Tag: Encouraging words

Be Encouraged

Quilter2 Comments
©jb katke

Do you feel as though the world has run amuck and a little encouragement would be refreshing?

I came across the writing that Servant Hearted Sisterhood made public. Maybe you have not seen it—so I present it to you:

“Don’t feel sorry for or fear for your kids/grandkids because the world they are going to grow up in is not what it used to be.

God created them and called them for the exact moment in time that they’re in. Their life wasn’t a coincidence or an accident.

Raise them up to know the power they walk in as children of God. Train them up in the authority of His word. Teach them to walk in faith knowing that God is in control. Empower them to know they can change the world.

Don’t teach them to be fearful and disheartened by the state of the world, but hopeful that they can do something about it.

Every person in all of history has been placed in the time that they were in because of God’s sovereign plan.

He knew Daniel could handle the lion’s den.

He knew David could handle Goliath.

He knew Esther could handle Hamen.

He knew Peter could handle persecution.

He knows that your child can handle whatever challenge they face in their life. He created them specifically for it.

Don’t be scared for your children, but be honored that God chose you to parent the generation that is facing the biggest challenge of our lifetime. Rise up to the challenge. Raise Daniels, David’s Esther’s and Peter’s.

God is not scratching his head wondering what he is going to do with this mess of a world. He has an army he is raising up to drive back the darkness and make him known all over the earth.

Don’t let your fear steal the greatness God placed in them. I know it’s hard to imagine them as anything besides our sweet little babies, and we just want to protect them from anything that could ever be hard on them. But they were born for such a time as this.”

Unknown Author

I cannot think of anything to add, this says it all.

What We Do

QuilterLeave a comment

What drives you, makes you want to roll out of bed to start a new day?

My co-worker Jan, had a passion. She lived and breathed bowling—claiming that working in a  bowling alley would be her dream job. It’s what she loves.

A reality TV personality feels farm life is the way to live. No such thing as too many critters to care for, and growing a vegetable garden to be the ultimate.  It grounds them in living simply.

© jb katke

In a previous life, I lived and breathed quilt-making. Sometimes it brought on humorous moments. On a particular fabric shopping trip, I encountered a shopper in an indecisive predicament. Should she buy this fabric or that?  Upon hearing what her desired outcome would be, I offered my opinion; then moved on. At the cutting table I overheard her question the employee, “Does she work here?” 

My heart was in encouragement mode.

Time has passed. I no longer work outside the home. While I continue to watch home improvement shows, quilting has almost become non-existent. The stash remains, waiting for me to make something beautiful. I look forward to that day. Working with my hands in making something purposeful feeds my soul. But it wasn’t what I was created to do.

Unexpectedly, writing has become my new thing. Sharing life experiences that others might relate to gives me satisfaction. It grew into One Day Wonders, Ordinary Days Becoming Extraordinary being published. Telling about Jesus’ involvement in my life has made an amazing difference to what could have been bad or at least frightening experiences.  It’s what I do.

My heart wishes to encourage your heart.

Life is full of turns and you may find yourself in a place never imagined. Have your changes impacted your life in a good way—do your current days fulfill you?

Consider allowing Jesus to become a larger part of your life. Trust me, no, trust him, there is no part of life on earth he does not have access to. That can be both frightening and comforting! But it helps to know he does good. I can attest to that!

Know too, that you have been handmade by Jesus. He considers you to be beautiful and created for a specific purpose. Having a relationship with him brings Jesus great satisfaction and feeds your soul.

Almost Gone

Quilter2 Comments

© jb katke

This bottle of dish soap has been sitting on my counter for what seems like forever. I wash dishes a couple times a day, but the bottle just doesn’t seem to empty. While it frustrates me, it also brings a story to mind.

A true one.

Long ago, Elisha would pass on messages he got from our Creator to his people. “Y’all are going to experience a time of no rain.”  Because the people were big into idolizing fake gods, and would not pay any attention to him, the Creator told him to leave the area so that they would also experience a lack of encouraging words. (Wait what, the Creator lets us experience life without him?)

Where he was directed to go was the darndest thing. Smack into the country where this false god started from. Elisha hid in a remote part, where getting food would be an impossibility. Here is another amazing fact, birds brought food to him so he would not starve to death.

Sure enough, a drought took place. When the brook where Elisha was staying dried up, the Creator told him to move on to a place where currently a widow was living. Don’t let your imagination run away, it’s not at all what you might be thinking.

When Elisha arrived, he found the widow out gathering some firewood. She aimed to fix herself and her son their last meal, as her pantry was empty. They were gearing up to die. It was a bleak time for everyone.

Elisha asked the widow for a drink of water and thinking further hollered out that some bread would be nice too. At that, she explained her situation. “I have nothing to give you.”

Elisha assured her everything would be ok and not to be afraid. “Give me what I asked for first, then you & the boy can eat.  The Creator said that you won’t run out of food.”

Surprisingly, she did as he asked. Even though she lived in an evil place, the widow sensed Elisha was different; this guy seemed full of hope. Furthermore, Elisha was right on, she never lacked food in her pantry.

I’m not making this up, the story has all the feels of a fairytale where everyone lives happily ever after. You can find it and read even more in the Good Book, I Kings chapter 17. Did you pick up on the same thing I did? Our Creator knows what is going on, sees how we are living, and provides a way to live. That is a fact enough to boggle the mind of anyone.

As is often the case, one thought leads to another. Am I willing to admit I’m not living right? As far as Elisha is concerned, he had to wonder what the Creator was thinking sending him to an evil place. Do you ever wonder how on earth you got in the place you’re in?  And birds bringing him food…come on. Until we remember the Creator can do anything.

As yet, I have not experienced an empty pantry. Could I be as level-headed as this widow if I thought I was about to die; to trust the fact that he cares for me?

The closest we have to the likes of Elisha are ministers that preach truth. I better make sure I place myself within hearing distance of them and heed their words. What they share comes directly from our Creator…and he knows what he’s talkin’ about.

All this from a bottle of dish soap.