Just be thankful!

Romans 12:3-8

 (³ For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought, but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you. ⁴ For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, ⁵ so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others. ⁶ We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith; ⁷ if it is serving, then serve; if it is teaching, then teach; ⁸ if it is to encourage, then give encouragement; if it is giving, then give generously; if it is to lead,do it diligently; if it is to show mercy, do it cheerfully.)

Encouragement is something I realised I needed so much in my life whenever I’m dealing with stress and hard times. People seem to value encouragement a lot more than you think. Being a ‘thinker’ I always tend to keep my thoughts internal until I process enough to be ready to share ‘out loud’, which is probably why I’m not a natural public speaker but more of a ‘developer’ by shaping/moulding thoughts until I know what I what to say/do. This makes life hard sometimes because although life gets busy with multiple things going on, I have to deal with each situation one at a time – which helps me tick things off the list but can sometimes be a very slow process. God wants me to be encouraged, and one of my 'goals' this year is to be more thankful for the life he has given me. In my head I need to tell myself the right words in order for me to speak the right words.

Dear Jade:

Be encouraged! What you are doing matters. God has you where you are right now doing the work that you are doing for a reason. You are placed where God has you for a purpose. Whether you are thriving or barely making it, know that God has placed you where he has placed you. God has great things He wants to do in and through you.

What you do matters.

Where you are matters.

Be thankful for the opportunity you have to be serving the church that you do.

Be thankful for the community of people that God has entrusted to your care.

Be thankful for what you’ve been given and for what you have (and for what God has for you in the future).

Be thankful for the chance to spend your life in service to others and in service to God.

Be thankful for the grace of God letting you serve and do what you do (despite yourself and your sin)

Be thankful that you can be a part of God’s awesome work in the life of the local church.

Be thankful and know that we are all so thankful for the work you do.