Encourage One Another

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. – (1 Thessalonians 5:11, NIV)

So encourage each other and help each other grow stronger in faith, just as you are already doing. – (1 Thessalonians 5:11, ERV)

So support one another. Keep building each other up as you have been doing. – (1 Thessalonians 5:11, VOICE)

As we have at long last reached the final day of May, may we continue to encourage and build each other up, for the finish line is finally in view. Today is our last volleyball game of the season. It has been exciting to learn and grow in something new, and be in a space where encouraging each other is the norm. It ought to be the same as we grow in our faith, cheering each other on and encouraging one another to become the best version of ourselves. May we ever seek the Lord to lead us to encourage and build each other up, so that we all may press on and finish strong.

Lord, give us patience,

to choose persevere;

encourage others,

build up, fend off fear.

Lead us and guide us,

to walk in Your ways;

to lift others up,

be our strength each day.

Help us, Lord Jesus,

in all that we do;

may we shine Your light,

as You we pursue.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You encourage, strengthen, and build us up. Thank You that You call us to do likewise for those around us. Forgive us for the times that we lacked the resolve to trust You to be the Source of what we needed. Teach us to trust in You more, and lead us in Your love to encourage and build up all those around us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we praise You for the strength and encouragement You supply, and extend the same to those around us by Your grace. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

You, Lord, hear the desire of the afflicted; You encourage them, and You listen to their cry. – Psalm 19:17

To Pursue the Purposed Path

But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today”, so that none of you may be hardened to sin’s deceitfulness. – (Hebrews 3:13, NIV)

But encourage each other every day, while you still have something called “today”. Help each other so that none of you will be fooled by sin and become too hard to change. – (Hebrews 3:13, ERV)

Encourage each other every day – for as long as we can still say “today” – so none of you let the deceitfulness of sin harden your hearts. – (Hebrews 3:13, VOICE)

Encouragement is not only to build each other up, but it is useful to keep us moving in the right direction, according to God’s good and perfect will. Sin that so easily entangles us, is easier to avoid when there is accountability and encouragement. When we walk beside people who are moving with similar purpose and intent, we can encourage each other to continue on the path to which we have been called. This is one of the reasons that God calls us to be in community. None of us are meant to navigate this life alone. May we ever seek the Lord to lead us to encourage one another, and to point one another to pursue the path that He has placed before us according to His will and not our own.

Choose to encourage,

Each other each day;

In community,

In God’s will we’ll stay.

To keep far from sin,

Do not isolate;

Beside, together,

Choose to congregate.

With mutual love,

Respect and purpose;

Let us press forward,

As God has called us.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You have called and created us to be in a community that walks together and encourages each other so that we may walk in Your way and do Your will. Forgive us for the times that we have isolated or have neglected to give or receive the encouragement You intended. Teach us to trust in Your leading and to invest in the communities to which we have been called. Show us how to love and encourage those around us as You intended, so that we may avoid the sin that so easily entangles us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You to lead us and guide us so that we may encourage and walk alongside those whom You have placed on our path with purpose on purpose. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

Turn away from evil and do what is good; seek peace and pursue it. – Psalm 34:14

Encourage Each Other

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up as you are already doing. – (1 Thessalonians 5:11, HCSB)

So encourage each other and help each other grow stronger in faith, just as you are already doing. – (1 Thessalonians 5:11, ERV)

So support one another. Keep building each other up as you have been doing. – (1 Thessalonians 5:11, VOICE)

This makes all of the difference. When we surround ourselves with a community that invests in each other, we are mutually encouraged and built up. As this transpires, our faith grows stronger as we realize why God calls us to be in community. It is amazing how God grows our circle as we are willing to be available. Yesterday, as one of my dearest friend’s and I were running, we realized that we have been running together for more than eight years. Running together is not just getting out and moving, but it is and has always been a place to connect, converse, and talk about life and how to navigate well. Each time we meet to run, it is an opportunity to share life together and encourage one another. The benefits go beyond the physical gains in fitness, for our hearts, minds and spirits are uplifted by spending time together. The same can be said about time with my husband as we tackled the yard as a team. Neither of us expects the other to magically do things, rather we join together and tag team to get things done. Before bed, I was able to join a three-way call with my sister and mom, and again, connecting with each other is life-giving. Even early this morning, I found myself in a quick text exchange with my bestie, as we both expressed our excitement for the chance to get together this evening. Soon, I will be heading to church where there are more people whom God has placed in my life to be in relationship with. Though a simple and somewhat uneventful weekend, I am reminded again of the value of community. May we ever make the time to connect with those whom God has blessed us with, and encourage one another.

We all have been called,

To community;

To bless, encourage,

Invest faithfully.

