Encouragement–The Power of the Positive

Jan and I attended an interesting seminar recently. Although we were invited to the seminar by our Merrill Lynch consultant, the topic was not financial. The seminar was about how to stay healthy by integrating a balanced diet, exercise, sleep, stress management, and socialization.
One of the things the seminar presenter mentioned was the value of encouragement and positive feedback–both as a stress reliever and as an important part of healthy socialization. Most of us have heard that it takes lots of positives to overcome a negative. It is also true that most people tend to dwell on the negatives more than on the positives. A person who gives negatives to others often does significantly more harm than is realized–both to others and to himself.
For these reasons, it is good to take inventory of the encouraging positives we have received or are receiving. It is good to think about all of those people to whom we matter and make a difference. Getting in touch with the positives goes a long way toward offsetting the negatives we receive.

Here is a sample of some of the recent encouragements Jan and I have received as we think about our missions, ministry, and church life. We share these few things as examples, hoping you will find help in developing your own list of the positives received in your life.

We are incredibly encouraged by how genuinely enthusiastic the Park Plaza church is about our presence.

Mitch Wilburn is a jewel–he constantly throws encouragement our way.

We are amazed at how quickly the Park Plaza church has adopted a level of ownership of our mission and ministry work, especially in the missions prayer list.

My friends and coworkers in missions, especially at Baxter, are a continuing source of positives and incredible encouragement.

The unexpected phone call from a brother who works in preacher training–he just called to say that he appreciates what we are doing in missions.

I recently met a sister in Christ who asked me what I do. When I tried to give a brief explanation of the projects I juggle, she said, “I think you are using all of the talents God has given you.” How encouraging!

The thank you notes and emails received from the elders of a U.S. church where I recently presented a leadership development seminar.

The Facebook post this week from a Christian couple in Honduras who simply wanted to send greetings and maintain our love and friendship in Christ.

The enthusiastic response to the leadership seminars, most often reflected in the question, “How soon can you come again?”