I must confess that I was never a cheerleader when I was in school. However, I have spent my life being a cheerleader for other people. That's what this post is about. I think cheer leading automatically comes with the territory of being a mom. We actually begin cheering our kids on when they are infants. It starts when trying to get them to speak or roll over or crawl or walk. Heck, I even cheered when they burped! We cheer for them over school work, athletics, fashions, and all the important milestones.
I believe cheer leading goes hand in hand with wifely duties, too. Women in general seem to be better at cheering our husbands than men are for their wives. At least on a regular basis. It's our job to encourage them when they're down or feeling inadequate. I admit that there are times when it may be more difficult because we may be feeling annoyed or even upset with them over whatever they might be feeling inadequate about or that we wished they'd have handled something differently. At those times we must learn to bite out tongues and wait for a more appropriate time to approach that subject and just be an encourager in the moment.
Because I am a pastor's wife, the job of cheerleader is extended far beyond my family. There is a whole flock (congregation) to encourage and cheer on. I am far from perfect at the cheerleader job but I do make an effort most of the time.
Constantly being a cheerleader can be draining emotionally. That's why it is important to be able to get recharged ourselves. This comes through mediation on God's Word and seeing our value through His eyes, keeping positive thoughts about ourselves and not letting negative get a stronghold. It also comes through taking time to do something we enjoy on a regular basis. Something that makes us feel good and joyful. When we have a bad day it can be easy to drop into pity party mode and wonder where our cheerleader is. Guilty! I've been there. We all need encouragement and to feel like we're important or doing a good job or that we are enough. Hearing it said by others helps even when we work hard at staying positive in attitude. Luckily, I don't stay at the pity party long. I've learned how to move past it.
Are you a cheerleader? Most of us have cheered and encouraged people throughout our lives at some time or another; but how about lately? Are you too focused on yourself and what's happening in your own life to give a cheer to someone who needs it? Do you give a smile, a nod of acknowledgement or word of encouragement to brighten someone's day? Try being a cheerleader and it will lift your spirits, too.
Sometimes we tell people that all we have to offer them is prayer. We may not be able to help them financially or physically due to our own hindrances. Maybe we are too frail or weak or financially strapped ourselves to be of much help. When all we can do is offer prayer we shouldn't feel helpless or hopeless. Prayer is the most powerful arsenal we can use or give. We are never helpless or hopeless when we have prayer. We have bold access to the throne of grace to seek help in time of need. (see Hebrews 4:16)
We can call upon God on the behalf of others. We can call upon Him for our own needs no matter the situation. Big or small nothing is beyond God's capabilities.
In the Bible Moses was leading the people in the desert and when the water they came upon was bitter the people became angry. Moses cried unto the LORD and God told him what to do to fix the problem. Exodus 15:24-25
In the first chapter of 1 Samuel Hannah prayed and wept to the LORD because she wanted a son. God granted her a son and she named him Samuel.
Further along in 1 Samuel 7:8-10 the Israelites asked that son, Samuel, to not cease to pray for them to be saved from the Philistines. God granted Samuel's request and by sending great thunder that discomfited the Philistines so that they lost the battle to Israel.
Jehoshaphat king of Judah was encompassed by the army of Syria and he cried unto God. God helped him by moving the army to depart from him. 2 Chronicles 18:31.
In Isaiah chapter 38 we read the story of Hezekiah. He was sick and God had sent Isaiah the prophet to tell him to get his house in order because he was going to die. Hezekiah turned toward the wall on his bed and prayed and cried and reminded God of his serving and following Him. God tells Isaiah to tell Hezekiah that he has heard his prayer and seen his tears and that He will add 15 years to his life. Isn't that awesome?! I've heard preachers say that our prayers are not to move God but I disagree. There are countless examples in the Bible that show that prayers have even changed God's mind.
Zacharias was in the temple doing his service when an angel comes to tell him that his prayer has been heard. His wife, Elisabeth will have a son and he will call him John. Luke 1:8-13
When Peter got out of the boat and walked on water towards Jesus, he lost his focus. He concentrated on the weather and waves of the sea instead of on the Lord. As he began to sink, he cried out "Lord save me" and Jesus immediately reached out and did. When he didn't know what else to do and was desperate, all he had was crying out to the Lord. It was enough!
Like the graphic at the top of the page, prayer is the very best thing you can offer someone. So when you tell someone you will pray for them, say it boldly and confidently. Remember it very well may be what causes the exact help they need as God responds.
As I sit here in the garage leaning on my kickstand, I wait for my owner to come and get me for a ride. I anticipate the joy I will feel as together we ride down the path through the woods. My wheels will be spinning as the air whips through my spokes and over my handlebars. I will enjoy the view as we pass by the lake, the flowers and trees, and the birds flying and squirrels scampering. Maybe my owner will stop and pick some of the flowers and put them in my basket. Perhaps I will get to hear my owner sing her favorite hymns as we ride back to the house. When we arrive at the garage and I again am resting on my kickstand, I will be happy to have been used for my intended purpose. May everyone find joy in their purpose!
This is quite a different post than I normally do but I just felt like being creative today. I watched a show this morning where a woman was taking a writing class and had an assignment to write a story from an inanimate object's point of view. I instantly thought about writing from the point of view of a bicycle. As I have said before, this blog is often a release and outlet for me as well as wanting to make others think. I challenge you to try writing a story. Write from an object's point of view or creatively tell a story about how an animal came to be. An example would be "how the skunk got his stripe" or "how the zebra got his stripes" or "how the leopard got his spots" or the frog or whatever. Just try. You'll be surprised at the creativity that will come out.
Easter is fast approaching and I have been contemplating how different it will be this year because of Covid-19. This crazy virus has the whole world on lock down making it impossible to meet and celebrate at the church building. This is especially hard on me. For years Bob and I have been away from our own kids, grandkids and extended family on Easter because ministry life just doesn't allow for us to get together with them on Easter since they are in other states. Easter is after all our most important holiday in the Christian world and it is important for the pastor and pastor's wife to be present at the church. Because of this, my church family has become very important to me as a surrogate family. The kiddos at church fill in for my grandchildren to bring some joy watching them hunt eggs and show me their new outfits. Bob and I are usually okay doing an Easter dinner alone but the celebration at church has always been important. I feel a bit lost this week. I would normally be preparing to do a lesson in our KJ class (Kids for Jesus children's church program). We would have been taking donations over the past month from church members of filled plastic eggs to have an egg hunt for the young kids. Everything just feels so off. Even though our church family meets together online on Sundays right now, my normal routine is messed up. I am not preparing bulletins for the service. I am not decorating the church building with special flowers.
Yes I know that we can celebrate the resurrection of Jesus anywhere and I can guarantee that we will. It's just that the Easter service at church is such a special time and I am disappointed that it will not happen this year.
I will wake up (Lord willing) on Easter Sunday and thank Him for His willingness to go to the cross, suffer, die and raise from the dead to conquer death for me. I will sing songs of praise in the car on my way to the church to support my husband as he preaches to the live stream camera praying to reach someone who needs encouragement and the saving knowledge of Christ. Yes, this year will be a different Easter. Perhaps because of Covid-19, Christians will never again take for granted and be nonchalant in their church assembly. Perhaps Christians will realize that the assembly of the saints is important and means more than they thought. There's something profound and uplifting to be together in church singing hymns, learning from God's Word, and sharing one another's burdens in prayer as a unit of believers who knows that the world of nonbelievers is missing out.
Just wanted to share my heart today.
