Hello, Friends!
I love you, readers. You encourage me and humble me, and I don’t take you for granted. Knowing that people take the time to read what I write in a world of full inboxes, twitter blasts and beautiful Instagram photos (which I LOVE by the way), knocks my socks off.
THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart. And to show you my appreciation, I’m going to give away a pair of gorgeous leather earrings made by one of our daughters-in-law, Lindsay. She recently decided to go public with her talents and has started her own business, Handmade by Lindsay.
I, of course, will be be putting a drop of essential oil on the back of mine so I become a walking diffuser, but you don’t have to do that. You can just wear them and look ADORABLE!
Now on to today’s post…..
I Know Something Good About You!
Gosh. I wish we could have coffee so you could tell me what God is teaching you and what you are studying in the WORD. We could pray together and encourage one another and it would be so fun, don’t you think?
She Reads Truth has guided my Bible studies for some time now. I love the format they follow….lots of scripture, a thought provoking devotion and very informative comments from members of the group. We usually read and study an entire book of the Bible, and I prefer that rather than jumping around from verse to verse all over the place.
I just finished the study on I and II Thessalonians and WOW, I loved it! Paul wrote this letter to the believers in Thessalonica, and it is full of encouragement and love for them. How did I miss all that when I’ve read these letters before?
Wouldn’t you love to be encouraged with words like these?
Sidebar: I urge you to read the 2 letters from beginning to end, but in the meantime, I’m going to do exactly what I told you I didn’t like just a couple of sentences above and hop from verse to verse. Hmmm.
Encouraging Words
“We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers.” I Thes. 1: 2
” Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well.” I Thes. 2:8b
“And we also thank God continually because, when you received the word of God, which you heard from us, you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe.” I Thes. 2:13
“May the Lord make your love increase and overflow for each other and for everyone else, just as ours does for you. May he strengthen your hearts so that you will be blameless and holy in the presence of our God and Father when our Lord Jesus comes with all his holy ones.” I Thes. 3: 12-13
“Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” I Thes. 5:16-18
“Now may the Lord of Peace himself give you peace at all times and in every way. The Lord be with you all.” II Thes. 3: 16
As I was copying those verses, I thought to myself, “Gosh, I would LOVE someone to send me a letter full of encouragement like that, reminding me of God’s goodness.”
Then…..I realized, SOMEONE did! All I have to do is open my Bible and read it.
Wow. Just wow.
Everyone needs encouragement-from those in the highest positions to the lowliest. Brad and I just finished watching Crown on Netflix, and I felt so sorry for Queen Elizabeth several times because she seemed to have NO ONE to encourage her who didn’t have their own agenda. She NEEDED someone to spur her on and lift her up!
The same evening we finished the last episode and left the Queen and Prince until Season 3 (please let there be a Season 3, Netflix!), we watched Jerry Seinfield interview Trevor Noah on Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee. Trevor was raised in South Africa during the days of Apartheid when racism was basically the law.
Noah seemed to thrive in spite of unbelievable rules and restrictions, but I’m sure SOMEONE was rooting for him and was on his side. Even if the government of his country sanctioned treating him like “nothing”. What an inspiration!
You need encouragement. I need encouragement.
A couple of Sundays ago, we had a little ice event and churches were canceled and all of our plans changed. After a relaxing day at home, we went to visit my parents and then stopped to see Mary, Brad’s mom. While we were there, Brad pulled out Grandma Pitcher’s memoirs, which Mary wrote with her help before Grandma passed away.
In that book, we discovered a poem that Grandma had apparently thought enough of that she wanted it included in the story of her life. I’d love to ask her what those words had meant to her and tell her how much they mean to me now!
I’m guessing literature professors and serious poetry aficionados might not give it an A+ for style, but these words really touched me.
I Know Something Good About You
by Louis C. Shimon, 1935
Wouldn’t this old world be better,
If the folks we meet would say,
“I know something good about you”
And then treat us just that way?
Wouldn’t it be fine and dandy,
If each handclasp warm and true,
Carried with it this assurance,
“I know something good about you.”
Wouldn’t life be more happy,
If the good that’s in us all
Were the only thing about us
That folks bothered to recall?
Wouldn’t life be far more happy
If we praised the good we see?
For there’s such a lot of goodness
In the worst of you and me.
Goodness. We have a choice, don’t we? Will be light bringers? Or NOT?
I choose LIGHT BRINGER!!!!
I Know Something Good About You!
You are radically loved by your Heavenly Father. Blessed. Chosen. Adopted. Seen. Known.
Be encouraged by that!
Inhale. Exhale. Decide.
I’m convinced that my dear readers will choose to be Light Bringers!!! Would you please encourage all of us by sharing in the comments one of the qualities that you LOVE about someone in your life? Mention them by name. Tell them.
One lucky person who comments will be chosen at random to receive a pair of beautiful, handmade leather earrings!
Sidebar 2: If you want to join our new Wednesday morning FB group Morning Exhale for a little encouragement, meditation and prayer, just let me know and I’ll add you!
Sidebar 3: Join us March 10 from 9:00 a.m. -11:30 a.m. for Hustle and Flow: Holy Yoga, Dreams, Essential Oils We will be practicing Holy Yoga, imagining possibilities and throwing in essential oils, too!
Space is limited, but we would LOVE you to come!!!!
