The Job of Encouragement - Anita van der Elst

When we get together, I want to encourage you in your faith, but I also want to be encouraged by yours. Romans 1:12 NLT

While staying for a couple of weeks with my daughter after the birth of her firstborn, I visited a nearby church. I was delighted that the church had a small café where one could enjoy a quick breakfast and specialty coffee before the worship service. 

Waiting for my latte and wanting to connect, I tried to engage in conversation with some folks sitting nearby. I was slightly surprised that they didn’t seem interested in doing so. This would have discouraged me in the past, but the Lord has brought maturity over time. I know He wants me to be encouraged, like Paul desired, and to encourage others. So, I looked for a connection somewhere else in the area.

The Lord did not disappoint. The next person I saw stood in the middle of the room in a circle designated “Next Steps.” A sign hung from the ceiling that read, “Start Here.” She smiled, and we conversed. Her job may have been to greet and help people, but her interest was genuine. She offered to sit with me in the sanctuary, and I readily accepted. 

Our shared camaraderie and love for our Savior greatly enhanced the worship experience. We exchanged phone numbers, and although I would go home to another state, we agreed to stay in touch. Our encounter encouraged me in my faith journey, and she said the same.

If I had let the first failed attempt to connect dictate the rest of my morning, what a loss I would have experienced. And the same for my new friend. How much better to go with the motive of seeking to encourage others in the faith.

Think of ways you can encourage others in their faith. 

Anita van der Elst finds joy in creating with words, believing God gifted her with the desire to do so. Married to her best friend, Edward, since 1976, she is a proud mom of four adult children and Oma to three of the most delightful grandchildren ever. Other joys in her life include bringing beauty to Facebook through photos she takes on her iPhone, exploring the state parks in the PNW, facilitating a small group of women, and participating in a Bible study. 

I invite you to try my newest book, Grits, Grace, and Grands, in eBook or paperback. If you are a grandparent or just want to hear grandparent stories, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Christmas Remembrances - Martin Wiles

For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. The government will rest on his shoulders. And he will be called: Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. 

~Isaiah 9:6 NLT

As I age, I yearn for the Christmases of my childhood.

Being the first grandchild in the family for the first four years of my life meant a great deal of spoiling—by parents and grandparents. Although I don’t remember those years, pictures relay the joy and giving that took place. Before my paternal grandmother’s retirement, she bought presents with abandonment and worked to make Christmas a special day for everyone—especially the grandchildren. Waist-high presents lay under and around the tree, waiting for eager little hands to open them.

But Christmases at my maternal grandparents' house was more practical. They were into the fellowship—telling stories, hunting, cooking, and eating—rather than giving presents. One or two gifts were all I could expect.

When my giving grandmother retired and could no longer afford to buy mounds of presents, Mom took over the tradition and continued it until she retired. Now, my wife tries her best to keep the abundant giving alive. But things have changed.

My early Christmases were about togetherness. The togetherness lasted for hours—even days. They weren’t pop-in visits from children and grandchildren. We hung around, talked, laughed, hunted, and watched ball games together. I never heard, “We can be there at ___, but we must leave by _____.”

Amid my childhood Christmases, we always remembered the reason we were celebrating: to commemorate the birth of Jesus Christ. He overshadowed the presents rather than the other way around.

Parents, grandparents, and children said blessings at my childhood Christmas meals. As at Thanksgiving, we remembered God was responsible for all we had and enjoyed.

My childhood Christmases were also times of joy—and not just over presents. We were glad to see each other, to celebrate Christ’s birth, to eat a meal together, and to open presents. Just to enjoy one another’s company.

Divorces and remarriages have now changed the structure of our immediate and extended family, multiplying in-laws and grandparents and dividing our time into tiny increments that temper the joy of being together. Although some of the things from my early Christmases are missing, I still enjoy the Christmas season.

Don’t let the changing seasons of your life steal the real meaning of Christmas. Remember the birth of the Savior, and celebrate it with family and friends.

