A vivid picture of five ladies seated around a cozy fire-side cabin’s room flooded my mind as I awoke this morning. This past November, I was privileged to retreat with and speak to these amazing women! As I opened my eyes, I saw each seated in their chairs around the familiar room. I knew God was impressing on me… Rachel, send an email of encouragement. A brief download of what to say to each person entered my mind. I wondered, should I grab a piece of paper and quickly scribble down what I heard God say? Not fully awake, I lay in my bed instead and just reviewed what the email should say.
My own agenda included to write this blog today so I was a bit confused. But I knew I needed to get the email written and sent. God wanted me to encourage few women. So in my heart I said, Okay God, I will write it. I just need to accomplish these things first.
Before I wrote and sent the email I did these things:
- Read my Bible
- Snarfed down a bowl of cereal
- Wrote in my journal
- Warmed my coffee
- Listened to a voicemail of a friend’s encouragement
- Started a laundry load of darks
- Posted on Instagram
- Dressed for a walk
- Decided not to take a walk
- Ate a no bake cookie
- Stopped by the Cobbler’s Bench to pick up my boots requiring heel replacements
- Ran to the post office to mail a package
- Warmed my coffee again
- Ate another no bake cookie
- Fiddled around on Instagram
- Sat down to write the email God had impressed upon me earlier
Yes, I wrote the email. Phew! SENT
But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness. Hebrews 3:13 Who can you encourage today? Hurry up, it is still “Today.”
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. 1 Thessalonians 5:11
I find it interesting that in the middle of writing this blog regarding encouragement, I received a call from a buddy who plans to pick me up in a few hours. She wanted to confirm the timeframe then said, “Hey, while I have you on the phone I want to encourage you…I understand what you were saying last night… I’m here for you!”
Too funny! As I was praying about the blog post I received the encouraging voicemail. I was also encouraged from what I read in my Bible from Hebrews 13:20-21. Now may the God of peace who brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep, by the blood of the eternal covenant, equip you with everything good that you may do his will, working in us that which is pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen. Next, while posting I got the phone call of encouragement. Plus my entire day began when God impressed upon me… write to encourage those beautiful ladies!
So as long as it is called “Today” let me encourage you now reader:
- God is a God of peace.
- He will equip you to do things that you are called to do today according to his will.
- God is a God of the impossible and raised Jesus from the dead.
- God is for you he’s not against you.
- Greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.
- God’s name is Emmanuel which means God with us – so whatever you’re facing today you do not face alone.
- God has good plans for his kids… His plans are not for harm or for calamity, but to give you a future and hope.
Who can you encourage today? Hurry up,
it says as it is still called “Today.”
I gotta go I need another no-bake cookie as long as it is still called,” Today!”
Recipe: I never measure so these are the rough ingredient amounts:
- 1 1/2 cups toasted oatmeal
- 1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds
- 1/2 – 3/4 cup peanut butter
- 1/2 cup raisins
- 1/3 cup honey, maple syrup, or agave nectar
- 4 Tablespoons cocoa powder
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
(*If it’s too dry or not goopy enough add either more butter or more honey… If it’s too goopy add some more oatmeal! )
rachel inouye 