Encouragement in Dark Places

Who encourages us most in this world? Is it those with little faith or who have the capacity to turn your day into a downer? Is it the entertainment world with its lust for lust? Is it the smell of rain on a spring day or the smell of a newborn baby? What is it that ultimately encourages you?

Recently it has been brought to my attention that the struggle between life and death can bring encouragement. Big Dave, a missionary I'm familiar with was shot at point blank range this past week by someone trying to steal the money he had gathered to buy materials to build an orphanage. As I write this blog entry, he is in very grave condition in a Miami hospital.

You probably think I'm crazy that I'm talking about this incident at the same time I'm talking about encouragement. Here's what I know. When Christians gather together in unity to pray for healing, strength and power, there is encouragement! There is encouragement in unity before our Heavenly Father.

I know I'm talking from the lips of someone who has been touched by the events of this week. I know that in the midst of all that swirls in our world each day, there is only one hope and that is Christ Jesus. You can toy with a thousand religions and talk a big talk about your personal philosophies, but Jesus is the ultimate truth. He is the only encouragement we need and quite frankly, he is the only true encouragement.

Take a long, tall drink of Jesus. You will find life in ways you could never imagine and hope in hopeless places. You'll find courage to do things you never thought you were capable of. Don't take my word for it. Who am I but an instrument to lead you there. Like me, you'll need to discover Him for yourself.

I encourage you to test the waters - taste and see that He is good.

Favorite Encouragements

"Girls in white dresses with blue satin sashes, Snowflakes that stay on my nose and eyelashes, Silver white Winters that melt into Springs, These are a few of my favorite things" (1959 Rodgers and Hammerstein)

What things bring joy to you? Is it the favorite "things" you've stored up for yourself, like houses and furniture, Coach purses or hot cars? Maybe the parties you attend or friends you spend time with? I know...it's your job because you've worked so hard to climb the ladder? Are these your favorite things?

This morning my favorite things are a hot cup of tea on a very chilly morning, a soft blanket and the quietness of a still darkened house, while gazing at Christmas lights across the way - those hours right before the dawn. A time when I can be with my Lord and know that He has my best interests in mind, even on days when I'm brutal with myself.

Favorite things come in all shapes and sizes. Some favorite things are memories of days gone by. Days of laughter and giddiness - days of "sunshine and roses." Most of the time favorite things aren't tangible at all(unless you have a well-loved stuffed animal that you've kept all of these years!)

I'm reminded that my most favorite things are the voice of a school teacher who said, "great job"; the words of commitment whispered at my wedding; the coo of a new born baby; the gentle assurance that my God always loves me and always has my back.

This morning in the quiet of my house, I can clearly hear the words of my Lord in Psalms 119:103 which says, "How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth." Come to think of it, God's Word is my favorite thing. His word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. His word is sweet. His word instructs and disciplines. His word is full of promises and is always true. His word tells me what my future will be. His word never fails me or disappoints me. His word guards my heart and encourages me to go on in the midst of trials.

Spend some time today thinking about your favorite things - I think you'll find that they are not things made by the hands of man, but things that flow from the heart of God.

Where Have You Been EncourageMeNews?

Whew - the past year has blown by! Can it possibly be that I have not added one post to this blog in almost a year? What could have gotten in the way of my passion for writing? What has gotten in the way of your passion or life's call?

What were you doing last year at this time? Were you getting your house ready for the holidays or were you packing your bags to visit family? Are you still wanting to loose those same unwanted pounds, or working in the same dead-end job? Maybe the next few days is a good time for some good 'ole personal reflection. I realize more and more lately that I act as though I have all of the time in the world. I keep spinning the same thoughts and doing the same things over and over again - only to keep getting the same results. I constantly find myself doing things the way everyone else wants me to do them and slowly, slowly I loose my ability to express myself creatively.

Jesus created me to be unique, not a robot that answers to the beckoning call of others. Yes, we are to serve others, but not at the loss of our own identity.

Right now, I don't know whether I'll be employed by the company I've worked for my entire career - close to 40 years. My job is to be eliminated effective Dec. 13. Will I have a new job with my steady employer? Or, is this a time in life that I'll need to be making some major changes? I'm really not sure. Only God knows the answer.

Today I will not worry, but reflect on who God has created me to be - today, I will be thankful that He knows my future. What will a year from now look like? I'm not sure - I just know that I want to be closer to the center of what and who God created me to be. Today, I will find encouragement in that!

Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Your Gratitude Encourages Me!

Enjoy the introduction to this book, written by co-author Mac Anderson. And, by the way, Happy Thanksgiving!


An excerpt from
Learning to Dance in the Rain
by Mac Anderson and BJ Gallagher

The date was July 16, 2008. It was late in the afternoon and I was sitting in my hotel room in Louisville, Kentucky. I was scheduled to speak that evening for the Kentucky Association of School Administrators (KASA). I was a little "down in the dumps." I hadn't gotten to exercise lately because of my traveling schedule and recently I'd experienced some mild bouts of vertigo (that inner ear condition that can cause the room to start spinning.) You got it...speaking and "spinning" are not good partners!

