We Need Each Other
3Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, 4who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. 1 Corinthians 1:3-4
This past weekend, I had the opportunity to attend the FPEA state wide homeschool convention. This was exactly what I needed. After struggling to find curriculum to engage my daughter, the struggles and constant leadership changes among my particular homeschool group and the feeling of being just burned out – this conference helped me to be renewed and ready to press on. The motivational speakers like Greg Harris and R.C. Sproul, Jr. not only encouraged me but reminded me of God’s truths and affirmed my commitment to do His will for my family. I was so excited when I got home from this conference that I still have not stopped talking about it.
The convention reminded me of the fact that Christian life is this way as well. We are here to encourage one another. Our church family should be the ones helping us press on in our walks with Christ. Ultimately, our Sunday morning church experience should bring glory and honor to Christ alone. However, I do think that when we make Christ our priority there is a sweet unity among believers that cannot be shared anyplace else. I believe when our lives revolve around the worship of God we cannot help but be obedient to the Word and encourage one another.
Another amazing thing about the Christian life is that encouragement is also found outside of our local church body. I think it is wonderful to see so many of us who do not even personally know one another encouraging each other through the blogging world. Comments of thoughtful wishes, get wells, ‘you can do it’s’ and even gentle corrections when warranted.
The past couple of weeks have been emotional for me personally in dealing with the loss of people I don’t necessarily know. First, there was the pastor in our community who was killed in a plane crash along with his 13 year old son. This tragedy is ever pressing, it is constantly talked about. Yet I have been blessed to drive by churches of other denominations with words of hope for this church family on their signs. Our own pastor stepped away from our expository exploration of the book of Philippians to deal with the loss as many in our church came from this other church and were grieving themselves. We as a Christian community have come together to pray for the wife and mom. Then last week, the tragedy with Steven Curtis Chapman and his precious adopted daughter. No, I did not know him or his family but feel a connection with them since I am a “fan” of him. I hurt for the family. I hurt for the son. Still I have found much encouragement in the blogging world by seeing again a rallying of Christians together to provide words of love and prayers. The last time I checked, the website set up in memory of Maria Chapman had over 17,000 words of encouragement from people who mostly probably didn’t even personally know the Chapman’s. What an encouragement that has to be to that family in this most difficult time.
Bell Shoals Baptist church (where Pastor Pollock was the pastor before the plane crash) had a tag line called, “The Fellowship of Encouragement.” I pray that each of you who reads Laced With Grace has a fellowship of encouragement. Encouragement in the good times, encouragement in the trying times, encouragement in the times of complete sorrow and mourning. My prayer is also that each time one of you visits here and reads devotion; you will leave feeling encouraged as well. I am so grateful God created His church and the Christian community to depend on each other. Let us be the comfort to one another through the grace of Christ Jesus alone. Be blessed today.
Laced with Grace has been a place of encouragement for me for the past couple of months. I love the body of Christ, and sharing it with you all has been life to me.
peace~elaine
So precious, and so true. We do need each other, bless you dear.
From the very first time I “stopped by” Laced with Grace, I have been encouraged…since then I cannot start my day without visiting here to be encouraged! THANK YOU, everyone involved in keepin this site going!! Writers & commentors alike! 🙂
What a touching post
Dana, my Dana… Wow…I do think that when we make Christ our priority there is a sweet unity among believers that cannot be shared anyplace else…. This is absolutely so true..
I have not thought about Laced With Grace as a fellowship of encouragement. How neat that it is. Awesome. Love you.
Thank you for this thought provoking post.
Amen to that, Dana. Yes, you are right – we not only have the encouragement in our church bodies anymore, but around the globe. How amazing is that? You know, I often think of how much more Paul would have made to the early churches if he would have had a blog 🙂
Thank you so much for sharing your words of encouragement with us.