It does not take much,

To reach out and care;

And as we do so,

Life is what we share.

So, choose to reach out,

Encourage, build up;

For as we do so,

It fills up our cup.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You call us to be in community. Thank You that You surround us with people who encourage us and we are able to encourage. Forgive us for the times that we have isolated ourselves when we were meant to reach out. Teach us to trust You to lead us to those whom we are meant to encourage and build up. Show us how to love those around us well, just as You love us. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we invest our lives in community with each other and encourage and build each other up. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

Now may the God who gives endurance and encouragement allow you to live in harmony with one another, according to the command of Christ Jesus. – Romans 15:5

Encourage Each Other

But encourage each other daily, while it is still called today, so that none of you is hardened by sin’s deception. – (Hebrews 3:13, HCSB)

But encourage each other every day, while you still have something called “today”. Help each other so that none of you will be fooled by sin and become too hard to change. – (Hebrews 3:13, ERV)

Encourage each other every day – for as long as we can still say “today” – so none of you let the deceitfulness of sin harden your hearts. – (Hebrews 3:13, VOICE)

We need each other to be the best version of ourselves. God intentionally created us for community so that we might encourage one another to act justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with our God. As we do, we are aware of the things that try to pull us away from the path that He has placed us on and are equipped to love and navigate well. Incredibly, the more we encourage others, the more we discover that we too are encouraged in the process. May we ever seek the Lord to point us to those who need encouragement and to give us the words that lift others up best.

Today is the day,

We’ve been called to love;

To lift others up,

Point hearts to above.

Encouraging words,

We choose to speak well;

Bring hope and resolve,

With goodness we tell.

Let’s help each other,

Walk in the Lord’s way;

With love and kindness,

Throughout all our days.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You have created us for community and surround us with those who love and help encourage us to follow after and stay true to You. Forgive us for our attempts to navigate on our own. Teach us to trust You more and to invest well in the relationships that You bless us with. Lead us to love and encourage those around us in ways that fend off the temptations to go astray. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You to show us how to be an encouragement to those around us daily. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up as you are already doing. – 1 Thessalonians 5:11

To Encourage One Another

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. – (1 Thessalonians 5:11, NIV) 

So, encourage each other and help each other grow stronger in faith, just as you are already doing. – (1 Thessalonians 5:11, ERV) 

Because of this, encourage the hearts of your fellow believers and support one another, just as you have already been doing. – (1 Thessalonians 5:11, TPT) 

It is imperative that we encourage one another, support each other, and help each other grow stronger in faith, for without faith there is no hope, and with no hope, there cannot be change. All that is going on in our nation, demands that we search ourselves and determine what must change. In order to press on and keep moving toward reconciliation and peace, we must encourage each other to stretch and grow. Between the months of isolation and the social injustices that now scream for our attention, we need each other to dig in and press on. In order to love God and love people, we must pursue deeper relationships. That only occurs as we seek to know one another better. With God, it is time in His word, in worship, in prayer, and intentional fellowship together that encourages our hearts to know Him more. With people, we must know and understand one another. This means there has to be time invested to know the unique history of each person, and what has shaped them into who they are today. When we understand people’s perspectives, we can more clearly encourage and support one another. Right now, for me, this space is one of educating myself more thoroughly about the marginalization of much of our nation’s population, based solely of the amount of melanin in their skin. It is a mortifying history, one that overwhelms, saddens and enrages me. If I feel this way on behalf of people I love, how much more are those who are living it feeling? We must be and do better. As we learn and grow, we are better equipped to love more deeply, and fight for the equality and loving society that God intended. Every nation, tribe and tongue will be sharing the same eternity. How I love and encourage all those around me, impacts not only today, but forever. May we seek the Lord for courage, and pursue wisdom to grow into the people who He created us to be.   

May we seek the Lord, 

His wisdom and grace; 

To love, encourage, 

For all of our days. 

We all have been called, 

To love each other; 

Encourage, lift up, 

Sisters and brothers. 

Each time we choose love, 

God’s will’s being done; 

Light in the darkness, 

We choose to become. 

So, let us rise up, 

Seek to learn and grow; 

Honor each other, 

Make the Lord’s love known. 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You call us to encourage one another to grow. Thank You that You are faithful to lead us to change and become more of who You created us to be as we seek Your help and Your heart. Forgive us for our ignorance or places where we have failed to encourage or build others up. Teach us how to best build up and encourage one another, so that all may grow in Your love. Show us how to love those around us best, so that each will be encouraged. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek to encourage and build those around us up, ever extending Your love to all. Amen. 