My keynote presentation was scheduled for 7:00 PM, but I had been invited to show up at 6:00 to see a performance they said I'd enjoy. Little did I know that I was about to see something I would never forget.

They introduced the young musician. Welcome...Mr. Patrick Henry Hughes. He was rolled onto the stage in his wheelchair, and began to play the piano. His fingers danced across the keys as he made beautiful music.

He then began to sing as he played, and it was even more beautiful. For some reason, however, I knew that I was seeing something special. There was this aura about him that I really can't explain and the smile...his smile was magic!

About ten minutes into Patrick's performance, someone came on the stage and said..."I'd like to share a 7-minute video titled, The Patrick Henry Hughes story." And the lights went dim.

Patrick Henry Hughes was born with no eyes, and a tightening of the joints which left him crippled for life. However, as a child, he was fitted with artificial eyes and placed in a wheelchair. Before his first birthday, he discovered the piano. His mom said, "I could hit any note on the piano, and within one or two tries, he'd get it." By his second birthday, he was playing requests (You Are My Sunshine, Twinkle Twinkle Little Star). His father was ecstatic. "We might not play baseball, but we can play music together."

Today, Patrick is a junior at the University of Louisville. His father attends classes with him and he's made nearly all A's, with the exception of 3 B's He's also a part of the 214 member marching band. You read it right...the marching band! He's a blind, wheelchair-bound trumpet player; and he and his father do it together. They attend all the band practices and the half-time performance in front of thousands. His father rolls and rotates his son around the field to the cheers of Patrick's fans. In order to attend Patrick's classes and every band practice, his father works the graveyard shift at UPS. Patrick said..."My dad's my hero."

But even more than his unbelievable musical talent, it was Patrick's "attitude of gratitude" that touched my soul. On stage, between songs, he would talk to the audience about his life and about how blessed he was. He said, "God made me blind and unable to walk. BIG DEAL! He gave me the ability...the musical gifts I have...the great opportunity to meet new people."

When his performance was over, Patrick and his father were on the stage together. The crowd rose to their feet and cheered for over five minutes. It gave me giant goose bumps!

My life was ready to meet Patrick Henry Hughes. I needed a hero, and I found one for the ages. If I live to be a hundred, I'll never forget that night, that smile, that music, but most importantly, that wonderful "attitude of gratitude."

I returned to Chicago and shared Patrick's story with my wife, my friends, and our team at Simple Truths. About two weeks later, I received a letter from a friend. He said, "Mac, I don't know who said it, but I think you'll love this quote."

"Life is not about waiting for the storms to pass...
it's about learning how to dance in the rain!"

I thought...that's it! We all face adversity in our life. However, it's not the adversity, but how we react to it that will determine the joy and happiness in our life. During tough times, do we spend too much time feeling sorry for ourselves, or, can we, with gratitude...learn how to dance in the rain?

It almost sounds too simple to feel important, but one word...gratitude, can change your attitude, thus, your life, forever. Sarah Breathnack said it best...

"When we choose not to focus on what is missing from our lives but are grateful for the abundance that's present....we experience heaven on earth."

Years of Encouragement

This weekend Larry and I celebrated our 38th wedding anniversary. First of all, let me just say that even though the days go slowly, the years go really, really fast!

It seems like yesterday when brother Dru spoke these words at our wedding: "may you have just enough tears to keep you soft..." I dare say there haven't been too many years when the tears didn't flow.

It's that way for many of us. Marriage is a journey. A one-day-at- a-time journey. Sometime we slip and bang our knees. Ouch! Other days we ski on a velvety coating and feel the breeze in our hair as we speed through life!

I recently ran across a saying that pretty much wraps up what a marriage and life can ultimately become:

"Watch your thoughts, for they become words.
Choose your words, for they become actions.
Understand your actions, for they become habits.
Study your habits, for they will become your character.
Develop your character, for it becomes your destiny."
~Quote Unknown

What are your thoughts today? Are you angry because your spouse didn't do something just the way you wanted it done? Did you then speak an unkind word, followed by a foolish action such as slamming a door? Will your behavior continue into the coming week. Will your character change because you carry a gudge? Do you now find yourself unhappy in your marriage. What would life look like if you were grateful that your spouse at least made the attempt to please you or do something that was out of his/her element?

Life gets in the way for all of us. But, I'm thankful that God gives us clear instruction about how we should live our lives. As a church He compares us to a bride in all her beauty. In Ephesians 5:25 it says, "Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word, that He might present her to Himself a glorious church, not having a spot or wrinkle or any such thing, but that she should be holy and without blemish.

Most days I have a pretty hard time living up to Christ's standard for marriage, but I'm thankful that I have at least 38 more years to obtain perfection!

Happy Anniversary Larry! Your years of encouragement have helped me through some pretty tough spots these past 38 years. I love you honey!

Encourage Someone in the Military

I usually write my own stuff, but today I found myself so moved by an email I received, that I thought I would use my blog space to share its rich message.

The Sack Lunches

I put my carry-on in the luggage
compartment and sat down in my
assigned seat. It was going to be a
long flight. 'I'm glad I have a
good book to read Perhaps I will get
a short nap,' I thought.

