Encouragement is something everyone is able to do! Not everyone can draw, not everyone can play a sport, not everyone is able to dance. Do you get the picture? YET everyone is able to offer a kind word that helps more than anyone might realize.
Reading further today in Luke, Mary arrives at Elizabeth's home and immediately upon Mary saying hello. Elizabeth in a very loud voice filled with the Holy Spirit offered wonderful encouraging words to Mary. Imagine, the weight on Mary's shoulders when she arrived at the home of a cousin that she doesn't see very often. She just traveled a pretty good distance with people, perhaps she didn't know very well and an angel of God just delivered news that was beyond anything she could have ever imagined. Mary also didn't know what would happen next in her young life.
Yet, she walks through the door and is offered these amazing words from Luke 1:
Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?
Imagine for a moment the weight that immediately was lifted off this young woman's shoulders and heart. All because this woman followed the leading of the Holy Spirit.
How often do we feel the Holy Spirit guiding us to offer words to someone and we resist? Or perhaps we follow through and we see the hope immediately sweep over the face of the one that received the words they needed? Follow the nudges!
Last Saturday I followed a nudge and drove to Hope, Arkansas. Our family farm was the destination and God surprised me with the eagle above! I always love God moments and how amazing He truly is and how He provides what we need and when we need it. He did that for me and He did it for Mary and He will do it for you!
Share encouragement today!
God gave me this scripture to share with you today from Isaiah. I loved the way it is written in the Message, so that is the one I am sharing with you today. I pray that He reminds you through this passage of who He is and how much He loves you!
Isaiah 40:31 The Message (MSG)
27-31 Why would you
ever complain, O Jacob,
or, whine, Israel, saying,
“God has lost track of me.
He doesn’t care what happens to me”?
Don’t you know anything? Haven’t you been listening?
God doesn’t come and go. God lasts.
He’s Creator of all you can see or imagine.
He doesn’t get tired out, doesn’t pause to catch his breath.
And he knows everything, inside and out.
He energizes those who get tired,
gives fresh strength to dropouts.
For even young people tire and drop out,
young folk in their prime stumble and fall.
But those who wait upon God get fresh strength.
They spread their wings and soar like eagles,
They run and don’t get tired,
they walk and don’t lag behind.
or, whine, Israel, saying,
“God has lost track of me.
He doesn’t care what happens to me”?
Don’t you know anything? Haven’t you been listening?
God doesn’t come and go. God lasts.
He’s Creator of all you can see or imagine.
He doesn’t get tired out, doesn’t pause to catch his breath.
And he knows everything, inside and out.
He energizes those who get tired,
gives fresh strength to dropouts.
For even young people tire and drop out,
young folk in their prime stumble and fall.
But those who wait upon God get fresh strength.
They spread their wings and soar like eagles,
They run and don’t get tired,
they walk and don’t lag behind.
Sweet blessings,
Debbie
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