InstaEncouragements Blog

2 Unexpected Gifts of Relationship

2/3/2023

“It is not good that man should be alone” (Gen 2:18). This statement carries so much truth that is often overlooked. God finished His work of creation. Everything from the solar system to the tiniest blade of grass came from words He spoke All of it was good except for one thing. The only thing God said was not good was that man was alone. One could argue that man wasn’t alone. He was surrounded by animal life, for which he was a steward. He also had God with him. And yet, God said he was alone.

“It is not good that man should be alone.” Genesis 2:18

This simple statement carries so much weight and truth that I’ve often overlooked it during my years of reading it. God had just finished His work of creation. Everything from the expansive solar system to the tiniest blade of grass came from the words He spoke, and all of it was good. Except for one thing. The only thing God said was not good was that man was alone.

Technically, one could argue that man wasn’t alone. He was surrounded by animal life, for which he was a steward. He also had God with him. And yet, God said he was alone. From Scripture, we see that God created man to be relational, both with Him and with others. While God is our first and most essential relationship, He also made us to need people.

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Seeing and Savoring Christ at Christmas

12/2/2022

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As I sit writing this, we are only days away from the start of a new Advent season, and by the time this is posted it will have already begun. While we ought to dwell on the magnificence and mystery of Christ’s incarnation throughout the whole year, it is at this special time, that we as believers should be completely captivated by its significance and meaning in our lives.

This can be one of the busiest times of the year for many of us. As we bustle about with church and family gatherings, concerts, shopping, baking, travel, and a host of other activities, we can quickly find ourselves worn out with little thought given to considering what this season is all about. While the fun, parties, gifts, and music are wonderful parts of Christmas, they are not the Thing itself, and we can easily do ourselves and our children a great disservice by not setting aside time to contemplate Christ and wonder at His coming.

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God is Good All the Time

11/4/2022

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We forget that #God is good, always good. His goodness is knitted into every moment of every day, whether hard or easy, good or bad. The grass isn’t greener somewhere else. It is green in Hawaii and it is green in Georgia. And instead of focusing on the grass, we ought to focus on its Maker. No matter what we face, His goodness and His blessings are everywhere. Let us keep our eyes on Him and be quick to recognize His good and gracious gifts, which are all around us. #GodisGood #Biblestudy

My family recently returned from a trip to Hawaii. My husband is overseeing a work project there, and my daughter and I had the good fortune to accompany him on his last trip.

We are always grateful when we can be together and travel as a family when he has to go away for work. But to experience a place like Hawaii with each other was a very special treat.

Everything was as I expected and more so. It is an amazingly beautiful place with its sandy shores, ocean views, and lush green mountains. It’s no wonder that people call it paradise.

After a couple of days, I posted a few pictures on social media and a friend messaged me joking about how jealous she was. Her message surprised me, but not in the way one might think.

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3 Things the Bible Doesn’t Say About Quiet Time

9/30/2022

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From my earliest memories of growing up in the church, I remember that having a personal quiet time was strongly emphasized. Because of this and my desire to be a “good Christian,” I believed a daily quiet time was at the top of my checklist of how to please the Lord. However, more often than not I found myself failing in this area. Truth be told, I still do at times.

There are definitely seasons where I am committed and consistent in personal Bible study. And then, some subtle shift or change takes place, and months later I wake to wonder where my desire and resolve have gone.

I don’t believe I am alone in this. We all go through periods like this. It’s no wonder that so many believers are left feeling like failures in this area. Of course, we ought to take time to reflect on our priorities and possible idols when we find ourselves in such patterns.

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The Myth of Control

8/26/2022

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My daughter Emersyn is finishing her swim lessons for the summer. It’s been rewarding to see her progress as both her skill and #confidence have grown. As I’ve had a front-row seat to her #frustrations and #successes throughout this process, it’s reinforced to me a part of her personality that I can relate to. In one of her early #lessons, her #teacher remarked to me that our greatest hurdle in helping Emersyn become a better swimmer would be #encouraging her to give up the illusion of #control.

My daughter Emersyn is currently finishing up her swimming lessons for the summer. It’s been very rewarding to see her progress as both her skill and confidence have grown. As I’ve had a front-row seat to her frustrations and successes throughout this process, it’s reinforced to me a part of her personality that I can relate to.

In one of her early lessons, her teacher remarked to me that our greatest hurdle in helping Emersyn become a better swimmer would be encouraging her to give up the illusion of control.

As her mom, I’ve seen this struggle manifest itself in many ways — her reluctance to go down the slide at the playground, hesitation in her interactions with our new puppy, unwillingness to jump from a higher step or platform unless I am holding her hand.

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4 Ways to Love Someone Who is Grieving

7/29/2022

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Loss. Sorrow. Grief. Whether they happen to us directly or to those we love, they are frequent and regular parts of our existence in a sin-cursed world. In the last month alone, my husband and I have experienced a family member who has suffered a miscarriage, the sudden death of a beloved and faithful fellow church member, and a dear college friend of mine who abruptly lost his job and means to support his family.

Although we cannot escape grief in this life, as believers we have the blessed consolation of experiencing it very differently from those who live without God. We still grieve, but we do so with hope (1 Thess. 4:13-18). Even in the midst of deep pain, we have hope that God makes no mistakes, that He always keeps His promises, that He loves us and walks with us, and that one day all will be made right. He is our hope and the hope with which we can comfort others.

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Community: Why We Need Each Other

6/24/2022

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My #college years were some of the most formative in my life. The #community that I discovered there was a first for me. The #fellowship and #friendships I encountered in those years changed and grew me in all areas of my life, especially in my #Christian walk. After #graduation, I found myself desperately trying to recreate the type of #relationships and sense of #belonging I felt during college. I became #restless and #frustrated that I could not replicate this experience in the “real world.”

My college years were some of the most influential and formative in my life. I was challenged, stretched, and developed in ways that I have never experienced before.

Additionally, the community that I discovered there was a first for me. The fellowship and friendships I encountered in those years changed and grew me in all areas of my life, especially in my Christian walk.

After graduation, I found myself desperately trying to recreate the type of relationships and sense of belonging I felt during college.

Initially, I became restless and frustrated that I could not replicate this experience in the “real world.” But as the years passed I came to understand not only what a true Biblical community is but how to cultivate it.

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