Just before take-off, a line of
soldiers came down the aisle and
filled all the vacant seats, totally
surrounding me. I decided to
start a conversation.
'Where are you headed?' I asked the soldier seated nearest to me.

'Petawawa. We'll be there for two
weeks for special training, and then
we're being deployed to Afghanistan

After flying for about an hour, an
announcement was made that sack
lunches were available for five
dollars. It would be several hours
before we reached the east, and I
quickly decided a lunch would help
pass the time..

As I reached for my wallet, I
overheard soldier ask his buddy if he
planned to buy lunch.
'No, that seems like a lot of money for just a sack lunch.

Probably wouldn't be worth five bucks. I'll wait till we get to base '

His friend agreed.

I looked around at the other
soldiers. None were buying lunch. I
walked to the back of the plane and
handed the flight attendant a
fifty dollar bill.
'Take a lunch to all those soldiers...' She grabbed my arms and squeezed
tightly. Her eyes wet with tears, she thanked me. 'My son was a
soldier in Iraq ; it's almost like you are doing it for him.'

Picking up ten sacks, she headed up
the aisle to where the soldiers
were seated. She stopped at my seat
and asked, 'Which do you like
best - beef or chicken?'

'Chicken,' I replied, wondering why
she asked. She turned and went to
the front of plane, returning a
minute later with a dinner plate from
first class. 'This is your thanks..'

After we finished eating, I went
again to the back of the plane,
heading for the rest room.
A man stopped me. 'I saw what you did. I want to be part of it.
Here, take this.' He handed me twenty-five dollars.

Soon after I returned to my seat, I
saw the Flight Captain coming down
the aisle, looking at the aisle
numbers as he walked, I hoped he was
not looking for me, but noticed he
was looking at the numbers only on
my side of the plane.
When he got to my row he stopped, smiled, held out his hand, and said,
'I want to shake your hand.'

Quickly unfastening my seatbelt I
stood and took the Captain's hand..
With a booming voice he said, 'I was
a soldier and I was a military pilot..
Once, someone bought me a lunch.
It was an act of kindness I
never forgot.' I was embarrassed
when applause was heard from all of
the passengers.

Later I walked to the front of the
plane so I could stretch my legs.
A man who was seated about six rows
in front of me reached out his
hand, wanting to shake mine. He left
another twenty-five dollars in my palm.

When we landed I gathered my
belongings and started to deplane.
Waiting just inside the airplane door
was a man who stopped me, put
something in my shirt pocket, turned,
and walked away without saying a
word. Another twenty-five dollars!

Upon entering the terminal, I saw the
soldiers gathering for their trip to the base. I walked over to them
and handed them seventy-five dollars. 'It will take you some time to
reach the base. It will be about time for a sandwich.
God Bless You.'

Ten young men left that flight
feeling the love and respect of their
fellow travelers. As I walked
briskly to my car, I whispered a prayer for their safe return.
These soldiers were giving their all for our country.. I could only
give them a couple of meals.

It seemed so little....

A veteran is someone who, at one
point in his life, wrote a blank check
made payable to 'The United States of
America ' for an amount of 'up to and including My life.'

That is Honor, and there are way too
many people in this country who
no longer understand it.'

Appreciate the Encourager

"Fact: Every week, the average person receives: 682 e-mails, 12 text messages, 10.8 pieces of junk mail, 1.5 personal letters. Feeling appreciated is one of the strongest human desires. A handwritten note costs less than a dollar to write and mail, and the relational value is priceless." ~Matthew Emerzian and Kelly Bozza

Recently I've been fine tuning my attitude to be more grateful. Seems I spend a lot of time griping and complaining about the weather, my job, finances, people who annoy me, etc., etc., etc....then the quote written above jumped off the page as I read it - "feeling appreciated is one of the strongest human desires!" Wow! Not rocket science, not something unattainable, but something tangible and easy to

express.

Last night six wonderful friends of gave of their time, their gifts and their wallets to made eight of their friends feel extra special, and there were no strings attached! Seriously, no strings attached! Boy, did we feel appreciated! Thanks so much Lisa, Srini, Brad, Julie, Pepper & Jason. We'll never forget how special you made us feel.

Hebrews 13:7,8 says, "appreciate your pastoral leaders who gave you the Word of God. Take a good look at the way they live, and let their faithfulness instruct you, as well as their truthfulness."(The Message)

October is Pastor appreciation month. There are many great men and women that I'd like to personally thank - Louis D., Jack F., Doran C., Dru B., Jim G., Ellis W., Patrick M., Eddie L., Darin K., Brian C., Ryan H., Mike W., Mike G., Chuck L., Lisa D. and all of their spouses who've served and still serve so faithfully along side of them.

If you have the time, take a few minutes to write a note of thanks to those who have ministered to you, in your own handwriting. According to Matthew Emerzian and Kelly Bozza, it costs less than a dollar, but the relational value is priceless!

Building Encouragement

Today over 100 volunteers gathered at the Beechwold Christian Church to build hope - a house of hope that is! Beechwold in partnership with Crossroads Christian mission and Licking County Habitat for Humanity built the frame for a two-story house. Tomorrow this house will be dedicated and prayed over, and then shipped to Licking County. Once it arrives, the Licking County Habitat will add it to the basement footer and finish the house, adding walls and roof. Shortly after that a family who thought they might never own their own home will own a piece of the American dream.

