WDDD, What Did David Do? - Encouragement Café - February 4, 2016

WDDD, What Did David Do?

Café Menu for Thursday, February 4, 2016

Today’s Special is:  Learning To Encourage Ourselves In The Lord

Carefully prepared just for you by your friend, Aj Luck

Main Ingredient:

When you go through deep waters, I will be with you.  When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown.  When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you.

Isaiah 43:10 NLT

Entrée:

Do you ever feel like your drowning?  Figuratively speaking.

I often say.

I feel like I’m drowning with land in sight.

Here’s what I mean.

Every day I wake up.  I show up for the day.  Some days it’s more physical than mental, but the fact remains I’m there.

I’m the mom that is required, but often times not able to be all that is needed.

I’m the wife that is expected, but often times not as graceful as I could be.

I’m the employee that is needed, but often times the bear minimum is all I can muster up.

I’m the child of the King, but often times I beat myself up instead of accepting grace.

I do the time so to speak, but underneath I’m gasping for more air.  I’m struggling.  It’s as if I’m having my own private panic attack, afraid to ask for help.  Exhausted and worn out I push through it, but fearful that people will see right through me.

These are the honest moments in life.  The moments that many of us don’t like to admit, but all have.

What do we do in these moments?  Me?

What I want to do?  Go back to bed and pull the covers up over my head and hide.

What I ACTUALLY do?  (it’s not always easy, but ALWAYS necessary!)  I pull deeply from a well inside of me to encourage myself.

King David did the same thing.  He struggled and had days of doubt, inability and insecurity.  Yet, He encouraged himself in the Lord. (1 Samuel 30:6)

How did David do it?  Well, he sang.  He sang when he didn’t feel like it.  He sang praises to his Creator.  As He did this, encouragement and strength returned to his heart and mind.

The fact is there are people in our lives who NEED us.  Family.  Friends.  Co-workers.  Neighbors.  Others.

We have all been given the commandment:

So speak encouraging words to one another.  Build up hope so you’ll all be together in this, no one left out, no one left behind.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 MSG

Come on, let’s encourage one another.

I’ll go first.  

Keep going!  Don’t give up!  Together we will make a difference in this world for our Creator and King.

… If God is for us, who can ever be against us?

Romans 8:31 NLT

Take Out:

Find, buy or even make a beautiful card to send to a friend.  Find one that really jumps off the page so to speak.  Let’s say for argument's sake you go to the local dollar store and find a really amazing, inspiring card.  (AND ONLY $1.00!!)  Bonus!

Take the card home.  Think of a person, a stranger, who you may never meet but who really might need to hear some encouragement at the moment.

Write a note inside of the card.  Encourage them through written word the way you would imagine Jesus doing if He were writing out the card.

When you’re done, sign your name and put the date next to your signature.

Now, seal up the card in the envelope and put YOUR mailing address on it.

Mail it.

YES, TO YOURSELF.

Go.  Mail it out.  Don’t think about it.  Just do it.

When the mail is delivered and your card arrives, consider it a personal handwritten love note of encouragement to you by the very Jesus who lives inside of your heart.

Hold onto this card and watch how your own words will continue to encourage you over the years.

Dessert:

Dear Jesus,

Thank You for all that You have done for me throughout my life.  Thank You for answered and unanswered prayers.  Thank You for guiding me, protecting me and loving me in such an unconditional way.  Lord, today, my heart is heavy.  I feel discouraged.  I may not even be able to articulate what is discouraging me.  Strengthen me.  Enable my heart to respond to Your call.  Allow a praise to come forward, even from the emptiness I may be feeling inside.  Fill the void that is my life and shine brightly.  Restart my feet to once again walk on this journey with You, fearlessly.  Amen.

© 2016 by Aj Luck.  All rights reserved.

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