A Note of Encouragement

from Ciloa

A crowd of people walking in all directions

Encourage one another to
encourage others.
We all need encouragement.

Encouraging to encourage

Volume XVI, Issue 5

February 1, 2016

On December 6, 2015, 12Stone Church did something unusual. Rather than taking up a Christmas offering, they gave one away. Each household was provided an envelope in exchange for a commitment: Seek God, then use this to bless others.

With many others, I walked to the front and received my mysterious envelope. Then at the proper time, I opened mine. Nestled inside was a crisp...real...$100 bill.

That day 12Stone gave around $800,000 to its members scattered across 9 campuses. The goal was to bless those in need in the surrounding communities, a project two years in the making.

My first thoughts were of people who could use the funds, and there were many. (My second thoughts concerned upgrading my computer. God frowned and I quickly returned to blessing others.)

But my plan was out of order. I was not to focus on who could use the money or what it might provide. My first task was to seek God. He would lead us to the right person and best use.

For days Beverly and I prayed about this. Father, who do you want us to bless with this? But while we continued to have a flood of ideas, they were our ideas. Nothing had God's hand on it.

So we waited as others shared wonderful stories of people being blessed. But for us...no divine sign, no writing on the wall, no burning bush. Each day I felt a little more guilty and annoyed that the money was still in my pocket. I've never wanted so badly to get rid of $100.

Then one day Beverly and I decided to have breakfast at a local Waffle House* and give the money away. There was no mysterious message to do that, but we were desperate. Oddly enough, for no apparent reason, we did not go to Waffle House but to Denny's**.

Our server was a nice, ever-smiling young lady. We ordered (I got some egg affair) and talked to her a bit. She had just returned from Illinois with her young children and was working a lot of hours to support her family.

After she left, Beverly and I huddled. SHE WAS THE ONE! We had no idea why, but at least we were certain that she was God's choice. The waiting was finally over.

When she returned, we shared what our church had done and that God had told us to give her something. As she opened the small red envelope, tears filled her eyes.

God rewards those who diligently seek Him

Amid many an emotional "Thank you", she told us how a car had run a red light, smashing into her car. She and her children were fine, but the car was destroyed, leaving her in a difficult financial situation. This act of kindness meant more to her than we could possibly know. But God knew.

Feeling all warm and fuzzy? Here's something I'd like you to think about.

Every act of encouragement brings joy not only to the recipient, but to the encourager as well. When we encourage others, we are encouraged by the very encouragement we freely give. How like God to lead us into giving so that we might receive through following Him!

Encouraging one another to encourage others. There's something important in that...for all of us.

Take care & be God's,

Chuck

* Waffle House is a chain of restaurants devoted to delicious waffles, pancakes, hash browns, and an assortment of other items capable of immediately sending a Diabetic, such as myself, into a carb-induced state of shock and coma. Still tasty though.

** See above regarding Waffle House.

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