One hundred volunteers each giving approximately 4 hours of volunteer time, you do the math, 400 hours of service will change the life of a family forever. What would these people have done instead with their Saturday morning? Rake leaves, clean the house, watch cartoons? Instead they spent their time doing the eternal, doing something that will encourage and change the lives of others, quite possibly for an eternity.

God desires for us to build houses. In Jeremiah 29:5, the Lord God Almighty says to those who've been captive: "Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce."

I'm thankful to be part of a church that cares so much, even those they've never met. I'm thankful to call many of those volunteers my friends. I'm thankful for a God that loves us so much that he shelters us with good things.

What are you thankful for today? Is it time we fall on our knees in thanksgiving?

Encouragement in the Midst of the Storm

I'm not one of those people who likes a good storm. As a matter of fact, I don't like them much at all! When I was a small child, our house was struck by lightening. The orange ball of lightening that bounced around our living room for about 30 seconds breaking the mirror above the fireplace and melting nails in our attic, scared my parent half to death. After that, I guess it was their parental duty to drill into us a healthy fear of every storm fraught with lightening and thunder.

I'm much the same way when it comes to the storms of life. Loud noises and flashes of light frighten me. People who are loud or intimidating make the hairs on the back of my neck raise. There are days when like Peppermint Patti little black clouds seem to hang above my head every step of the way. I don't like those kind of days. If I had my rathers it would be sunny and warm and 75 degrees every day I walked out my door. And, God would only allow rain showers between the hours of midnight and 6 a.m. (sorry if I'm not taking into consideration those of you who work third shift!) Funny, I want life to be the same way - sunny and warm and 75 degrees everyday. But guess what? Most days, aren't. We live in a fallen world where the grass has to be mowed every week and houses have to be cleaned again and again.

But take heart! Our God is a shelter from the storms of life. Psalms 18:2 says, "The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold."

Guess I need to stop worrying and put my faith and trust in a God who builds shelters for me that are created from rock and not shifting sand.

Where do you choose to hide today?

Encouragement is Community

Our dear old friend Daniel Webster offers one definition of community as "common ownership or participation." Several activities come to mind when we think about this definition, such as, work teams working a project; Sunday school classes faithfully meeting; neighborhood block watches protecting.

Years ago American's participated in Quilting Bees, Harvest Gatherings and Barn-Raising. The early settlers knew, and today's Amish community knows something that our rushed society has almost forgotten, that is, a sense of community. They understand the concept of sharing time and resources in order to accomplish great things. Today's hurry-up society barely leaves us time to sleep, let alone time to give up an entire day for an activity such as a barn-raising. The ways we spend our time might be different from the ways we spent our time 100 years ago, but there is still that desire deep within each of us to experience community.

Some time ago, I had the opportunity to get together with about 80 women of all ages, interests and stations in life. We came together to share in the excitement of a new home, listen to God's Word, eat some excellently prepared refreshments and hug new babies. We made new friends, shared stories with old friends, shed some tears, and even high-fived our recent victories. The evening was electric! A friend of mine said that she was so pumped up after the event that she had trouble getting to sleep that night. I walked away from this gathering so refreshed, so energized.

I wondered why it had seemed so long since I'd felt so connected. Then the thought came to me. Even though our society has become more family oriented (at least that's what the polls say), we still have not gotten rid of the behavior that say, life is all about us. At the end of a day, most of us have been so busy with what we think is important, that we have left precious little time to share with others outside of ourselves or our families. Fellowships such as the one I attended seem to take a back seat to our overcrowded calendars. We concentrate more on the urgent, than on the important.

In our current economy, you may know someone who is struggling financially. You wish you could do something, but you're not sure what. May I suggest that as "only one person" you can make a difference! Open your personal phone directory and make a list of people who have resources that can help another. It can be as simple as each of you taking one item from your pantry to fill a grocery bag; or, one of you has a table, computer or desk in your garage collecting dust that a family can use; or each person puts a dollar in an envelop to purchase a gas card so the person without a job can continue their search for employment. We fool ourselves into thinking that we need to do something grand, when in fact we are doing something grand just by opening ourselves up to others' needs.

In James 3:18 of the Message Bible, we read these words: "You can develop a healthy, robust community that lives right with God and enjoy its results only if you do the hard work of getting along with each other, treating each other with dignity and honor."

Christine thanks for opening your home to 80 rowdy, vivacious women who have forever changed the way I see life. Since that meeting, I've felt energized, validated and loved. After spending time with all of you, I have a renewed sense of the human spirit. My daily walk is sweeter!

Encouragement to Cling To

My soul clings to you, my right hand upholds you. Psalms 63:8

As I cling to God these past few weeks, I'm reminded that His right hand upholds me. What does that really mean? Does it mean that I don't have to lay in the muddy places? Does it mean that I am His chosen one? Does it mean that like a father teaching his child to ride a bike, He holds the steering wheels and leads me down a straight path? All of the above.