“
I love Brenda Nelms and pretty much everything about her. Her absolute priority in life is Jesus! She has so much joy and positiveness (is that a word) even though she has been through a lot lately. She chooses to see the good and not focus on the negative. She is truly a light, a joy a complete blessing.
I love this Amy! Please tell Brenda!!! I miss her smiling face at the IGA, don’t you?
As I thought about this, names of people in past churches came to mind. But I can’t tell them this until I get to heaven because they are there already. So I thought of Debbie Diel. There are many things I love about her, she is always helping someone who needs an encouraging word, a covered dish, offer to drive me somewhere when I am unable to drive and Jim is unavailable, She gives of herself to everyone needing her, and I am sure she will have many stars in her crown up to there. Bless you, Debbie. And, Susan, you and Debbie are much alike
She is a keeper, for sure! I bet you have known many good women in your years working with the church!
I love Connie Kerner. Connie always brightens my day with a smile and positive words of encouragement. She shows God’s love to everyone who is blessed to connect with her. She is faithful in praying for others and lends a helping hand to those who need one. I am blessed to call her friend.
Connie is one of a kind! She is definitely a light bringer!
I read this and thought of so many wonderful, uplifting people in my life..Steve and Scherry Willis, my neighbor, Kari; Gina Niemerg, Keri Sowers, you, Susan; and especially my dear friend, Debbie Diel! These people always make me feel blessed to be in their company, always have their eyes on Jesus, and make others’ needs top priority!
Thank you, Gina! You are blessed to have each of those people in your life! I like your list of qualifications-each one is a great reminder of what it means to encourage someone else.
Oh, I love ALL of this!!! Encouragement in the gift of words is so needed…thank you for this. I try hard to be this person for others, but want and desire to be so much better at it. I have so many people I could mention,but two that mean so much to me and that I can be real with…Kandy Ingraham and Vicki Rowe. Thankful for their friendship…they inspire me so!
Also, so thankful God let our paths cross…appreciate you and your joy for life and the Saviour 💕
Kathy, I’m sure you are an encouragement to your friends, too! Yes, may we all be encouragers! I think God was being very kind to both of us when we “ran into”one another on Instagram! I appreciate YOU!
I Am feeling so blessed to read this! There are a few people that I can think of. First my neighbor,Pam. She has been a role model for me of how to love God no matter how busy she is as a mom and a student. My sister in Christ,Priskila who is always available for those who needs help. She never says no. She gives me the understanding that she is doing it for her love to God. And my sister back in my country she is one of a kind. Ever since my mom passed away and my dad is not there for us, she took the role to be our parents, worked,provided for me and my sisters. And many other people around me whom I have seen the goodness in their life and impact my life and others. Stephanie,Bi, Sarah, Selvi, Helen,Getta,Tia,Ria.
Thank you so much, Elizabeth, for sharing a bit of your story with us! I am blessed to read how God has cared for you in the midst of what must have been challenging times. I’m touched and happy for you that you have such a great tribe of people who are God with skin on to you!
Thank you Susan. You are always an encouragement. Other people in my life that encourage me are Barbara Inskeep. She challenges me to think about what we are studying in other ways. My cousin Gale encourages me with her words/thoughtfulness and quite works.
Teresa, Thank you! I’m so glad you have several “encouragers” in your life! We desperately need them.
Susan you are a wonderful lady who encourages us all. You seem to know what everyone needs to hear or read. You will have lots of stars on your crown as well as Debbie Diel. You two make wonderful teachers at our bible studies. You can see the love you two have for God and it shines like a light. God bless you both
Betty, Thank you! I am just sharing what God is using in my own life, so I am touched that it helps you. I love God-math! He multiplies and adds and subtracts and divides in such interesting ways!!! You are such a blessing to everyone who knows you!!!!
My great encourager is Cindy Lindsey who has been my friend just shy of 40 years. We first met in Stillwater, OK. It’s a great blessing to have a friend who has shared so many major life events with me and has never failed to be a rock of Godly advice, a voice that calls me off the ledge, and all the while reminding me of the joy right in front of my face. Akin to winning the lottery was the day Cindy and I both obtained unlimited cell phone minutes. Our friendship has continued and flourished in spite of the miles between us. An added bonus is that she is hilarious and brings joy to everyone she meets.
Oh, Sue, what a gift God has given you!!! I would love to meet your friend. I love her already!
I want to share how proud I am and amazed by how my daughter-in-law, Erin, make so many thing in life so special for her children, 3 of my grandkids. She manages to make a special breakfast for them on their birthdays. She actually planned 5 days of special things for her youngest who just had her 5 th birthday. On vacation days, she makes time to make forts with the kids or build snowmen and paint them with watercolors. I wish I could have been more of a kid at heart when I was raising my boys, like she is. I know it makes her kids feel super special.
Thanks for sharing your love and admiration for your daughter in law! The mother-in-law/daughter-in-law relationship can be so special and needs to be celebrated more! I wish I’d played even more with my boys, too. Make sure you tell her about your shout out to her so she can be encouraged by it!
More… I remember when I was reading grandmas memories and came across the poem, I sorta thought I remembered grandma reciting it or reading it to me. It certainly was familiar. That was her style. She could always find something good about everyone. I remember how she used to say she had 24 grandkids and there wasn’t a bad one in the bunch. She was so proud of each and all of us. Can you imagine having 24 grandkids? And she lived to meet a few great grandkids !
Your grandma was a special lady!!