Memorial Day
Today we pause to remember the fallen. We say a silent prayer for all of the families and friends that have lost loved ones as they served our country.
It’s not about grilling out, taking the boat out, or pool parties.
It’s about the greatest sacrifice that many men and women have given for the sake of freedom.
Freedom isn’t free! It comes with a huge price that many have paid.
All gave some. Some gave all.
The Power of Encouragement
I’m sure that at some point in our lives we can all say that we could relate to feeling “down in the dumps.” If things haven’t been going our way, as much as we try, we may not always be able to hold our heads up and keep a smile on our faces. We can try really hard, but some times, let’s face it, it’s just hard to breathe let alone force all of the muscles in our faces to do what inside we can’t … smile.
Have you ever really thought about the many “masks” that we wear? We surely can’t allow the world to see how we truly feel, so we hide behind the “masks” and pretend that all is well when inside we’re hurting. Deep within our core, there’s a ache. It … just … hurts!
It’s times like this … more than ever … that we need someone to come alongside of us with encouragement for our hearts. They may not be able to “do” anything about the situation that is troubling us or the sadness that we’re feeling in our hearts. What they can do is love us, encourage us, support us and just be “there.”
There is such power in encouragement! When your heart is hurting, it is quite comforting to feel the loving arms of your friend wrapped securely around you letting you know that they’re there … and they are not letting you go! It helps to have a reassuring hand to hold or even just a voice on the other end of the phone.
When you feel low and as if you can’t figure your own “stuff” out, why not give another the gift of your encouragement? It has been proven that if you are sad, depressed, or hurting that it helps if you reach out to others. It will help you feel better to encourage someone else and love on them a little while. Think of how you’ve felt when others have reached out to you. It’s a beautiful thing to feel the love that another has for you.
Aside from the power of encouragement from a friend, there is great encouragement to be found within the pages of one book in particular. The Bible is full of God’s promises and His love for us. He also speaks about friends in His word:
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up!
John 15:12-15
My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.
Proverbs 17:17
A friend loves at all times …
One of my dear friends has been having a hard time lately, and they were feeling especially down today. It hurts when your friends hurt. You want to reach out and help in some way. You offer. You tell them to let you know if there is anything … anything at all … that you can do for them. Then you pray for them and whisper words of encouragement into the universe to them and for them … and they can feel it … they can truly feel the power of encouragement at times like these.
With that said, I’d like to introduce you to the Encouragement Team of Light Love Hope. By clicking here, you will be taken to a new page which will show the beautiful smiling faces of some very important people in my life. These precious souls are here, just as I am, to come alongside you and love you, encourage you, and support you. There are many, many more precious people in my life that are not on the page as writers for this site, yet they continue to speak to my heart on a daily basis. One particular lady that I love and hold so dear to my heart resides many, many states away (Oklahoma), and yet, she’s like my sister. She’s not on this site … yet … as part of my Encouragement Team, but she speaks to my heart on a daily basis. I love her … and I hope she knows without a shadow of a doubt what her friendship means to me.
There IS power in encouragement … such power … such beautiful, overwhelming, life changing power. Share your gift of encouragement with someone today. They will be blessed completely … and so will you in the process!
Close – Five Minute Friday
You know what time it is, right? It’s time for FIVE MINUTE FRIDAY!!!
Today’s prompt word is CLOSE.
Are you ready to write without regarding to getting it “just” right? Set your timer and see where your mind takes you!
Ready?
Set?
GO!
Near or far, where ever you are … you’re always close to my heart.
Though miles may separate us and people threaten to prevent us from being together, they cannot take this from us. Ever. We are always together and close because of the connection of our heart.
I’ll never forget when my daughter was younger and red faced with tears streaming had to go with her dad every other weekend and weeks in the summer for visitation. She was only a year old when we separated, and this was hard on her to be away from me just as much as it was for me to be away from her. She was so little and didn’t understand what was going on and why we had to be apart. As the years went by, she understood a little more, but it did not stop the tears from flowing each and every time we had to be apart. I would lean in close to her and whisper that she was always in my heart just like I was always in her heart. I would reassure her that no one could ever take that away from us. Ever! Although we weren’t allowed to talk on the phone even at that point when she had to be away, she could rest in the assurance of my love and that although we were separated by many miles between us … we were always close because of the love we have in our hearts for each other.
Now, my daughter is older … entering her Senior year in the Fall. She will be preparing to go out into the real world after graduation. She’ll be preparing to leave for college. She admitted yesterday that she’s excited yet frightened for this last year of high school. I leaned in close once more and whispered that no matter what she will always be in my heart just like I am always in her heart. No one will ever be able to take that away from us … no miles … no distance … nothing! We will always be close and connected at the heart because of the strong love and mother/daughter bond that we share.
STOP!