At this stage of my life, there is no one, nothing, and I mean nothing, that can sustain us on this earth other than the right hand of God. People disappoint us; our jobs become uninteresting; our sleep becomes disturbed; even food doesn't taste as good as it did before. But, one thing I'm sure of, the God of the Universe sustains even me with His loving right hand! He will not let me fall into the muck or mire.

Dear friend if all you have to cling onto today is God's right hand, it's a pretty good thing. Be encouraged! Our God was, is, and always will be in control!

author, Cindy Daniels

A Christmas Miracle to Encourage You

Today Larry was running errands. He stopped at Gander Mountain to have the scope on his cross-bow sighted in. As he was leaving the store, a young lady approached him and asked if he would help her to raise the hood of her car as her car would not start. Of course Larry couldn't just raise the hood of the car and not help with whatever might be the problem under the hood. It seems that her battery was not fully engaged with the cables, and with a little jingle, jangle Larry has the battery connected and the car running like new.

During the course of his conversation with the young lady, he asked her if she was from Columbus. She said that she was, but that her parents had just moved to Kentucky last week, and this was the first time she'd had to handle car problems on her own (save your commentary about safety issues, this is a story about miracles you know). Larry asked her where her parents had moved to in Kentucky. She said she would tell him the town, but that he probably had never heard of it. Grayson, she said, Grayson, Kentucky. Larry told her that indeed he did know this small town and promptly asked her is her parents had moved there to teach at the college located there. To her surprise she said yes, they had taken jobs at Kentucky Christian University and would begin teaching there the first week of January. Larry said that he knew the college well, since it was the college that our daughter had graduated from!

Here's the miracle part: When her car broke down, the young lady had prayed for someone to help her, hoping they somehow might have a connection to her or her family! Call it a coincidence, call it six-degrees removed, call it whatever you like, but I prefer to call it a Christmas Miracle!

- author, Cindy Daniels

Encouraging Decorations???

Have you decorated your house or church building for Christmas yet? Is this the year, you promised yourself you'd buy a pre-lit tree so that you wouldn't have to untangle all of those pesky little stands of lights? And now, there are LED lights for a "green" Christmas (for those of you who love all things about Christmas lights, click here.)

Where do you stop unloading boxes of decor? Is this enough decoration, or should I add a little more? Should I buy more? Newer, prettier? Artificial or organic? Should I give away some of the stuff I've had for years so I won't feel so guilty when I buy more? Oh my goodness - Stop the Christmas madness!

Why do we go to all of the fuss and muss? Is it for us? Our neighbors? Maybe our friends? No, I've got it, it's all for the little people in our lives! We drum up excuse after excuse, and we wear ourselves out physically, and sometimes spiritually, trying to "do the season right." I know, I've been there!

Every year I have a theme for my mantle. I've had some pretty crazy themes through the years, A Crystal Christmas, Our Town, Babes in Toyland, Simple but Elegant, All Things Greeen, A Christmas Village, etc., etc., etc. I was having a hard time this year deciding on a theme for my mantle. Maybe it's because each year I'm more prone to do less decorating.

So tonight as I put a few simple decorations on my mantle, this years' theme came to me, Back to the Basics. When you look at a portion of my mantle, I hope that you'll be struck as I was that the central focus of Christmas is really all about celebrating the birth of Christ. Anything more is just icing on His birthday cake! Joy to the world the Lord is come!

- author Cindy Daniels

Send some pictures of your Christmas decorations, especially your mantles. It will be fun to share with others their Christmas traditions.

Encouraging Friendships

My goodness, time buzzes by when you're living life! Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving. we sure did! Here are some pictures of our Trash Can turkey and the Master Chef. Don't knock it if you've never eaten it!
I've been thinking a lot lately about the holidays. Doesn't it seems like this is the time of the year when we reflect most on our lives and the past year? I know I cry a little more when I'm watching movie classics like "Christmas Shoes" and "It's a Wonderful Life". I reminisce as I trim the Christmas tree, remembering the year I received certain precious ornaments, as I lovingly place them on our tree. And, I feel the urgency to send just the right card to those who've touched our lives in some special way this past year.

We run ourselves crazy trying to find just the right gift (isn't shopping on line great? For those of you who haven't ventured there yet, it's really not so hard, and a lot easier on the feet!) We bake cookies (for the first time all year), we string tangled lights, we visit in the homes of those we've not visited with all year...

Last year, we decided to break the madding cycle of "doing it all in December". We decided to spread our hospitality throughout the year. With so many new families coming into our church, neighborhood and work these days, we thought we would begin opening our home before the holidays. We invited people over for brunch, went out for pizza, shared an auction experience, barbecued hot dogs and even cooked "Trash Can" Turkey, all the while getting to know folks we didn't know very well. But, you know what, now we know them a lot better. Why, because we invited them to our home so we could spend time with them.

We've hear it over and over again - what's the most important gift we can give to others? Well, it really is time. And, at this busy "time" of the year, maybe we can shop a little less, buy our Christmas cookies, instead of baking all of them, and become a minimalist when it comes to holiday decorations. In doing so, I believe you'll gain a lot more holiday spirit. You might even encourage some one's Christian walk by spending your time on them.

