Encouragement

Help!  I need some advice.   How do you give encouragement?   In what way do you like to receive encouragement?  What practical ways or impractical even, have you seen or witnessed encouragement being given to other people?

Be it the person needing encouragement is:

*grieving
*elderly and does not get out much
*lonely
*discouraged
*or someone struggling with depression

"An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up"  Proverbs 12:25

I appreciate that you would take the time to leave a comment on the subject!  I am really trying to learn about how to be a better at giving others encouragement.  Thank you

Something's happening

You know how I wrote a bucket list for summer, with one goal being to make a smash book. So I am always on the look out for cool lettering, drawings or bibledoodles. Some of you may also know that social media platforms have become one of my love languages. So I take notice on Pinterest, Instagram, & Twitter of any of the above noted things I find interesting.



A strange thing happened the other night as I was spotting such examples of cool bible doodles & lettering.






I noticed many of these examples had a descriptive hash tag of: #shereadstruth

What is that I wondered?!?
Well I did a little research and found a wonderful on line blog offer a community of support, encouragement & accountability to women on line of all ages in doing daily biblestudy.

This blog: http://shereadstruth.com/
Uses & encourages others to use the youverse app or website to follow along different daily plans. They have chosen the "Proverbs" plan this time, which I believe is a 31 day plan. You are supposed to "click" a picture of your bible/notepad/location of where you are reading and studying the word of God and upload it and share with others what your studying via Facebook, instagram, twitter, Pinterest etc..



What a great source of positive encouragement and reminder to read God's word daily and to witness to others.



You can follow along the blogs daily insight and pictures on their blog or other social media sites. Maybe you will notice other pictures like I have, maybe you can witness to others through a picture. You know they say sometimes a picture is worth a thousand words!


So come on, if you are looking for inspiration or encouragement jump on the band wagon!

I love the sense of community this offers if you are unable to participate or go to a women's bible study due to scheduling issues,a busy life, example: small kids & no child care, full time working mom who needs to spend her evenings with family, a daughter or wife who is a caregiver & can not get away for long periods of time, or maybe you do not know any other believers to join with, well now you can!!


Something's is happening and you can be a part of it to!
Amy

Youv'e got mail!

Oh do you remember when the Internet first came out, and the magical voice would announce when you had a "email", it would say "you've got mail". Did it make you excited? Did it make your heart beat a little faster? I know it did mine. I love mail!!

Well I am fairly new to Twitter. (I have been on it for over a year, but really only learning how to use in the last month -hey, I get busy!). One thing that is really neat is that you can "follow" people on twitter, and read their "tweets" or little shout outs. It is So much fun! I follow Beth Moore, Sheila Walsh, Tim Tebow, Bob Harper, etc.. Well the other day I read a tweet, that was written by a lady who is wanting to adopt a baby from a mother who is a drug addict, who is trying to fight her addiction. Sometimes good days, sometimes bad. The baby really needs to stay in the mother's womb about 7 more weeks. So she asked people to send letters or cards of encouragement to this special lady who is having such a hard time making it day to day.

The mailing address to send cards is:
Sanford Crisis Pregnancy Center
Attn: Marie Mondays
1002 S French Ave
Sanford FL 32771

The request is to pray for Marie, to fight her addiction. Also that the baby Anna that she is currently carrying, would not suffer side effects and would make it to a safe time to be born.
If you feel lead, please join me in mailing cards of encouragement to the above address. If you would like to learn more please look on twitter to follow: @ldharper, or look for www.facebook.com/pages/Lisa-Harper/120240462872?sk=notes to learn more.

Just remember how special it feels to receive mail, and think of blessing someone else with that gift. Thank you!

What do you hope to pass on to your children?

What are your top 3 priorities for raising your children?

