Encouragement Blog

*posted every Saturday
In or Out
Are you in or out?  You may be wondering what I mean by that. Unfortunately, "being" a Christian in this time and age can really mean anything. A lot of people have said they are Christian for simply believing there is a God, but what about outside of just our belief? What about the way we live?  "What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have the works? Can that faith save him?" - James 2:14 I used to say I was a... Read more...
"..the Lord establishes his steps."
"The heart of man plans his way, but the Lord establishes His steps." - Proverbs 16:9 Have you ever had a dream or a goal? Of course you have! We all have dreams, and within those dreams, we make little goals every single day, even sometimes subconsciously. For example, my husband and I had a conversation the other night and started talking about our dreams, even ones that seemed silly at the moment. We began setting short-term and long-term goals not only to better ourselves but also to become better... Read more...
God's Plans
Have you ever questioned God's plans? Whether that's what happened in the past, what's happening right now, or simply the unknown of the future. I have and do to this day. This life brings a kind of uncertainty that honestly feels...uncomfortable.  Sometimes, I just want to know what the future holds. I want to know why this or that happened or is happening. Why oh why, God? So many questions we have for our Father to whom seems to be extra quiet about the answers. But what if we aren't supposed... Read more...
Who is God to You?
In the world today, people have many different ways of understanding who God is and how they view Him. A few are: 1. Maybe you view Him as someone who only tells us no, no, no, to doing things we think are "fun" and part of a fake "freedom"; worldly living. Someone you might not want to listen to or be associated with because you may think He is just a book of laws and rules, nothing else. 2. Maybe you don't believe in Him at all, possibly due to... Read more...
Anxiety
“And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?” Matthew 6:27 Last week, we touched on the anxiety we may get about everyday necessities and how we know that God will provide those for us because He gives us that promise. This week, I wanted to touch a little bit more about anxiety and it in a broader sense with bigger life situations. The verse above is so deep. It applies to everyone, as everyone deals with anxiety, whether it’s here and... Read more...
God Will Provide Our Every Need
It's time for a small Bible study, questions, and reflection! Feel free to grab your Bible, a writing utensil, a drink, and a snack! Let's dive in! Matthew chapters 5, 6, and 7 are all a part of Jesus' sermon on the mount, where crowds were gathered. In these chapters, He teaches about multiple different things like who we are, who He is, temptations, how we should live, etc. The passage we are going to focus on is about anxiety about basic things. We all, at times, feel anxious and... Read more...
The Book of Psalms
The book of Psalms is a compilation of multiple different hymns and prayers focusing on worship, praise, laments, and relation with God. Why is this book important? If you've ever read any of the Psalms, you'll find everything from deep, sorrowful emotions to immense shouts of praise and thanksgiving to God. And in our lives, we most definitely have experienced all and everything in between. The reason why it's important and a blessing to have a book specifically like this is that it's relatable. When we feel deep sorrow, you... Read more...
Praise and Worship
Praise and Worship In a past newsletter, I’ve mentioned that God desires our praise and worship and not only does He desire it, but He created us to give it. In addition, giving God the acknowledgement He deserves for being the ultimate Creator strengthens our relationship with Him and our faith.  What I want to touch on this week is when to praise Him. The simple and short answer is every day, bringing glory to Him and His name in all that we do. But sometimes it’s not that easy.... Read more...
Goodness of God
Goodness of God In a recent and deep moment of struggle, I could tell that my thoughts weren’t just my own anymore. I was fighting against these evil voices filling my head with lies about every single part of my life, leading me deeper and deeper into the darkest valley. I couldn’t move. I didn’t want to move. I forced myself to sing a song to try to drown the voices out. The song that popped into my head was called “Goodness of God”. You’ve probably heard it before. I... Read more...
The New Year
The New Year With the New Year being tomorrow, most of us are thinking about our "New Year's resolutions" and what we want to change about ourselves and our lifestyles. Maybe you're going to start eating healthier, start going to the gym consistently, or go to bed earlier. Our lives are constantly changing, continually getting busier, and with every New Year, we seem to make the same promises to ourselves, only to break them and let ourselves down, going back to our same old ways. It's easy to think we... Read more...
All About Jesus
All About Jesus Soon, it'll be Christmas But as I grow older My eyes veer toward something  different than when I was younger. It was never about the gifts, and never about the basic celebration of the holiday. It was always about the real reason, which doesn't seem to be portrayed enough. It's always been about Jesus, but it's the enemy that tries to convince the world otherwise.  I can't help but ponder on the joy this season brings. The season in which the Son of God was brought into... Read more...
Now What?
Now What? I was having a conversation with my sister in-law last week about a few things I've been waiting for: answered prayers, blessings, clarity, etc. I said, "I feel like I've been placed in a waiting season for a couple of years now." She said, "I think we constantly feel in the waiting season because as soon as we receive one of the blessings we have been waiting for, our mind starts to focus on the next thing we've been or begin to ask God for. Then, instead of... Read more...