Try spreading out the time you spend with others - don't stop with December. Begin now scheduling time in January to meet with friends, or folks you don't know very well. There's no better way to get to know someone than to have them into your home. For those of you who want to spruce up your home before you begin to invite others over - forget it! Your house will never, ever look like HGTV!

And, when you reflect on 2009 at this time next year, you'll be glad you invested in people and not things!

- author, Cindy Daniels

The Encouragement of Prayer

This journey called prayer is a never ending one. It's filled with high places and low places, mountains and valleys. It's a road often vibrant with color and dimly lit with the dawn of a new day. It's a journey covered with streaming tears or hilarious laughter. But, it's a journey worth taking!

If you've been messin' around with your prayer life, let me encourage you to kick it up a notch. For those of you who begin praying and find there isn't enough to pray about, just look around! Who are the people you interface with on a daily basis - coworkers, sales people, teachers, even the mailman. What neighborhoods do you drive through on your way each day? What things touch your heart as you surf the net or remote the TV? And, perhaps most importantly, praying for your brothers and sisters in the church!

God made you the way he has, and placed you where he's placed you so that you can get plugged into the world at your fingertips. Sorry, but the excuse that you don't know who or what to pray for doesn't fly with me today.

Today we have many things to be praying for. I've listed a couple of blogs at the right of this screen to introduce you to two families I'm aware of who are going through tough times. Is there a story or a blog you'd like to share? Send me a note, I'll be glad to post them here.

Jeremiah 33:3 - "Call to me and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know."

Call on Him, you might just find yourself traveling a new adventure!

- author, Cindy Daniels

Ultimate Encouragement: I Will Answer You!

There's lots of "pieces" on the internet these days - we receive hundreds of emails with jokes and stories each year, many of them repeats from the years before. Even though I've seen this one before, I thought it appropriate to share since so many are crying out to God for the things they need. Maybe you have a house that's being foreclosed on, or maybe you need enough money to fill your gas tank so you can get to work. Either way, God is the God of miracles. All we need to do is reach out to Him - He's just a prayer away!

Enjoy this story written by a doctor who worked in South Africa,

Cindy D.

"One night I had worked hard to help a mother in the labor ward; but in spite of all we could do, she died, leaving us with a tiny, premature baby and a crying two-year-old daughter. We would have difficulty keeping the baby alive; as we had no incubator (we had no electricity to run an incubator). We also had no special feeding facilities. Although we lived on the equator, nights were often chilly with treacherous drafts.

One student midwife went for the box we had for such babies and the cotton wool that the baby would be wrapped in. Another went to stoke up the fire and fill a hot water bottle. She came back shortly in distress to tell me that in filling the bottle, it had burst (rubber perishes easily in tropical climates). "And it is our last hot water bottle!" she exclaimed. As in the West, it is no good crying over spilled milk, so in Central Africa it might be considered no good crying over burst water bottles. They do not grow on trees, and there are no drugstores down forest pathways.

"All right," I said, "put the baby as near the fire as you safely can, and sleep between the baby and the door to keep it free from drafts Your job is to keep the baby warm."

The following noon, as I did most days, I went to have prayers with any of the orphanage children who chose to gather with me. I gave the youngsters various suggestions of things to pray about and told them about the tiny baby. I explained our problem about keeping the baby warm enough, mentioning the hot water bottle, and that the baby could so easily die if it got chills. I also told them of the two-year-old sister, crying because her mother had died. During prayer time, one ten-year-old girl , Ruth, prayed with the usual blunt conciseness of our African children. 'Please, God' she prayed, 'Send us a hot water bottle today. It'll be no good tomorrow, God, as the baby will be dead, so please send it this afternoon.' While I gasped inwardly at the audacity of the prayer, she added, 'And while You are about it, would You please send a dolly for the little girl so she'll know You really love her?'

As often with children's prayers, I was put on the spot. Could I honestly say 'Amen?' I just did not believe that God could do this. Oh, yes, I know that He can do everything; the Bible says so. But there are limits, aren't there? The only way God could answer this particular prayer would be by sending me a parcel from the homeland. I had been in Africa for almost four years at that time, and I had never, ever, received a parcel from home. Anyway, if anyone did send me a parcel, who would put in a hot water bottle? I lived on the equator!

Halfway through the afternoon, while I was teaching in the nurses' training school, a message was sent that there was a car at my front door. By the time I reached home, the car had gone, but there on the verandah was a large 22-pound parcel. I felt tears pricking my eyes. I could not open the parcel alone, so I sent for the orphanage children. Together we pulled off the string, carefully undoing each knot. We folded the paper, taking care not to tear it unduly Excitement was mounting. Some thirty or forty pairs of eyes were focused on the large cardboard box. From the top, I lifted out brightly-colored, knitted jerseys. Eyes sparkled as I gave them out. Then there were the knitted bandages for the leprosy patien ts, and the children looked a little bored.. Then came a box of mixed raisins and sultanas - that would make a batch of buns for the weekend.

