Daughter of Encouragement
This week I had a private email that said, “you are a bloggy Barnabas.â€Â That comment really stuck with me and made me ponder things. Am I a Barnabas? Am I a Barnabas in real life? Can people who really know me say the same thing?Â
Are you a Barnabas? Who was Barnabas?
Barnabas’ actual name was Joseph but the apostles called him Barnabas which meant “son of encouragement.” Barnabas was described as an honest and generous man, in the time deceitful behavior ran rampant. Barnabas was one of the first people who accepted Paul, accepted his conversion after the road to Damascus. While the church was still distrustful of Paul, Barnabas believed in him. Barnabas was one of Paul’s biggest cheerleaders and encouragers. Looking back now we see how important that was, because of all the influence Paul had on the advancement of the Christian faith. It all began because someone believed in him.Â
I too can say the same thing; I am here because several elderly ladies believed in me. When I was at my lowest, they would come up to me and say, shaking their head “Laurel the Lord has great things for you.â€Â Sometimes my anger would want to lash out and say, “look at me, I am in my pit, how in the world can the Lord use this.â€Â And all they would say is, “Laurel the Lord has great things for you.â€Â What a difference encouragement has made in my life.
I want to grow up and be like the ladies the Lord put in my life. Things are moving in my life, the Lord is having me step in places that scare me, places I feel unworthy to be.Â
Now those sweet ladies are in heaven dancing with Jesus and my walk is closer to him, I feel his whisper in my ear, “child I have great things for you.â€
Barbara J. Winter said, “When you come to the edge of all the light you know, and are about to step off into the darkness of the unknown, FAITH is knowing one of two things will happen: There will be something solid to stand on or you will be taught how to fly.â€
Sweet sisters, are you ready to fly? God is so in love with you it hurts, he loves you with a jealous love, you are beautiful to him….
Do you not know? Have you not heard? Listen….. in the quiet of the still wind, you will hear…
“OH CHILD OF MINE I HAVE SOMETHING GREAT FOR YOUâ€
But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, with men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible. Matthew 19:26
Heavenly Father, may every person that reads this today feel your love surround them like a warm blanket. May they FEEL the love that you have for them. Father I don’t feel worthy to even be mentioned in the same breath as Barnabas, but Father help me to cultivate more of his characteristics in my life. And Father bless my words and my actions, when you have me stepping out into the unknown. Help me to learn how to fly.
Beautiful, Laurel. You know Shamus just taught Rachel that BArnabas meant “Encourager” and has been asking her “What does Barnabas mean? Wht does encourager mean?” all week, so that name has been very much on my mind. 🙂 I am beginning to wonder if He isn’t rying to tell me something. 🙂
This is a wonderful post, Laurel.
Awesome devotion, Laurel. Yes, God sends people into our life to keep us going. It sure is hard sometimes without that encouragement. I am glad that I have several women like that in my life.
Blessings on your weekend and always.
Great post, Laurel. Thanks for letting us know what Baranabas means. 🙂 We all should be more encouraging, seeing the good in others. After all, God has made every one of us for some special purpose that is uniquely our own.
I love that quote Laurel. I think “encourager” describes you very well. I am always uplifted by the things you write – all the more because I know they come from your heart. I think sometimes I believe that the “great things” must literally be something huge, but I have come to understand that many times our “little” is God’s great. I must learn to be faithful in the little – and He will make it something great.
Thank you for this loving, encouraging post.
That was great. And what an awesome quote by Barbara Winter. You make me want to study Barnabas today.
Larel,
You made my heart soar!! You are Barnabas indeed! Blessings my Sister, 🙂
You are *so* a Barnabus! It’s a very fitting description of your blog and this one.
I loved your post. I read it this morning and then had to head out to the market because I have a sick child, sick husband and stray dog. I was able to reflect on your post in the car and it really helped me.
I just found your blog today and what a blessing! I have been feeling lead to start a blog of my own and I only hope that I am half as encouraging as you! I look forward to reading many more of your posts.
In His love,
Anita
I was thinking this week how I feel like Saul (Paul) in the beginning, and it has been good that there have been some Barnabas(es) out there in the bloggy world.
I love what you have written about encouragement. I believe in it because it worked for me and I realize understanding, listening and connecting are the keys to bringing hope to a discouraged person. My world needs healing words, inspiring words, caring words, encouraging words and we need to know the right words to say.
Thus a lifetime of learning ‘how to encourage’ became my purpose and my story.
I found out:
I can impact a life in a positive way.
You can encourage people to persevere in difficult life situations.
We can make a difference in one another’s lives.
My husband and I are still married, after 33 years of starting and owning several successful small businesses together. I have a degree in retail merchandising, am a human resource manager, advertising manager and janitor. I have been an employer and employee. I have been a counselee and counseled.
I love to volunteer in my church and community, encouraging women and children. I am a big fan of whoever said, ‘volunteering is the rent you pay to live in community,’ knowing that lifestyle comes from a giving and generous heart.
“Criticism works, but encouragement works wonders.” KG