Encouragement?

Tim 4:8 For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.

Encouragement is not an ugly word! Discouragement is.

When I was growing up, I never had anyone in my life that encouraged me to ever become a single thing. I learned from my surroundings to drink, do drugs and waste my life in the process, but along came grace and found me in the clutches of the evil one and took hold of me, shaking me into a new being, one where I could believe in myself.

God found me at an early age, lying in the pool of discouragement. No one in this world came along side of me and said, “You can do it!” I found God at an early age, and asked Him if I could do it, and He said, “Yes you can!”

So from about fourteen years old, I learned that God was going to be my only source of inspiration and that He would encourage me when I was weak and just needed to hear those three words, “Yes you can!”

Encouragement can be misconstrued also. Have you ever seen a kid on the football field, doing lousy, shoulders down, eyes to the ground and when you ask him, “What’s the matter.” He says, “I don’t like football.”

“You don’t like football? Then why are you playing it?"

“My dad wanted me to. He encouraged me to play, even though he knew I didn’t like this game.”

“And you always do what you’re told or encouraged to do?”

“Well, yeah. Don’t wanna let him down, is all.”

How many of us, as children, or have watched our friends as kids, have played that game of pleasing the parent and not ourselves? I bet its a lot of you, if you can be honest with yourself.

I’ve had so many writers come into f2k and Writers Village University and say to me point blank, “I’ve always wanted to be a writer!”

And I always say, “So why haven’t you ever taken any action before your seventieth birthday?”

“Well, mom and dad wanted me to be a lawyer,doctor...____________”
You fill in the blank.

Encouragement is a good thing, as long as we know that we’re not putting *our* wants before the person receiving the encouragement. Sometimes people become so selfish with what they want, they don’t realize that their encouragement could hurt or hinder the growth of the individual.

My advice to you, friends. Follow your heart and what it is telling YOU. It’s nice to hear insight from others, but don’t allow it to shape your decision. You are your own person, capable of making up your own mind. Talk to God, ask him if you can and should be a writer. I bet I know what he’s going to say, “YES YOU CAN!”

Please note: If you’ve never had an inkling or ever wanted to be a writer, God might let you know to stay where you are. ;) Also note: If you are not happy doing what you are currently doing, ask yourself, “Am I doing this for me? Or someone else because THEY wanted me to do this?”