Then, as I put my hand in again, I felt the.....could it really be? I grasped it and pulled it out. Yes, a brand new, rubber hot water bottle. I cried. I had not asked God to send it; I had not truly believed that He could. Ruth was in the front row of the children. She rushed forward, crying out, 'If God has sent the bottle, He must have sent the dolly, too!' Rummaging down to the bottom of the box, she pulled out the small, beautifully-dressed dolly. Her ey es shone! She had never doubted! Looking up at me, she asked, 'Can I go over with you and give this dolly to that little girl, so she'll know that Jesus really loves her?' 'Of course,' I replied!

That parcel had been on the way for five whole months, packed up by my former Sunday school class, whose leader had heard and obeyed God's prompting to send a hot water bottle, even to the equator.' And one of the girls had put in a dolly for an African child - five months before, in answer to the believing prayer of a ten-year-old to bring it that afternoon."

'Before they call, I will answer.' (Isaiah 65:24)

- contributed by, Andrea Green

Riding the Roller Coaster Called Encouragement

Dear Friend in Christ -

What brings tears to your eyes? What makes your heart sing? What makes you laugh hysterically or weep uncontrollably? There are things in all of our lives that take us on the 'roller coaster of emotions ride', aren't there? I'm so glad that I'm finally mature enough to realize that life isn't going to be as I planned it today, or want it to be, but it will be as my Heavenly Father planned it in His great wisdom!

There's a contemporary song entitled You Give and Take Away, written by Matt Redman, inspired by Job 1:21, "And Job said, "Naked I came from my mother's womb, And naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; Blessed be the name of the Lord." Here are the words of the song:

You Give and Take Away by Matt Redman
“Blessed be your name
When the sun’s shining down on me
When the world’s all as it should be
Blessed be your name
Blessed be your name
On the road marked with suffering
Though there’s pain in the offering
Blessed be your name

You give and take away
You give and take away
My heart will choose to say
Lord, Blessed be your name.”

Everyday we encounter people in our church, neighborhoods, schools and workplaces who are constantly getting on and off the roller coaster of emotions. Sometimes we get on as they are leaving the ride; sometimes we find ourselves sitting next to them, sharing in the same seat of laughter or pain; sometimes they get on the ride just as we've finished ours.

Do you think about those around you who might be experiencing great pain or great joy, or are you currently stuck in the "Valley of Me?" Ask yourself this question, "Where would you be if no one had ever encouraged you on or off of the roller coaster of life, or held your hand when you thought you couldn't take the ride one more time?"

Today my daughter made me aware of a young boy and girl who are riding the roller coaster of sickness and pain - not only them, but their family as well. Their parents have asked Christians everywhere to join them as they sit beside their children in the seat of cancer, praying for a miracle. You will find their story @ http://tammynischan.blogspot.com/2008/08/jericho-march-for-nick-and-natalie.html

Their Jericho march begins Monday, August 18. The concept may sound unusual or even corny at first, I know it did to me, but as I looked deeper and deeper into the idea of such a march, I became aware of things in my own life and family that would benefit greatly from such a focused time of prayer and concentration on God's Word.

As I think about Nick and Natalie's struggle, I'm reminded of a song our kids sang during vacation Bible school this year, called, You Never Let Go:

You Never Let Go by Matt Redman
Even though I walk through the valley
Of the shadow of death,
Your perfect love is casting out fear.
And even when I´m caught in the middle
Of the storms of this life,
I won´t turn back;
I know You are near.

And I will fear no evil,
For my God is with me.
And if my God is with me,
Whom then shall I fear?
Whom then shall I fear?

O no, You never let go,
Through the calm and through the storm
O no, You never let go,
In every high and every low
O no, You never let go,
Lord You never let go of me.

And I can see a light that is coming
for the heart that holds on
A glorious light beyond all compare.
And there will be an end to these troubles,
But until that day comes,
We´ll live to know

You here on the earth.
Yes, I can see a light that is coming
For the heart that holds on,
And there will be an end To these troubles,
But until that day comes,
Still I will praise You,
Still I will praise You. "

In closing, I turned back to the last verse of Job chapter one, which reads: "In all of this, Job did not sin nor charge God with wrong." I'm not really sure what the plot is to all of my ramblings, the scriptures or songs I've chosen to include here, only God, the Son and the Holy Spirit knows who these words are meant for. God is the giver and taker of life. He is the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. He gives us grace for our days and strength for our nights. I guess what I'm really trying to say is, "Isn't it time we believe what He says and let him have his way in our lives even if it means riding a roller coaster of emotions today?"

- author, Cindy Daniels

An Encouraging Memory Verse

For God so loved the world that he gave his only son that whoever believes in him will not perish, but have everlasting life - John 3:16.

We learned it as children, some of us learned it as adults, but is it more than a memory verse to you? What does it mean to you when you hear this verse. Are you encouraged? Are you encouraged enough to share this wonderful news with those around you? Let's look at the verse in a little more detail:

For God so loved...God loves me, he loves me so much, he's engaged in all that I do, he cares about my every footstep!

the world...all of it and everyone in it, not just you and me, but others all around the globe.

that he gave...God loves to give good gifts, especially to His children. What good gifts have you received from the Father recently?

his only son...some translations use the word begotten. Do you love your children enough to give them up to a sinful world? God did!

that whoever believes in Him (God's son)...that's all I need to do? But, it seems so simple - where's the catch?

will not perish (die)...think about it, you will never die, but live forever with the Father who gave his most precious gift.

but have everlasting life...I want to live forever, don't you? Can you imagine having all the time you want to sit with your brothers and sisters in Christ and never have to leave their presence until you've literally run out of conversation? Can you imagine praising Jesus at his feet for a thousand years and then another thousand years?!

