encourage

Lately God has been putting encouragement on my heart and really challenging me in it. "But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today...." Heb. 3:13 I know that I am definitely not doing that but it is something I desire to do. I want to come to a place where I speak words of encouragement over others daily, not just sometimes.
Ephesians 4:29 talks about speaking encouraging words to others to build them up in the way that they need instead of putting them down. This means making a conscious effort to look for the ways people need encouragement that day and speaking that over them. The question we need to ask ourselves is, "Am I speaking words of life over people or words of death?" I tend to be sarcastic a lot and, though my friends know I'm kidding usually, it does not change that I am not building them up with the words I speak. I want to change this. I want to lift others up with my words. I know it will be very difficult to change but that's part of the reason I write.  By writing, I am giving each of you the permission to call me out in it and help me recognize the times my words are not lifting my brothers and sisters up.

Valentines Day

Days like today usually make me desire a relationship. I want to be considered lovely. I want to be desired. But right now I just want Jesus. I want to know him more intimately than before. He created me lovely and delights in me. He desires me so much that he went to the cross and bore my sins and conquered death. All so that I could spend an eternity with him.
I am redeemed.
I am chosen.
I am beautifully created.
I am the beloved of the Lord.
I have purpose.
My life, my heart, my everything rests in His hands. And there it will stay. I want to be completely satisfied in him alone. I don't want to be defined by the world or a man or whatever else satan tries to throw at me. My identity is in Jesus Christ alone.