Father, I celebrate the birth of your Son—and giving as the real meaning of the Christmas season. 

I invite you to try my newest book, Grits, Grace, and Grands, in eBook or paperback. If you are a grandparent or just want to hear grandparent stories, this book is for you. Click on the title above to order your copy. And thanks to all our faithful followers who share our posts on Facebook, Twitter, and Linkedin.

Walk-on Wednesday - Let’s Get Together - Martin Wiles

Welcome to Walk-on Wednesday. By Hump Day, we are struggling, but we believe a good devotion can strengthen us to finish the week strong. 

And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. Hebrews 10:25 NLT

Being born the son of a preacher had its advantages and disadvantages.

One of the advantages was having the importance of attending church instilled in me. We belonged to a denomination that held worship services three times each week, and since Dad was the pastor, we went for every service. I had no choice; it was an expectation.

Later, after I left their home, I faced a weighty decision: would I continue to attend church as I had been doing or was this an opportunity for a little freedom from the “You have to go” chains. As much as I sometimes despised being made to go every time the doors were open while I was growing up, I found myself wanting to go. Taking a job that prevented me from doing so was disturbing. Ironically, what I once pulled away from, I was now pulling toward.

Early Christians needed togetherness and encouragement. Persecution was rife. Only by meeting together and garnering strength from each other would they be able to survive. Without this togetherness, they would be tempted to renege on their commitment to Jesus. Going it alone wouldn’t work either. In solitude would also be the temptation to turn away from what the church offered.

Meeting with other believers holds me accountable. Left to myself, I’m tempted to wander onto paths I shouldn’t walk. If no one is looking or walking with me, I may take the road traveled by many others. Letting others tag along increases the chances I’ll stay on the straight and narrow.

Assembling with other Christians provides the encouragement and help we need to move from one day to the next . . . from one mountain to the next . . . from one disaster to the next. Alone, we’ll sink, but with many helping hands we can face the next valley with a different attitude.

Rather than letting life’s difficulties drive you further from the church, let them pummel you toward it. Find your source of strength through togetherness with other Christians.

Prayer: Father, help us find joy and strength by worshiping together. 

Tweetable: Are you getting together with other believers? 

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Church … Really? - Martin Wiles

And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near. Hebrews 10:25 NLT

Church was the place I had to go, not necessarily wanted to go.

As a preacher’s kid, I had no choice about attending church. I went regardless. The only reasons Mom and Dad allowed me to miss were if I had an elevated temperature or if I was vomiting or had diarrhea. Dad preached; he couldn’t stay home with me. Mom played the piano or led the music. She couldn’t stay home with me either.

I wish I could say I always wanted to go to church, but I didn’t. In my younger years, I did. But the adolescent years brought a change of mind. Many of the friends I had accumulated didn’t go to church.

The ones who did were allowed to skip church sometimes. Not me. “As long as your feet are under my table, you will go to church,” Dad said.

After graduating high school and moving out, you would think I would have stopped going to church. I didn’t. For some reason, the pull to go overwhelmed me. Sure, I missed a few times, but normally I attended. And now, not out of duty or because I thought I’d go to hell if I didn’t. I attended because I wanted to. I enjoyed being around God’s people, singing the old hymns, and hearing God’s word preached and taught. What I didn’t always see a purpose for in my teenage years, I did now.

Early believers counted it a privilege to gather together, not a drudgery. They were often persecuted by the government, so they met quietly in small groups in peoples’ homes. The scenario is the same presently in many countries where the government or other religious groups persecute Christians. In spite of the danger, they meet. They do what the writer of Hebrews instructs: meet regularly and encourage one another.

Meeting with other believers, especially in a small group, keeps us accountable. Through their examples and the teaching of Scripture, we’re reminded about how we’re supposed to behave and think. Keeping in touch with those of like-minded faith encourages us in our walk with the Lord. Church provides the teaching we need and gives us a place to use the gifts and talents God has given us.

