Jean Coleman's Blog - Posts Tagged "encouragement"
THE BEAUTIFUL SHOES
It had been a long hard week. Not only was I exhausted but I was discouraged as well. My husband seemed to sense my mood. "Why don't we just stop by a restaurant for something to eat on our way home?" he asked as we got into the car after church. His suggestion was truly an answer to my prayer. What a blessing.
But the Lord was taking me to a restaurant for more than a meal. There was someone waiting there for me who was going to shine into my life bringing a transforming word that would put joy back into my heart. His chosen messenger was a little girl about six years old who was sitting at the next table, a most unlikely angel in disguise.
The tables were fairly close together and at first I thought it was my imagination, but it soon became apparent that the little girl was staring directly at me. In fact, her eyes had been upon me from the minute we had followed the hostess across the room to be seated. While I was reading the menu, I noticed that the little girl was whispering to her mother and then pointing directly at me. I couldn't make out what was being said, but it was obvious that I was the object of the conversation. Fighting self-consciousness, I kept my eyes on the menu, trying to ignore all the attention that I seemed to be attracting.
A short time later as the family at the adjacent table finally stood up to leave, the little girl suddenly came running over to where I was seated. Looking down at my feet, she exclaimed, "Those are the most beautiful shoes that I have ever seen in my whole life. They must be the most beautiful shoes in the whole world. I just love them!"
Her words had an amazing effect on me. I felt like Dorothy skipping down the yellow brick road with the ruby slippers upon her feet. "Well, thank you very much," I responded. "They're brand new shoes. In fact this is the first time I'm wearing them. I'm so glad that you like them."
With a smile and a wave of her hand, she was gone. But she had left something wonderful behind. I was no longer feeling tired and discouraged. I was a woman who was wearing the most beautiful shoes in the world. The words of this child had revived me and given me a different perspective of myself. I glanced down at my feet. She was right. They were beautiful shoes and I felt beautiful wearing them. And at the close of our meal, when I stood up to leave the restaurant, my step was light. I was once more walking with joy in my heart. An encourager had encouraged me. A little child had shown me the beauty in little things that we often don't even notice.
Perhaps this may sound silly, but from that time on whenever I put those shoes upon my feet, I felt good. I felt confident. After all, I was wearing the most beautiful shoes in the world. They were no longer just plain, ordinary black high-heeled shoes with little bows attached. They were special shoes that made me feel special.
This happened many years ago and ultimately the shoes wore out and went the way of all old shoes. But the memory of the little girl who made me feel special will always remain. I learned an important lesson that day in the restaurant. I learned the value of encouragement.
How many lives would be transformed if there were more encouragers in the world? We need to begin to speak words of blessing, words that build up instead of tear down. The ministry of encouragement is a dynamic ministry. Don't ever underestimate the power of an encouraging word.
by Jean Coleman
Author of "Chapter 29 Revisited"
www.facebook.com/chapter29
But the Lord was taking me to a restaurant for more than a meal. There was someone waiting there for me who was going to shine into my life bringing a transforming word that would put joy back into my heart. His chosen messenger was a little girl about six years old who was sitting at the next table, a most unlikely angel in disguise.
The tables were fairly close together and at first I thought it was my imagination, but it soon became apparent that the little girl was staring directly at me. In fact, her eyes had been upon me from the minute we had followed the hostess across the room to be seated. While I was reading the menu, I noticed that the little girl was whispering to her mother and then pointing directly at me. I couldn't make out what was being said, but it was obvious that I was the object of the conversation. Fighting self-consciousness, I kept my eyes on the menu, trying to ignore all the attention that I seemed to be attracting.
A short time later as the family at the adjacent table finally stood up to leave, the little girl suddenly came running over to where I was seated. Looking down at my feet, she exclaimed, "Those are the most beautiful shoes that I have ever seen in my whole life. They must be the most beautiful shoes in the whole world. I just love them!"
Her words had an amazing effect on me. I felt like Dorothy skipping down the yellow brick road with the ruby slippers upon her feet. "Well, thank you very much," I responded. "They're brand new shoes. In fact this is the first time I'm wearing them. I'm so glad that you like them."
With a smile and a wave of her hand, she was gone. But she had left something wonderful behind. I was no longer feeling tired and discouraged. I was a woman who was wearing the most beautiful shoes in the world. The words of this child had revived me and given me a different perspective of myself. I glanced down at my feet. She was right. They were beautiful shoes and I felt beautiful wearing them. And at the close of our meal, when I stood up to leave the restaurant, my step was light. I was once more walking with joy in my heart. An encourager had encouraged me. A little child had shown me the beauty in little things that we often don't even notice.
Perhaps this may sound silly, but from that time on whenever I put those shoes upon my feet, I felt good. I felt confident. After all, I was wearing the most beautiful shoes in the world. They were no longer just plain, ordinary black high-heeled shoes with little bows attached. They were special shoes that made me feel special.
