Joyful Words of Encouragement...What a Gift!

              Have you had your Joy Juice today?  Have you been hurriedly trying to get everything done that this season requires?  Gift buying, party planning, play practices….etc, etc.   Don’t forget how important “Joy Juice” is to your spiritual stamina during this busy Christmas season!

             Life is like a race!  And sometimes we get tired (maybe even exhausted!) especially during this time of year.  My brother is a marathon runner and he says that near the end of a long race, his legs ache, his throat burns and his whole body cries out to quit.  But when he hears the people at the finish line cheering…..that bit of encouragement helps the runners to push through the pain all the way to the end!

The same is true in the race of life.  1 Thess. 5:11 tells us to “build each other up.”  We can do that with kind words of encouragement.  For example:

·         Point out to someone a quality that you appreciate in him or her.

·          Tell a co-worker what a good job they did on a project.

·          Express your appreciation for someone’s talent or ability. 

·         And PLEASE don’t forget that our family members need to hear words of edification, as well! 

As a matter of fact, I believe that most of us would prefer a steady gifting of encouragement any day to a material gift that’s going to tear up or soon be out of style.

Put ENCOURAGEMENT on your gift-giving list this Christmas.  It will bring joy to the person as they receive it  and JOY to you as a smile lights up their face.