ENCOURAGEMENT

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching. (Hebrews 10:24, 25 NIV)

Jeff shared this passage with me today.  Yesterday in church part of this passage was used and I came upon this verse one other time this past week.  Therefore, it has to be God telling me to continue to encourage my brothers and sisters in Christ in their walk with Him, the message we give to others about God and the faithfulness many of us are trying to grasp through our times of trials.  

My husband has been a blessing from God in all he has encouraged me to do and live.  I never thought I could have ran solid for more than 3 miles back in 2011, but by 2012 he trained me and encouraged me to run the Joplin Half-Marathon, Hospital Hill Half-Marathon, the Olathe Women's triathlon and the St. Jude Memphis Marathon where he ran side by side the whole 26.2 miles.  

We all should encourage each other in our faith and gifts God has given us to glorify Him.  Too many times, I get caught up in the daily tasks, I wonder, "have I encouraged anyone today?"  

I pray God will strengthen me to be an encourager, not only to Jeff but others.  This week we are on WEEK 5 of the marathon training but our fellow Team TENN-KAN runners are on WEEK 3.  I posted last night on our Facebook group to encourage them in their training and reminded them a small fact about St. Jude Children's Research Hospital so they would remember why they are running and raising funds.  It is quite an encouragement message to me to know I can run for such a worthy cause.  

This is from the TN Region's Honor in Action Academy back in the summer of 2011.  Jeff and I went to encourage the TN members of Phi Theta Kappa to join our fundraising,  volunteering and running efforts in Memphis for the St. Jude's Memphis Marathon.