Now are your day to day actions working toward those top 3 priorities or are you getting distracted, side tracked with life? Our church is doing a series right now based on our pastors new book "Weird" challenging us as Christians how are you living your life? What choices are you making day by day? Craig Groeschel challenges us to be "Weird" because normal isn't working! I know that, and you know that just look around you, "normal people are stressed, overwhelmed, and exhausted. Many of their relationships are, at best, strained and, in most cases, just surviving." (That was an excerpt from the jacket cover of Craig Groeschel's new book).

On Good morning America this morning they did a segment at how parents are pushing their kids as early as 18 months to try to train them to be the next "great sport prodigy"

The parents even have these very young kids the news report said practicing up to 3 hours a day. Our actions tell our kids what we value! I have a good friend named Katie who posted the other day the most touching post about how her and her husband have decided to raise their 4 children, it stood out in my mind at what stark "opposite" approach her and her husband have chosen to parent in comparison to the news report this morning. Some might even dare to call them "weird" but I believe it is a good kind of "weird" one that would please God. Go check out Katie's Blog C'es La Belle 'Vie. Leave Katie a note of encouragement. (Trust me you won't want to miss this post!)

Party!

It's funny how you can be cruising along focused on your goal, working hard. Encouraged by the results you are seeing and then out of now where

Bam!">
All of a sudden yesterday, I was overwhelmed with weariness! The night before we had gone to small group and I was told that someone could tell that I lost a little weight in my face. Don't get me wrong I love compliments, but come on! I have lost 33 pounds, and have gone down 3 pant size. So depressing that nobody is realizing or noticing all the hard work I have put in. I almost cried yesterday, and was thinking "Why Bother!?!" I have been on a diet for 3 months now, working my bootie off and nobody can tell! Then I realized I was being hormonal! Did I mention I started craving, chips & Salsa and Brownies?

So I decided that I was being sensitive, and that yes, I was being hormonal. So I would allow myself "permission" to eat a higher calorie dinner last night. However limiting the amount of food to only one plate, and I would count my calories. So I made chicken fajitas, chips with salsa and guacamole, and had 1 piece of brownies. However that seemed to really, really satisfied the beast of hormones that was raging in me. I did not even have a snack later on that evening. I weighed this morning and I did not gain, I did not lose either but I am OK with that today. I feel more inspired to I was checking in on blog land and my favorite blogger Keelie over at RealFat had an inspirational post this morning that has really helped me get my head back on. I am staying committed -God has not brought me this far to head back into the wilderness! So I am about to head off to Body Pump class. I hope everyone has a great weekend!!!
Image by Cool Text: Free Graphics Generator - Edit Image

Image by Cool Text: Free Graphics Generator - Edit Image

1 degree can make all the difference!

I got home from the gym the last two days with a giggle. The First one, was after my second class called "Body Pump" -each class has a different instructor. This instructor was precious! Funny, kind, encouraging, and she wanted to know my name at the end of class, and encourage me to come back to class which I Really, Really appreciated!! But I got the giggles almost when she asked if I was a new member at the gym. (Did I happen to mention that I was the only Plus size woman in the class? I couldn't help but giggle and think, "hum, however could she tell". (The old me would have been to intimidated to go into class and participate, but not now! That old way of thinking though still roars it's ugly head every once in a while. )

Just as quickly as I can be encouraged something small can happen that lets the wind out of my sails! I am fighting through it! I ran into a good friend today at the grocery store that I used to see on a weekly bases, and haven't seen as much in the last 6 weeks. She did not mention my weight loss at all -boo hoo! (33 pounds! and she did not notice-ugh!) I kinda whined around, and had a little pity party for myself. However not a huge one, no following off of the diet wagon or anything.

So when I got home and was checking my emails I was very encouraged to find the below video being sent to me. So after watching it, I am more positive and I choose to cross the line!!

and keep crossing that line!! I also received my LoseIt weekly report from last week. I choose to celebrate my small victories, or choices each day, each week!

Exercise total for last week:

type: Total time: Calories burned:

Yoga 25 Min 64

Walking 5 Hours & 50 Min 1400

Stationary Bicycle 1 Hour 20 Min 831

Weight Lifting 1 Hour 15 Min 259

Total 2555

I hope you enjoy the video. Thank you everyone, who sends me an email, or comments on my weight loss journey updates! I really appreciate your encouragement!! (More than you know!!!)

