Sometimes Pain Is A Stepping Stone for Encouraging Others

Devotion that inspired
this reflection>>>>Giving Others A Push
from RBC Ministries

I loved to encourage people. I love to let people know that God loves them know matter what because no sin is to great for God to through up his hand and say, "umm, I'm sorry; what you just did I can't let you in the Family." God may chastise us from time to time but that is because He would rather chastise you than pour his wrath upon you. To encourage people is to let them know that I'm not perfect, I have made mistakes, I continue to make mistakes from time to time but whatever dream is in them I try to let people know they can do it. It's amazing how sometimes just a couple of words will lift the spirit of an individual.

I encourage because I did not get encouragement coming up as a child. At first I wondered why I was going through something like this. I stuttered and stumbled bad as child, I was not the best looking, I was coordinated for my height, I was a mess coming up. I was an only child and was a loner most of my life, I had a very "strange" taste in music so I really could not fit into anyone's cliques so to speak. But for some reason before I even came to know the Lord he was pushing me forward. I don't know why but I never turned to drinking or drugs to fit in because my way of thinking was, "things may be bad but it's not THAT bad." I'm not going to lie, there were many nights I cried myself to sleep because I felt I was not loved, I would never meet that special someone. I would get angry with God and cry out, "Why are you allowing me to go through this mess." I mean I wasn't a saint but I didn't deserve this cruelty from people. So many ways I could have turned but I know [He] was guiding my footsteps. Don't get me wrong, I made some dumb mistakes and at times I was walking around with a chip on my shoulder feeling that the "world owes me for what THEY[people] have put me through. But as time went on I realized that many times it was not me that had the problem but the close-minded of people were the problem.

I began to realize that God did not make me or anyone else to be a carbon copy. I learned that when you are yourself that is what draws people toward you and if they do not like your company 9 times out 10 it is they who are unhappy. What also helped me to be an encouragement toward others are the things I encountered coming up: it made me patient with others, it taught me the difference between empathy and sympathy, it has taught me to that sometimes people need time to heal and realize that you can be trusted. It has also taught me that by opening up to people that you will get hurt from time to time because people will be people but it's a great feeling to open up to the world because in the end it is more good than evil.

As time has went on I continue to learn which people are genuine and which people are just out to use you and learn to turn away from them and just pray for them because you can not let someone else hangups stop your happiness. It has taught me that sometimes I will have times of isolation from the world because you can not just go along with everyone and everything but what I have also learned is that good hearted people recognize good hearted people and before you know it you have a network of friends and associates that are there for you, even if they are across the US or on the other side of the world.

When you encourage someone they will soon be an encouragement to others. It's so cool and so good to help others "just because".

Be Blessed, Be Safe
and Have a Wonderful Weekend.

Devotion and Reflections for Wednesday

When coming up as a child I thought I was, well...kind of weird. I would listen to albums (they I go, dating myself again) and I would read the liner notes...which musicians played on which track, who produced what song, where the song was recorded, who mixed the song(s), things of that nature. I kept this to myself because after a while I didn't think it contributed to anything. I have always had gadgets thanks to my grandmother (she was and always will be my chief Geek, she bought me my first type writer, first digital watch, first Sony Walkman, first computer...Commodore 64, she was the greatest). I never thought I would use this "useless" information along with my passion for gadgets, and years to come the web. It's amazing how God puts a gift, a passion inside of each and every one of us and at the time we do not understand why we are drawn to certain hobbies but He puts it all together for us later in life that will come out okay if we allow Him to do so.

Now years later I am able to share my taste in music, my passion with technology (what little I know), gadgets, websites, and most important God's word through my blogs. I heard a pastor not to long ago say that God shows us on step at a time and if we complete that step He shows us the next step and the next step and so forth. Who knew I would be able to meet so many people across the world and not even leaving my home most of the time. I remember making PDF files when living in Florida with Our Daily Bread copied on them and sending them to people at work to get their morning started and when I think I was making a impact and kind of slacked off people would say, "Where's my Word for in the morning?" This is how today's devotion touched my heart this morning because what I may not understand or what other people think is weird, God's plan is always in order and if we keep allowing Him to nurture you and I we will blossom like a flower.

That is when I realized how God was truly using me. It's amazing how God plants the seed in each and every one of us and when seeking His wisdom he can truly grow us into something special. Most will never be famous but He will make sure we will be taking care of and most important we will have a passion for what we do day in and day out. When I began my blogs last year at times I didn't think I was having a impact and God had to remind me, "you trust in me...use your abilities the way I have giving them to you." I have to remind myself that everything takes time, it's like planting a seed. We may not see what the seed is doing underground but as long as we continue to care for it, water it, give it proper sunlight before you know it up it comes out of the ground. God has to remind me many days "Be God focus, not people focus." That is not in a negative way toward anyone because like I said earlier, I truly enjoy meeting people and what God tells me is that true, intelligent people know phonies. They know if you are there for them or to "toot your own horn" so to speak . I am learning every day to be God focus because in this way I can help people more and in return this is what draws people to God. To let people know that you have flaws, that you don't know everything and that you are willing to not only teach but to learn from others, no matter what the age will help build lasting relationship whether in person or on the web.

Now that so called "useless" information I share with people on my blogs and most days I may get a comment or two and most days I don't and you know what, why should I? It's good to hear from people but if I don't, God let's me know time and time again, "Whether you know it or not, you're touching people lives...Be God focus not people focus." As Dr. Charles Stanley always says...

"Trust in God, leave all the consequences to Him"

Be Blessed, Be Safe and Have a Great Wednesday.


"Do not exalt yourself in the king's presence,
and do not claim a place among great men;

it is better for him to say to you, "Come up here,"
than for him to humiliate you before a nobleman.
What you have seen with your eyes "

~Proverbs 25:6-7