Encouragement

The dictionary defines the word encourage as follows: 

"to inspire with courage, spirit, or confidence" 

When I think of the word encourage I think about physically, mentally and spiritually coming alongside someone on their journey.  This is not a job that requires a resume, a degree or a ton of life experience, what it does require is empathy. Sometimes we do have life experiences that validate our words, sometimes we have no words, but we need to validate their feelings. 

"BE KIND. For everyone you meet is fighting a battle you know nothing about."

We usually feel compelled to say something or offer help when a friend is in need. Sometimes people say the dumbest things. They mean well, but just don't know what to say.  

I am so thankful for a whole book that says all the right things!

"Don’t panic. I’m with you. There’s no need to fear for I’m your God. I’ll give you strength. I’ll help you. I’ll hold you steady, keep a firm grip on you.” Isaiah 41:10 MSG

“The LORD is good, a strong refuge when trouble comes. He is close to those who trust in him.” Nahum 1:7 NLT

“I’ll show up and take care of you as I promised and bring you back home. I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.” Jeremiah 29:11 MSG

“Your GOD is present among you, a strong Warrior there to save you. Happy to have you back, he’ll calm you with his love and delight you with his songs.” Zephaniah 3:16-17 MSG

“but the people who know their God shall be strong, and carry out great exploits.” Daniel 11:32b NKJV

“And with the stripes [that wounded] Him we are healed and made whole.” Isaiah 53:5b AMP

“This hope is a strong and trustworthy anchor for our souls." Hebrews 6:19a NLT

“Still, I know that God lives—the One who gives me back my life— 

Job 19:26a MSG

“Don’t be afraid, I’ve redeemed you. I’ve called your name. You’re mine. When you’re in over your head, I’ll be there with you. When you’re in rough waters, you will not go down. When you’re between a rock and a hard place, it won’t be a dead end— Because I am GOD, your personal God"

Isaiah 43:2-3 MSG

Here are some other quotes that I found captivating:

"Bravery is the capacity to perform properly even when scared to death" Omar Bradley

"Courage is the mastery of fear not the absence of fear" Mark Twain

"Be fabulous - God spared no enthusiasm when He created you!" Author Unknown

"I have discovered the secret that after climbing a great hill, one only finds there are many more hills to climb." Mandela 

"In family life, love is the oil that eases the friction, the cement that binds closer together and the music that brings harmony" Eva Burrows

My prayer is as you read and re-read these verses they will attach to your spirit and when trouble comes your way, or you have a friend in need you will remember what God says! We don't have to have the right words, God does! Listen to his voice. Whatever you are facing - God IS: Our healer, our provider, our strength, our banner (feeling of hope; a focus point), our peace, our shepherd, our righteousness, and our friend. 

And if not, God is still good!

“Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego answered the king. They said, “Nebuchadnezzar, we do not need to defend ourselves to you. You can throw us into the blazing furnace. The God we serve is able to save us from the furnace and your power. If he does this, it is good. But even if God does not save us, we want you, our king, to know this: We will not serve your gods. We will not worship the gold statue you have set up.”" Daniel 3:16-18

What amazing resolve these young men had when faced with such adversity. They believed in God and knew that he is true to his word. They knew that God was to be worshipped and not the golden image set before them by the king. 

They trusted God and did not waiver. Everyone around them buckled under pressure, they did not! They remained standing, strong, together. They weren't concerned about the consequences of an earthly King, they were servants of the Most High God.

I had this similar state of resolve as I walked through my cancer journey. I totally trusted God. I knew He could heal me (He did), but even if he didn't I knew that He is still good! There are other areas in life I don't seem to have this same sense of a resolve in. I get sidetracked by the problem. I bow to the pressure. 

We have to remember who we serve and what he is capable of. Trials will come, health and marriages fail, finances come and go, BUT the God whom I serve is with us every step!

“Do not be afraid — I will save you. I have called you by name — you are mine. When you pass through deep waters, I will be with you; your troubles will not overwhelm you. When you pass through fire, you will not be burnt; the hard trials that come will not hurt you. For I am the Lord your God, the holy God of Israel, who saves you.” Isaiah 43:1b-3a

My prayer for you is that as you face your "Nebuchadnezzar" you would stand strong, with great resolve knowing that God is with you, He is for you, and He loves you! We can get caught up, distracted, and bow to the pressures of this life, don't get discouraged, stand back up! 

“See how much the Father has loved us! His love is so great that we are called God's children" 1 John 3:1a

My Glass Is Half Empty

"I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit." Romans 15:13 NLT

If you say your glass is half empty you are considered a pessimist (someone who is more negative). If you say your glass is half full you are considered an optimist (someone who is more positive). Sometimes it doesn't matter if the glass is half empty or half full its has vinegar in it and well it stinks. Such is life. 