And, what about the people in your house? The children in your classroom? Your co-workers - Don't you want the same for them?

- author, Cindy Daniels

What has this verse meant to you? Tell us your story.

Hailstone Sized Encouragement

Some people say that God is their co-pilot, Joshua's bumper sticker might say "God is my sniper."

Ever feel like you’re being attacked from all sides? Like the world is against you, or that you are being targeted by overwhelming forces? Ever notice that the devil waits until you have worked all day, and are exhausted before he attacks? That’s what the Gibeonites felt like in Joshua 10:1-15.

The Gibeonites had made peace with Israel, and the Amorites were not happy about it. So instead of attacking Israel, they attacked the Gibeonites. Isn’t that how it is sometimes, people are afraid to attack God directly, so they attack you instead—because you’re weaker? These verses in Joshua, record how the Israelites—led by Joshua—and the five kings of the Amorites and their armies go into battle.

It was an emergency situation, and the Gibeonites had sent word to Joshua that they were being attacked by the Amorites. Joshua and his army marched all night long, and after marching all night long they had to begin the battle. But the Lord had told Joshua that “I have given them into your hand. Not one of them will be able to withstand you.” Then the Lord helped Joshua’s army by throwing the enemy army into confusion, and hurling large hailstones down on them from the sky!

Can you imagine what it would be like to have God as your sniper? To be in the midst of battle, back to back and elbow to elbow with your brother soldiers, all the while large hail stones are whizzing by your head and killing the enemy right in front of you!
Between the confusion and the hailstones, Israel had the Amorite armies on the run. Joshua chapter 10, verse 11 says “As they fled before Israel on the road down from Beth Horon to Azekah, the Lord hurled large hailstones down on them from the sky, and more of them died from the hailstones than were killed by the swords of the Israelites.” And boy is God a good shot! Joshua 10:15 says that “Joshua returned with all Israel to the camp at Gilgal.” God’s aim was so good that none of the Israelite soldiers were killed by hail – only the enemy soldiers.

God cares about us just as much. When I feel like I’m being attacked on every side, or that life is being especially unfair, I remember that God’s aim is just as good today as it was in Joshua’s day. I can move confidently through my battles because I know that no matter how much hail I hear whizzing by my head, it is the sound of God at my defense.

Know what else is amazing about this event? Joshua was around 80 years old at the time.

- author, Leanne Sanderson

Share with us a time when God went to battle for you.

Five A.M. Encouragement

Yes, brother, let me have joy from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in the Lord. Having confidence in your obedience, I write you, knowing that you will do even more than I say. But, meanwhile, also prepare a guest room for me, for I trust that through your prayers I shall be granted to you. - Philemon vs. 20-22 (Paul's encourages Philemon to obedience)

Almost 20 years ago I met a preacher's wife at a women's conference I attended. At the time we met, she and her husband were going through a tough time with the church Jim was ministering to. I made a pledge to Margaret that for the next year I would be available as a sounding board as they worked through the problems in their church. I promised to answer her emails with a return email. I remembered her birthdays and other special occasions. I called her from time to time to chat and make sure she was doing okay. Our friendship did not stop after that first year.

This weekend was supposed to be filled with chores such as catching up on laundry and getting the house in order. This Thursday we're heading south on a short vacation, to visit friends and attend a wedding. Instead it became yet another opportunity for us to open our home (we had two sets of guests last week.) At 7:30 a.m. Saturday morning our phone rang - it was Margaret. Her brother has passed away in Missouri, and she needed to take an early plane out of Columbus on Sunday morning. She wanted to know if she could spend the night with us.

Have you ever noticed that encouraging others doesn't always come in a neat little package, tied up with a shiny bow? Instead our opportunities to encourage sometimes come at inopportune moments, or when we just don't feel like encouraging! But, I've found that these are God's little nudges to remind us that others have refreshed our faith and spirit along the way. Others have often sacrificed time and money to keep our faith in Christ strong.

Five a.m. came early this morning. Margaret is now on the plane heading to Missouri. From beginning to end, she was here less than 12 hours. Will God give me back the time I lost (or thought I lost) doing the things still on my agenda? Absoultely! He's already given it back to me this morning, with a beautiful sunrise that I would have missed had I still been in bed. The cool of the morning that is currently drifting through my patio door has deposted a sparkling "dew on the roses." As I sit here writing this, the birds sing their happy tunes, and all is well with my world! And, my laundry? It'll get done before we leave Thursday...

- author, Cindy Daniels

Do you have a special place in your home where guests can stay on a moments notice? It could be a guest room, a futon, a pull out couch or a sleeping bag! Tell me a story of when you opened your home but hadn't planned to.