Making A Difference

Last week was fairly horrible.  I learned a great deal, I learned a great deal about me, I learned a great deal relationally.
Apparently, God felt I had grown enough to take both barrels of a shotgun to the guts, or He was gracious enough provide the body armor needed to not kill me - just my angel.

So, with lots to think on, pray over, remember, analyze, and come to either a prayer list item on, learn from or understand how to clear up miscommunications.  Yeah, it was quite a few days there, the past five years playing a prominent role in this self evaluation.

And today, I thought on this.  What I just went through has not so bad a lesson for each of us to consider this year!

Pray
We each need prayer, all of us, no matter how well you think you have a handle on life!
Our family members need prayer.
Our religious leaders need prayer.
Our civil leaders need prayer.
Our children's teachers need prayer.
Our government leaders need prayer.
All nations need prayer.
We need to pray for a war against Satan and his inroads into our daily lives.  Sorry, I am not talking denominational anything, bad Biblical theology anything!  I am talking a war on the corruption at virtually all levels in our lives!

You literally would not  want to see my prayer list!

Mentor
Not only do we each need mentoring in some capacity, but we also need to mentor others around us.
None of us know it all, if you think you do - guess what!  You are wrong, I have proof.
We need, in varying capacities, interpersonal relationship help, knowledge and application in dealing with God and others.

Swede beats me up regularly concerning interpersonal relationship, Niece has been driving herself crazy helping this mess of a man learn how to be human, Dutchman keeps my feet firmly on the ground and my eyes on the future and not the darkness of the past, and yes, I have those whom I turn to bounce my thoughts on God off of and visa-versa.  I need lots of help it seems day to day, reaching out to become ... ?  Something, when I grow up, I guess.

Encourage
Everyone needs help in most areas of their lives, whether that is physical or financial help, or just a kind word.
The world is full of people willing to kick your teeth in, praise God when you find one whom believes in you, says the kind word, shares a word of wisdom, etc !
Equally, you can easily be that source of encouragement in another's life - especially with youth!  Everyone appreciates an atta-boy, everyone enjoys a smile and a well wish.  Sure there are those whose are beyond encouragement but 99.9% would like a kind word.
As for youth, they have a world of negatives out there, they hear the constant drone of the drum chanting out how stupid, incompetent, etc they are.  Usually it is just their mind set, translating all messages that way. 

So, be the unexpected, do the unexpected, be an encourager.