Overall I am a pretty positive person and have been even told I minimize things. I will look at a situation and know that its not good, but can also see that it could have been worse. When we minimize our pain, our suffering or whatever we are going through we minimize the work that Christ does in our lives.  

So I will say with great confidence that my glass is half empty. With this in mind The God of all hope can fill me completely! I am empty without his joy and peace in my life. I need to trust him with every detail not worrying how big or small it might be. Every detail in our life matters to the one that created us.

My prayer for you is that whether you find your glass half empty or half full that you would allow God to fill you all the way up!  You can trust him to be your hope, your joy, your peace and so much more! Don't minimize what you are going through it may just stink, but God can and will give you the hope you need to not only walk with you through the situation but to bring you out! 

Consistency

"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever." Hebrews 13:8 NLT

They say that consistency is key...sometimes I think the only think I am consistent about is being inconsistent!

I have moved 15 times, been to 10 churches, had too many cars to count (so many that recently I decided I should lease that way I could change cars every two years). I've had numerous jobs and tried several home businesses. 

I have been consistent at my marriage to my husband of over 21 years and well I think that's it!

I was talking with a friend about this the other day and I felt like this was an area of weakness and that I needed to work harder at being consistent. I felt that The Lord wanted me to write about this and the above verse came to mind. Jesus is my constant. He has been there the whole time! Every move, every car, every church, every high and every low. I believe from my inconsistency God used that to propel me. I am not afraid of change, people, failure, etc. 

So going forward I will not worry about my inconsistencies, or idiosyncrasies I will remember the words in this song and the faithfulness of my God.

 

"If You can use anything Lord, You can use me

Take my hands Lord and my feet

Touch my heart Lord, speak through me

If You can use anything Lord, You can use me..." 

Use Me by: The Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir

My prayer for you is that whether you are consistent and don't like change, or change is your middle name that you would see the consistency of the one that spoke the world into existence and has been there for you all along. Jesus loves you and is crazy about you! He doesn't change and  he is waiting for you to ask him to be part of your life and your journey and allow him to walk with you through everything. I am thankful for His consistency these past eleven months and really my whole life! He is faithful!

I Look Back

"Generation after generation stands in awe of your work; each one tells stories of your mighty acts." Psalm 145:4 MSG

Wow, it has been a crazy, busy, scary, exhausting roller-coaster of ride these past eleven months. I am working on gaining strength and endurance, but do find that I get tired and have to manage how I am feeling so that I don't wear out to quickly.

I found a lump in my armpit the other day and contacted my doctor. I will admit I was a little freaked out about it. My oncologist sent me to my surgeon to have an ultrasound. It turns out that it was a hair follicle that is infected. Prior to getting in with the doctor I heard a song by: Elevation Worship; "I Will Look Up" the lyrics struck a chord. (http://youtu.be/tEQnoE7SnZw)

"All the worries of this world, I will lay them at your feet

Surrender every anxious thought, For perfect peace...

Oh the loved ones I hold dear, All my hopes and dreams and all my fears

I will choose to trust your name, In everything...

I will look up for there is none above you, I will bow down to tell you that I need you

Jesus, Lord of all...

I will take you at your word, Jesus you have taken hold of me

All my life is in your hands, You're my strength...

I will look back and see that you are faithful, I look ahead believing you are able

Jesus, Lord of all...

Prince of Peace, Perfect Healer

All my life, all my cares on you

King of Kings, Mighty Savior

All my life, all my cares on you...

Prince of Peace

Perfect Healer

All my life, all my cares on you

King of Kings

Mighty Savior

All my life, all my cares on you..."

As I went to the doctor I had so many thoughts and feelings going on. I was hoping and praying it wouldn't be cancer. I thought about having to do chemo and lose my hair again and how exhausting the whole process would be again. So I chose to look back and recount the faithfulness of God. I also thought about the future and knew that no matter what the outcome that he would be faithful. He cares for me! I will tell the stories of his mighty, faithful acts! 

My prayer for you that as you journey through life and whatever struggles you may have that when at the lowest point or highest peak you would be able to pause for a moment to reflect on the faithfulness of God and realize that He will see you through the next thing you face. I have learned to trust God and I laugh at the hard stuff because I know He will see me through! He will see you through too!

Strong Enough?

"He gives power to the faint and weary, and to him who has no might He increases strength" Isaiah 40:29 AMP

"My grace is enough; it’s all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness." 

2 Corinthians 12:9 MSG

I feel that I have been pretty transparent about what I have been going through, how I feel and such. I have been feeling pretty good and well on the road to recovery. 

My hair is long enough that I just got a trim with scissors instead of electric clippers! I am able to have my nails done and I am feeling a little more "normal".

