Topic > Relationships > Encouragement >
Next Gen
In 1993, Bill and Susie Mosca founded an essay contest. The winner received the couple’s bed and breakfast facility. Janice Sage’s entry took first place and she acquired the Center Lovell Inn and Restaurant. After 22 years of hosting guests, maintaining buildings, and managing finances, Janice wanted to retire. Because, as she said, “There are a lot of talented people that . . . . just can’t go out and buy an inn like this,” she also decided to give it away to a worthy person through an essay contest.
a passion learned
As a second-grader at a mission school in Ghana, I didn’t fare too well. Our two teachers gallantly juggled lesson plans for students spanning seven grades. This academic effort took place in a two-room cinderblock structure with an aluminum roof that began to broil us by noon each day. Distractions waged war on my 7-year-old attention span, and they were winning—handily.
Growing Faith: Talking with Millennials about God - Group Discussion
Explore some of the challenges that Christians face when having conversations about faith with Millennials and learn how to encourage those exploring faith. Join us for this lively discussion with our guest, Lem Usita and a couple of Millennials.
Wise Words
In April 2014, a blogger was sentenced to 3 years in prison for slander and spreading online rumors. He was the first among hundreds of bloggers detained in a crackdown on Internet rumors being spread in social media. The authorities said that the arrests were aimed at maintaining social order, but rights groups saw this crackdown as an attempt to limit freedom of speech online. There continues to be much discussion, debate, and disagreement on the uses and abuses of social media, not only over what’s been blogged but also in the way words have been used.
What Do You Know For Sure?
“What do you know for sure?” This was the question American talk show host Oprah Winfrey would often ask her guests at the end of each interview on her wildly popular talk show.
New “Dislike” Button: Like or Dislike?
It’s official: Facebook is working on a “dislike” button for your posts—after reportedly refusing to build one for a really long time.
Contrary to what it sounds like, the button is meant to provide a way for people to express empathy—not negativity—says founder Mark Zuckerberg.
Coming Alongside
When my sister Carole was diagnosed with breast cancer, our family worried. That diagnosis, with its surgeries and treatments, caused us to fear for her well-being, which drove our family to prayer on her behalf. Over the ensuing months, Carole’s updates were honest about the challenges. But we all celebrated when the report came back that the surgery and treatments had been successful. Carole was on the road to recovery!
Then, less than a year later, my sister Linda faced the same battle. Immediately, Carole came alongside Linda, helping her understand what to expect and how to prepare for what she…
How I Discovered My Spiritual Gift
“Do you have a spiritual goal in your life?” the guest speaker asked us during a youth ministry meeting one Saturday evening. He then explained that if we were born just to grow up, study, get married, have children, become old, and finally die, this meant that we would be living only to meet death.
A Voice in the Night
Psalm 134 has only three verses, but it is proof that little things can mean a lot. The first two verses are an admonition to the priests who serve in God’s house night after night. The building was dark and empty; nothing of consequence was occurring—or so it seemed. Yet these ministers were encouraged to “lift up [their] hands to the holy place and bless the Lord!” (v. 2 esv). The third verse is a voice from the congregation calling into the darkness and loneliness of the night: “The Lord who made heaven and earth bless you.”
I think of…
Understanding the silence of God
Hardships and troubles can make a lot of noise in our lives, but it seems like it makes it worse when we feel like God is staying quiet! Join us as we continue studying Psalm 55 and David’s plea, “God, please talk to me!”
Messages of Hope
I love collecting old books. There’s something exciting about holding in my hands a work that’s been thumbed through over the years by others. In my mind, each tome has a story to tell far beyond the words on its pages—if only it could talk!
Encouraging Words
The headmaster of a British primary school wrote a letter to encourage his students after a long and hard week of testing. He said, “The school is proud of you as you have demonstrated a huge amount of commitment and tried your very best during a tricky week. These tests do not always assess all of what it is that make each of you special and unique. The people who drew up the tests do not know each of you. . . . These people do not know you try, every day, to be your very best. Remember that there…
Discover how anyone can be an encourager
This week on “Discover the Word,” we have looked at how the New Testament follower of Christ Barnabas embodied a spirit of encouragement. But does everyone have that type of personality or gifts? Don’t miss our final discussion in this study on Barnabas!
Discover how to respond when someone falls down
When we witness the failures of others, our typical response is to shake our head or wag our finger. But today on “Discover the Word,” we’ll take a look at the life of Barnabas and see how an encourager responds with a helping hand.
Another lesson from the life of Barnabas
When the disciples heard about a church in need of help, they didn’t send a teacher, a judge, or a bodyguard. They sent “The Encourager” instead! Take a look with us at the impact an encouraging person can make in the family of faith.