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

Be devoted to one another in love. Honor one another above yourselves. – Romans 12:10

Prioritizing Peace and People

Let us therefore make every effort to do what leads to peace and to mutual edification. – (Romans 14:19, NIV)

So let’s agree to use all our energy in getting along with each other. Help others with encouraging words; don’t drag them down by finding fault. – (Romans 14:19, MSG)

So then, make it your top priority to live a life of peace with harmony in your relationships, eagerly seeking to strengthen and encourage one another. – (Romans 14:19, TPT)

 

On one hand, if I observe what is going on in our neighborhood, our schools, our community, our church, our city and beyond, I see much effort being set forth to encourage and strengthen one another. Cheerful greetings to neighbors when out for fresh air, kind words of encouragement for essential workers around town, breakfast and lunch provision for all students in our area, groceries provided by local churches and businesses to families in need, and an outpouring of support for the medical and emergency services community – these all are beautiful efforts to get along and help one another. However, if I turn on the news, I am bombarded with stories seemingly intent on division. Yes, it is important to remain informed, but perhaps small doses are best to avoid being zapped of our resolve to remain invested in doing good. No act of kindness is ever wasted. Though we may not see the results, we never know the impact a generous gesture, kind word, or simply a smile can have on a person. As so many of us are in positions of having to learn an entirely new way of doing our jobs, there are others that are grieving the loss of theirs, and still others who are essential and continue reporting to work as usual, though nothing is usual, all while kids attempt to do remote learning, parents attempt to monitor, help and teach, and everyone needs kindness and encouragement in the process. If we can get along and be at peace in the process, each will be able to successfully navigate their own new. Support and encouragement are beneficial to all, so perhaps we can each be extra generous with kindness in this season. May we make every effort to do what leads to peace and mutual edification, so all may rise better than when we began.

 

In kindness reach out,

Encourage, lift up;

A blessing of peace,

Fills everyone’s cup.

No act of kindness,

Is ever for naught;

For love and goodness,

Sometimes need be taught.

Taught through our actions,

Not just spoken words;

It requires motion,

For love is a verb.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are the ultimate provider of peace and encouragement in our lives. Thank You that as we seek You, You show us how to find peace in our relationships and how to best encourage and lift up those around us. Forgive us for the times that we have neglected to do the things that lead to or maintain peace, or have stayed silent when we were meant to encourage. Teach us to trust You more, so that we would pursue peace through You, and ever look for opportunities to encourage and strengthen those around us. Show us how to love others best, so that they may know Your perfect peace through encouragement and edification. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we make every effort to get along with others and to encourage and lift each other up. Amen.

 

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

 

The Lord gives strength to His people; the Lord blesses His people with peace. – Psalm 29:11

Charged to Choose

Finally, brothers and sisters, rejoice! Strive for full restoration, encourage one another, be of one mind, live in peace. And the God of love and peace will be with you. – (2 Corinthians 13:11, NIV)

Now, brothers and sisters, be filled with joy. Try to make everything right, and do what I have asked you to do. Agree with each other, and live in peace. Then the God of love and peace will be with you. – (2 Corinthians 13:11, ERV)

Finally, brothers and sisters, keep rejoicing and repair whatever is broken. Encourage each other, think as one, and live at peace; and God, the Author of love and peace, will remain with you. – (2 Corinthians 13:11, VOICE)

 

This charge, given by Paul to the church of Corinth in the closing of his second letter, is also for all of us today. As we determine to rejoice despite our circumstances, seek to be at peace with those around us, encourage each other, make amends where there is brokenness, and strive to be united in purpose, God, who is the source of all love and peace, will be present. Though at times it seems impossible to reach such a place of peace with particular people, God is capable of the miraculous and can make a way where there seems to be no way. It is not up to us to change hard hearts, but rather to continue to encourage, love and seek peace as we are called to do. The heart change is in His hands, our part is to love and do what we can to make things right. May we ever seek our Savior to equip us to love, encourage, seek peace, repair what is broken and choose to rejoice; always.

 

Let us choose rejoice,

In each circumstance;

God goes before us,

He knows in advance.

The Source of all love,

The Bearer of peace;

He creates a way,

As grace is released.

Called to encourage,

And make all things right;

Choose lift others up,

In purpose, unite.

Brothers and sisters,

Be filled with His joy;

His presence remains,

As Love’s given voice.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for Your goodness and grace that calls us to rejoice, restore, encourage, unite and be at peace with the people You place in our lives. Forgive us for the times that we have lacked the love to do these things with those who challenge us. Teach us to trust You more, as You are the God of all, and You love each of Your created, fiercely. Show us how to love those around us in a way that encourages, unites, restores, and brings peace. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we rejoice in all things and seek You to empower us to do all that You ask of us. Amen.

 

© Shannon Elizabeth (Moreno) Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

Let love and faithfulness never leave you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart. – Proverbs 3:3