Thank you!!!

Thank you everyone who has left such sweet encouraging comments on my blog this last month!!!

I just wanted to let you know that each little uplifting thing you have wrote to me has touched my heart and left an impression on it. Thank you!!!!

Acts of Kindness

Look what I received in the mail the other day! and I do not know who it is from. There was a sweet card attached that said it was a random act of kindness to brighten my day.! Well it definitely brighten my day!! Now I am trying to think how I can continue to "pass it on" or "pay it forward". Hum..............

Also thank you for everyone who offered such sweet encouragement from my post on Friday. Blogging encouragement means a lot!! That in itself is an "act of kindness"!!

Who else have you encouraged lately? Have you done a random act of kindness lately??

My journey in adding margin to my life....

The word "Margin" is my word for 2010. It is a theme I have selected to try to add to my life- To have "more" of what is necessary to have "extra". Extra time, Extra $ in the budget, with the extra time you can choose to spend time with your spouse and with my children, extra time to do things that bring me enjoyment, extra $ so I do not worry about life, but also extra $ so that I can help others, All those "Extra" were my goal. However God has showed me that having "Extra" time, allows me to be able to pour myself out into other people who are not my spouse and daughters.

Sometimes your "Extra" time can bless others!!! I love Motherhood, I think Mom's are so very important. We have a tough job!!!!! One of my favorite quotes is from "Mom Matters" by Jane Jarrell. "As wives and mothers, we set the tone for our home. We are in the business of growing hearts while preventing damage from weeds the world blows in out garden." Does that not just sum up girlfriends, what we are trying to do!

My life has hit a new phase, all my girls are in school full time this year, and my husband and I have decided that I will continue to stay home. Just because my kids are no longer at home August-May for 7 hours, I still have laundry, a house to clean, food to buy, and meals to cook. However I recognize I have the ability to do this without a baby on my hip. My children when the come from school can talk in complete sentence and we have great conversations. But I remember the days when I had 3 under the age of 5, when I got happy the first song that came into my head to hum was the theme song to Dora (a kids cartoon), when I was learning to parent, had self doubt about everything, struggled with being lonely with no adult to talk to during the day until my husband came home. Now don't get me wrong I would not have traded those precious days for anything!!!! However I was blessed to have my mom live around the block from me, who would call me, stop by and help me, bless me with little inexpensive surprises (like a cherry limeade from sonic in the middle of the day) how helpful was that!!!

Well God has placed in my life 3 young ladies who have small children and no family members who live close to them, who are in the middle of this stage in life. Through a conversation we had the other day God literally turned the light bulb on in my head and said "Amy, here is a mom who needs encouragement, a mom you could give some of your extra time" What that means to me, is that I need to stay on schedule, not get behind, not to just use "my extra time" on me, (what my life not to be centered just around me?!? Shocking I know!!) Place things in priority. Then I will have extra time for others. This is a balancing act that I have to lean on God so that I can bless others with the extra margin of time that I work on having in my life.
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I have also struggled with and currently still work with trying to keep the house clean and orderly so that my girls can have friends over, and when the opportunity presents itself that I can say "sure,\" yes". I have also had to work on letting go of just getting my house perfect, smelling fresh, everything in it's place and be open to letting a group of middle school, and elementary kids who smell like sweaty puppies come in and take over the game room, eat and drink food that might get spilt on the carpet, things might get knocked over and broken, However we can allow others to be blessed in our home. Loving other people like Christ calls us to, really is messy, and takes time.

Who has God called you to bless? Where can you carve out extra time from your schedule? Or maybe your like me, you really have been blessed with time, but maybe you need to get on a schedule . So that you might have time to bless others. Or learn to live with a little mess so that you can love others. I encourage everyone to get messy loving and encouraging those that God has placed in your life, you might as well have fun doing it! Life is short!