’s they can start on the road to salvation themselves. Remember that we reap what we sow, so let’s all of us sow seeds of encouragement. After all, don’t we want to see everyone a completed and perfect work of God? Heaven awaits. Until then, we are all “Under Construction.”