About four weeks ago I started getting headaches. They asked a ton of questions and I even had an MRI. One of the nurses where I worked asked me if I was stressed out. I said I didn't think so. She said that I have been through a lot these past eight months and have been so strong that my body could be trying to catch up. I started to think about this. I spoke to my nurse practitioner and she said that certain personality types get their diagnosis and just start down the path and don't look back or think twice, but then when it's all said and done it hits them like a brick. I think I've been hit by a brick! Two thousand thirteen was a year of great highs and great lows. From my dad passing away and my battle with cancer to celebrating twenty years with the best husband and traveling to South Africa. There were a lot of other things that were packed into last year as well. 

I have been through a lot, but not as much as some. When I feel down I tell myself it could be worse, or that there are others in the midst of the battle. I have tried to maintain my personality, work ethic, my faith, and my family as if everything is okay and that it's all good. Well guess what? It's not all good. Life is hard and I am sick of people telling me my hair is cute when it's not a style choice for me, it's in the cards I was dealt. Even though I haven't had to go through what others have gone through I did go through a lot and I'm tired. I hate having to take a nap just so I can go out or get dinner ready or whatever. I get frustrated that my stamina is low, that I get fatigued and that no matter what I try I can't lose weight. My kids have said that I am the strongest person they know and I don't want them to think any different. The fact of the matter is that I'm not strong. Even though I have my faith, my family and such I am not strong enough to carry this burden alone. 

This song "Strong Enough" by Matthew West really describes how I feel.

You must

You must think I'm strong

To give me what I'm going through

Well, forgive me

Forgive me if I'm wrong

But this looks like more than I can do

On my own

I know I'm not strong enough to be

everything that I'm supposed to be

I give up

I'm not stong enough

Hands of mercy won't you cover me

Lord right now I'm asking you to be

Strong enough

Strong enough

For the both of us

Well, maybe

Maybe that's the point

To reach the point of giving up

Cause when I'm finally

Finally at rock bottom

Well, that's when I start looking up

And reaching out

I know I'm not strong enough to be

Everything that I'm supposed to be

I give up

I'm not stong enough

Hands of mercy won't you cover me

Lord right now I'm asking you to be

Strong enough

Strong enough

Cause I'm broken

Down to nothing

But I'm still holding on to the one thing

You are God

and you are strong

When I am weak

I can do all things

Through Christ who gives me strength

And I don't have to be

Strong enough

Strong enough...

My prayer for you is that no matter what you are going through that you will realize that you don't have to do it alone and that you don't have to be strong the whole time. God is the strength of our life and our portion. We won't see his strength in being strong, but in our weakness. Find someone you can talk to! I am thankful for my best friend Edie for allowing me to be vulnerable and seeing me through in my highest and lowest points. She prays for me, checks on me and cares about my physical and emotional well being!

Forty!

"For forty years I led you..." 

Deuteronomy 29:5a NLT

During my cancer journey I had my big fortieth birthday. I know quite a few people that have had a hard time with this particular birthday. My father-in-law was diagnosed with diabetes around his fortieth. I know others that have had their marriages end, endured a mid-life crisis, or faced other major, life-changing events.

Honestly, I wasn't approaching the big 4-0 with much enthusiasm anyway, and then I got cancer and had to have chemo right before my birthday. Really?! So then, to top it all off, I was bald on my birthday! It could only get better, right? 

Now, five months later, I find myself thinking, "I just want to get my life back. I want to look and feel good." But it's not that simple. It's hard to accept that everything has changed.

Then, I started thinking about Jesus and His journey. I realized that He never got his life back. When He stepped out of heaven to join us on earth, His life changed forever. Once here, He gave it all. He never even celebrated his fortieth birthday. But His sacrifice and resurrection brought about a new normal that was all about new life. When He stepped out of the tomb, things again changed forever ... forever for the better. He made a way for all those He loved to spend eternity with Him. He completed His journey of identifying with us in all our pain and sorrow, so that we could know He truly understands what we are going through and He knows how to triumph over it. "In this world, you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world," John 16:33b.

Surgery. Chemo. These things are their own death and resurrection. Through a process of death, new life comes to my body. They have brought me into a new normal, but it can be a "forever better" normal. If we come through any trial walking hand-in-hand with Jesus, He will bring us out the other side into new life. That's what He does!

As we approach Easter, I want to remember that this life is not my own, just as Jesus' life was not His own, but He gave His life for the salvation of many. He has led me this far and He died so that I could live! By His stripes, I am healed.
This is all good news!

My prayer for you, is that you would pause for a moment--in the midst of whatever you are going through--and realize what Jesus went through so that you don't have to do this life alone. He loves you so very much.

He is with us! Happy Easter. Happy Resurrection Day!

By: Beki Beane

And Erica Faraone