Weekend Wisdom

Endurance and Encouragement

13 May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Romans15:13 (NIV)

Bio: Michele Kearns is the founder and HUG© (Hope Unites Globally) Award-Winner of JoyReturns. She shares her widowhood adventures hoping to inspire widows to move through grief and rebuild their lives. A graduate of Kent State University with a Bachelor’s degree in communications, she’s currently using those skills as a virtual logistics contact center representative. She’s also managed call center teams, co-facilitated a grief support group, and helped small businesses with various writing assignments. Michele is a bookworm, and a lover of music, chocolate, red roses, and golden retrievers. She is also the amateur photographer behind the blog OgleOhio.com.

Weekend Wisdom

Weekend Wisdom: Encouragement

In our small group at church, we are studying the book “Love one another, 20 practical lessons” by Don McMinn.  We are reading 2 chapters a week.  This week we are studying chapters 5 “Encouragement” and 6 “Comfort.”  So I decided to find quotes for “Weekend Wisdom” that will coincide with our study.

Bible Verse

The Bible verse for today is:

Encourage one another

1 Thessalonians 5:11

Even though the idea for this “Weekend Wisdom” series is coming from a Bible study, not all quotes will be biblical. 

My Philosophy

This Bible verse serves as part of my philosophy behind JoyReturns.

Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, just as in fact you are doing.

 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NIV)

Quotes

So here are some quotes about encouragement; hopefully at least one will speak to you.

I will let my BFF (Best Friend Forever) Ralph start.

Our chief want is someone who will inspire us to be what we know we could be.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Instruction does much, but encouragement everything.

Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

The tongue is the strongest muscle in the human body; use yours to lift someone up today. 

Terri Ann Armstrong

It’s just that in the Deep South, women learn at a young age that when the world is falling apart around you, it’s time to take down the drapes and make a new dress.

Karen Marie Moning, Faefever

May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.

2 Thessalonians 2:16-17

See to it, brothers and sisters, that none of you has a sinful, unbelieving heart that turns away from the living God. But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.

Hebrews 3:12-13

(Coming tomorrow: Comfort)

Resources

“Fresh Hope … Cleveland” Ideas For Everyone, Everywhere

(Note from Michele:  Sorry there was no fresh post yesterday.  On Wednesday I had issues with WordPress and could not get past the sign-on screen.  Now on to my review of “Fresh Hope … Cleveland by Nanci Gravill.  FYI – I paid for my Kindle version and the links to her site in both today’s and Wednesday’s article are NOT affiliate links.)

I Don’t Know How

Many times people want to help widows or others going through a nasty life event, but do not know how.

Here’s how – buy Nanci Gravill’s book “Fresh Hope … Cleveland: Resources to Help You Navigate through Unsettled Times.” (order through her site to get a signed copy.)

What A Challenge!

My challenge was to write a blog post without giving away all the information in Nanci’s book.  There are so many resources and ideas and you do not have to live in Cleveland to use this book.  

So I narrowed it down to what is the one idea,  project or quote that would be the most valuable for people who want to help widows?

The 1 Idea –  “Start An Encouragement File”

I LOVE this project and you can find it on page 56.   Since the weekend is here, now is a good time to at least get it started.

5. Start an encouragement file ~ Read it once a week or more if needed. Sometimes there are people who encourage us, but for the most part, we must continue to encourage ourselves. Therefore, save cards and notes that others have given you. Write down the great comments also that people have made about you.

 

Nanci J. Gravill (2012-02-22). Fresh Hope … Cleveland: Resources to Help You Navigate through Unsettled Times (p. 56). WestBow Press. Kindle Edition.

Michele’s Idea On How To Implement This Project

Make one for a widow and one for yourself. Then take the folder over to the widow and explain this project’s purpose.  Once a week mail the person something encouraging for them to put in their file. Yes, send it snail mail.  You have no idea how excited she will be to receive something in the mail other than bills, political ads, and grocery store flyers.  Getting an uplifting note from you will give her something to look forward to each week.

Even if you write a fantastic new quote you found on a piece of paper and mail it to her, it will be enough.  You do not have to send elaborate cards each week, just something simple.  It is the simple little things that people cherish the most.

Remember while you are doing this for her, you are also keeping a copy for your encouragement file as well.  There will come a time when you need encouragement.

Works Both Ways

If the widow finds something encouraging, she is to mail it to you for your file.

My Challenge To You

This is not a project that will help you support only widows, it will help you support anyone going through troubled times due to:

  • Divorce
  • Job Loss
  • Health Issues
  • Any other issue

Philosophy

This project fits right in line with one of the philosophy statements behind this blog:

Therefore encourage one another and build up each other, just as in fact you are doing.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NIV)

Thank You

Thank you Nanci for including “starting an encouragement file” idea in your book.  Many people will be blessed by it.

So Much More

There is so much more valuable information in this book than what I can discuss in a blog post.  

I am confident it will spark all sorts of ideas of how you can not only help widows get through tough times but also how to help yourself navigate through troubled times.

“Fresh Hope … Cleveland is for everyone, everywhere who wants to help themselves, help widows, or help friends/family going through another type of nasty type of life event.