This happened many years ago and ultimately the shoes wore out and went the way of all old shoes. But the memory of the little girl who made me feel special will always remain. I learned an important lesson that day in the restaurant. I learned the value of encouragement.
How many lives would be transformed if there were more encouragers in the world? We need to begin to speak words of blessing, words that build up instead of tear down. The ministry of encouragement is a dynamic ministry. Don't ever underestimate the power of an encouraging word.
by Jean Coleman
Author of "Chapter 29 Revisited"
www.facebook.com/chapter29
MORE THAN ENOUGH
Her shopping completed, a young mother stood in front of the grocery store with her four small children and overflowing cart. It had been a long morning and the youngsters were tired and fussy. She sighed as she contemplated the challenge of getting the children and groceries into the car.
Just then she felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to find one of the older women from the church smiling at her. "You look like you have your hands full," her friend said. "I'm sure it isn't easy to raise four children in this day and age."
As the two women continued to talk together, the children stayed close to their mother's side. The smallest boy clutched the hem of her garment tightly in his hand like a security blanket. He wasn't about to let her out of his sight.
It was obvious that the mother was very much aware of her little brood at her feet. Every few moments she would stretch out her hand to stroke a child's hair or to hoist up a pair of drooping jeans. She opened her purse and took out a tissue to wipe a runny nose and a few minutes later she bent down to tie a shoelace. There was no doubt about it, she was love in action.
The older woman watched all of this mothering with great interest and finally asked a very pointed question: "How do you manage to divide your love among so many children?"
The young mother was instant in season with the answer. "I don't divide it. I multiply it. Then there's always plenty of love to go around."
What a tremendous number of children there are in the family of God. Our Heavenly Father has a multitude of sons and daughters composed of every kindred and tribe scattered all across the face of the earth. "How do you divide Your love among so many children, Lord?" we might be tempted to ask. And God replies, "I don't divide it. I multiply it!"
Isn't it wonderful that God has more than enough love to go around. There is always more than enough love for everyone. He gives and gives and still has more love to give.
And the Lord is always very much aware of those little ones who stand close to Him, holding tightly to His garment of righteous. His hand is always outstretched to comfort one of His children or to apply discipline when necessary. When the shoelaces of our lives get all tangled up, He is there to help us straighten things out.
Multiplied love! Jesus multiplied the loaves and the fish the day he fed the multitude and there was plenty of food for everyone. There was even enough food left over that the disciples were able to fill twelve baskets with the fragments. It's interesting to note that there were twelve baskets and also twelve disciples. Not a one of the disciples went away empty-handed or empty-hearted. The love of Jesus never runs out. It just keeps on multiplying.
As disciples we are also called upon to share a lot of love with others. We reach out to the hurting and wounded, loving them with the love of the Lord. The miracle is that we give and give and yet there is always more of God's love on reserve within us. The multiplying God never ceases to multiply His love in us and through us.
Our amazing God always has more than enough!
Just then she felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to find one of the older women from the church smiling at her. "You look like you have your hands full," her friend said. "I'm sure it isn't easy to raise four children in this day and age."
As the two women continued to talk together, the children stayed close to their mother's side. The smallest boy clutched the hem of her garment tightly in his hand like a security blanket. He wasn't about to let her out of his sight.
It was obvious that the mother was very much aware of her little brood at her feet. Every few moments she would stretch out her hand to stroke a child's hair or to hoist up a pair of drooping jeans. She opened her purse and took out a tissue to wipe a runny nose and a few minutes later she bent down to tie a shoelace. There was no doubt about it, she was love in action.
The older woman watched all of this mothering with great interest and finally asked a very pointed question: "How do you manage to divide your love among so many children?"
The young mother was instant in season with the answer. "I don't divide it. I multiply it. Then there's always plenty of love to go around."
What a tremendous number of children there are in the family of God. Our Heavenly Father has a multitude of sons and daughters composed of every kindred and tribe scattered all across the face of the earth. "How do you divide Your love among so many children, Lord?" we might be tempted to ask. And God replies, "I don't divide it. I multiply it!"
Isn't it wonderful that God has more than enough love to go around. There is always more than enough love for everyone. He gives and gives and still has more love to give.
And the Lord is always very much aware of those little ones who stand close to Him, holding tightly to His garment of righteous. His hand is always outstretched to comfort one of His children or to apply discipline when necessary. When the shoelaces of our lives get all tangled up, He is there to help us straighten things out.
Multiplied love! Jesus multiplied the loaves and the fish the day he fed the multitude and there was plenty of food for everyone. There was even enough food left over that the disciples were able to fill twelve baskets with the fragments. It's interesting to note that there were twelve baskets and also twelve disciples. Not a one of the disciples went away empty-handed or empty-hearted. The love of Jesus never runs out. It just keeps on multiplying.
As disciples we are also called upon to share a lot of love with others. We reach out to the hurting and wounded, loving them with the love of the Lord. The miracle is that we give and give and yet there is always more of God's love on reserve within us. The multiplying God never ceases to multiply His love in us and through us.
Our amazing God always has more than enough!
