all part of one Team.

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i've been thinking a lot about encouragement lately.

you know, through this whole blogging community, i've been pleased to see more encouragement than not. i know that there are those situations where things can get ugly with comments and opinions, and of course jealousy. but more times than not i see sisters cheering each other on, encouraging each other through the hard days, offering a virtual hug to cry on, and internet friendships becoming real ones.

i gotta say that's such a beautiful thing. but more beautiful than it itself, is seeing Jesus through it all. the Body coming together.

when i first started this whole blogging thing, it was hard not to see it as competition. the whole followers thing, i gotta say, consumed me for a good while. it was eating me alive in jealousy and it was either get out of the blogging journey or stop focusing on it.
thankfully it was the latter.

over the course of the past few months, i've been humbled to see that it's never been about me. it's always been about Him. i know that may sound cliche. i've read that on so many posts before, but there's really no other way to say it. we're all here to tell our story, which could not be, if it wasn't for Him. so cliche sounding or not, it is the truth.
it's been about Him working through us, humbling us, molding us, connecting us for a bigger purpose: to bring Him glory.

and one of the ways as the Body we do that is by lifting each other up. encouraging each other, being on each other's team. we're all sisters, mothers, wives, women. whatever season you may find your self in. We all belong to one Team.
Here there is no 'my team'
to me that sounds like a members only deal. and within the Body all are welcome to receive encouragement, support, and fellowship. i realize that we may connect more easily with some more than others, and that's okay. but extending out the welcome to everyone, the encouragement is where it begins.

and it always begins with you and me. reaching out and encouraging.
you know,sometimes it may feel as though we don't have much to offer, especially with being a thousand miles apart and only a screen connecting us. but even then the power of an encouraging word knows no limitation.
let's be each other's cheerleaders. that is all that one person may receive that day, in the midst of cheerios all over the floor, a marriage that is stumbling, a sense of insecurity venturing into something new, or life taking a turn for the unexpected.
i know it first hand. to know someone is there that cares, means the world. to know that someone is lifting you up prayer, whoosh. it blows my mind.

if we were all here, i'd certainly invite you to hold hands and sing kumbaya. no joke. well maybe a little. but i'd sure hug each one of you and offer encouragement and thank you for yours.

how have you felt encouraged lately?

 
 

linking up with:

Oh Simple Thoughts

5 comments:

Kendra Ellsworth said...

Found you through the Coffee Date Link up! Your blog post is so true and right on for me today. Thanks so much for sharing your heart!

Rachel Cox @ Oh Simple Thoughts said...

Amen!! I love thinking of myself as a storyteller, not because my life is perfect, but because I serve a mighty God who has richly blessed me with a story that is weaved with tales of His faithfulness, majesty, and love for me. That is why I blog...and oh boy can I relate to loosing myself in the competition of it all from time to time. It is so sweet to always step back and remind myself why I started Oh Simple Thoughts and what my goal is...it is always, and should always be all about Jesus. Thanks for linking up today. It was a joy to read your heart! much Love!!!

The Olive Tree Blog said...

yes!! in the words of jewel " it doesn't take a talent to be mean" ... encouragement is so great given and received!

17 Perth said...

Yes yes yes Leah!! And it is so awesome to be able to see God working in in this! Thank u for always being an encourager to me!

Becky | Apples of Gold said...

Beautifully said and so so true!
It's such a blessing to be encouraged by other women... some that i may never ever meet while on this Earth. And SO cool to think (no, KNOW) that we are all part of God's family. And as sisters we can hold one another up when the going gets rough. It's pretty amazing.