Receiving Encouragement

Do you spend your days feeling more encouraged or discouraged? Do you mostly give encouragement, receive it, or is it a balance of both?

There are countless ways to encourage people, but we each receive it differently. What hits you the most? Do you thrive on kind words, gifts, companionship and time, or letters? Do you want recognition in front of a group or quiet words from a friend, co-worker, or boss?

There are a lot of people who live a very discouraged life and we have a beautiful opportunity each day to connect with them, to encourage them, to speak kind words into their life. Take a moment to look for people that maybe do a thankless job, or put their lives on the line for strangers - thank them for their hard work. Watch their eyes light up - it will likely bring tears to your own eyes.

Regardless of how people best receive encouragement, a kind word of appreciation touches everybody.  See how many people you can thank this week - but mean every word.

One More Thing...

I want to hear from you - what encourages you most? Please share your stories of how people reacted when you thanked them.

Take care, and I'm always here to pray for you or simply to connect.

Lois Lynn

Gonna Make It

Fame. The Voice. The Mary Tyler Moore Show. Smash. America's Got Talent.The list could go on easily.

America seems to be quite enthralled with television shows and/or movies about finding our dream and making it big. I can't even begin the list of songs that follow this same theme. I actually have a playlist on my iPod titled "You Can Do It".

My husband and I are addicted to The Voice and it is so touching to watch these people putting themselves out there and giving it everything they have. This is their passion, it's all they want in life - and they go for it with every fiber of their being. Then the chairs turn around and their confidence soars! It's so exhilarating - I cheer, I cry. I do it all over again with the next contestant.

Why do we watch others pursue things they want but so few of us make the effort? What is holding you back? Is it fear of failing or fear of succeeding? Maybe it's fear of what people will think about your dream?

We recently watched a documentary about Frank Lloyd Wright - another inspirational story about following your own passions regardless of what people think.

One More Thing...

Do you have someone in your life that pushes you to pursue something from your wildest dreams?

Take care, and I'm always here to pray for you or simply to connect with.

Lois Lynn

The Voice on NBC
Smash on NBC

Worship Gone Wrong

I recently had the privilege of spending a few days at the Cannon Beach Conference Center with the staff and elders of the church I work at. It was three days of prayer, sharing, musical worship, unity, team building, celebrating, eating, laughing, encouragement, and even a few tears of both joy and heartache as we shared some real-life stories side by side. It was a "mountaintop with God" experience!

We were in the final stages of searching for a new lead pastor and it was a bit of a roller coaster ride, courtesy of God. During some of our discussions, we talked about how we can sometimes forget that it is God we worship and that we often take back the controls. Yet, I was amazed at the very clear, unanimous response of all present - this was all about God, and never about our individual desires. I was reminded again how wonderful it is to serve God shoulder to shoulder with such genuine Christ-followers.

As we sang some of our songs, I was reminded of this "version" that made the Facebook circuit recently. It is funny, yet sadly true. Take a listen then let me know if you ever struggle with this as well. It's so easy to fall into a routine, but I challenge us all to make this a song we can simply laugh with, instead of having it tug at our strings of conviction.

Join me, as we sing some all too familiar standards...

One More Thing...

What was the one you were laughing at before you realized you could relate to it? Are you willing to share?

Take care, and I'm always here to pray for you or simply to connect.

Lois Lynn