"The Power of Encouragement", what a topic!!!!  This is the topic for our (in)courage link up today.  (in)Courage has already encouraged me to not be “a bad blogger”.  I've done more blogs this year than in the last two—combined.  (Read below if you can’t relate to the "bad blogger" image.)

Can I just say that I have never thought of myself as an encourager or even a “positive” thinker.  I know the power of God and the power of trusting in His word, but God did not make me a natural born encourager. 

As a matter of fact, I’m the girl that can find that cloud with a rainstorm that will turn into a hurricane before I’m the girl that finds the silver lining any day.   Some may call that “negative thinking” but I call it reality.

That’s just the way I roll.  

I have that snarky, curt, quick, in your face sense of humor and as a comedian, it has served me well.  As an encourager, not so much!

But I struggle with the positives.   I struggle with encouragement. 

It is not my spiritual gift.  

Yet I find myself in middle of “encouragement”.  Lately others have been so encouraging to me.  Encouraging me about things I never thought I was very good at.  And I have tried to encourage others.  If I see something I like, such as a purse, a book, a haircut, or accessory; I have been complementing people.  I found myself in the emergency room last week and I found myself “encouraging” every nurse that stuck me with a needle and didn't make me cry.  (I have “bad” veins, the kind the roll, hide and collapse and I don’t cry easily so the “snarky” in me resisted that a bit.)  But one nurse told me, “Thanks, I’m kind of new at this.  I try not to hurt people.”  I replied, “Well, you are in the right job sister”.  It was nice to see her smile, even if it was 4:30 in the am.

There is power in encouragement. 

Something I am learning to do better.  Don’t worry, I’m sure there will still be a part of the snarky, in your face, bad blogger in me from time to time.  But hopefully it will be followed by an encouraging word or two.

 

Romans 12:8a in the NIV says “if it is to encourage, then give encouragement…”  I say, if it’s not your gift, and it is SO NOT MINE, try anyway.   It is powerful just the same.