Church really is important. Make going a priority in your life.

Prayer: Father, give us the desire to gather with other believers as we await that eternity when all believers will be together forever.

Tweetable: Is church a priority for you?

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Bread and Juice - Martin Wiles

On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and said, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant between God and his people. 1 Corinthians 11:23-25 NLT

After seeing the bread, I couldn’t help but wonder about the juice.

At the first church I pastored, the chairman of deacons carried the responsibility of preparing the elements for the Lord’s Supper. Being a conservative sort of chap, he always bought a large pack of crackers and a deluxe size grape juice. Since he demonstrated faithfulness to his duties, I never worried about things being ready and in order.

We had a small congregation and hardly made a dent was made in the elements. When the chairman finished preparing the crackers and juice, he returned them to a dark cabinet. On the ninth month of the year—we only observed Communion once a quarter—the chairman pulled out the same box of crackers and the same bottle of juice.

I stood before the congregation, waiting on the deacons to pass out the elements to the congregants. When they returned with the crackers, I looked down to pick up my cracker, say a Bible verse, and invite the members to eat with me as we remembered the broken body of Christ. As I reached for my cracker, I saw a maggot crawling around in the plate. What was I to do? I carefully selected a cracker far away from the varmint and continued with the service. The crackers were stale.

Next came partaking of the juice. I wondered what we were in store for. The deacons passed it out and returned the remaining cups to the table. I reached down, picked up mine, said a Bible verse, and invited the members to drink as we remembered the blood Jesus shed for us. Coughs reverberated throughout the congregation. Obviously, I had no wine drinkers among my members, for the juice had almost fermented.

My chairman and I had a talk after this experience. No more using of leftover bread and juice unless it had been refrigerated. And he was to buy smaller quantities. We laughed about it—as did everyone else I told—but a lesson emerged.

Our experience was distasteful, but so was Jesus’. Soldiers battered and bruised His body, out of hate and misunderstanding of who He was. He endured for us. When we received the crackers, we remember that. The blood He shed was for our sins. He embodied the perfect sacrifice. The juice reminds of that.

Next time you partake of the Lord’s Supper, remember the elements represent what Jesus did for you.

Tweetable: What emotions does Jesus' crucifixion create in you?

Prayer: Father, thank You for sending Your Son to do for us what we could not do for ourselves.

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Taking the Right Path - Martin Wiles

Lead me in the right path, O Lord, or my enemies will conquer me. Make your way plain for me to follow. Psalm 5:8 NLT

Life has many paths, and some are not clearly marked.

Miles from nowhere, my daughter and I plodded along with nothing but a guidebook, supplies, and hiking sticks. Five days in the woods can be frightening.

The more frightening part was walking for miles without seeing a white blaze. According to the guidebook, one should be able to stand beside one blaze and see the next one. Rarely did that occur. One day, we went miles without ever seeing a blaze. Add to this that there were many side trails leading off in various directions, and I sweated over whether we were on the right path.

The only thing that made me relatively sure we were going in the right direction was reading the descriptions in the guidebook. The writer described things a hiker should see along the way. And even though we didn’t see the blazes, we did see the other things.

The psalmist pleaded for God to lead him along the right path. If God didn’t lead him—or if God did but he didn’t listen—the consequences might be severe. He also wanted God to make the path plain—unlike some sections of the path my daughter and I were traveling.

Since life has many paths—represented by the numerous decisions I have to make—knowing the right one is essential. Otherwise, I might find myself in unnecessary debt, broken relationships, jail, or any other number of unpleasant situations.

Taking the right path is possible when I consult the guidebook. God calls it His Word. We call it the Bible. Any direction I need is found there. Life progresses, scientists discover, and technology advances, but the principles of God’s Word never get outdated. They are good for all time.

Prayer keeps me on the right path. Through prayer, I petition God to give me full understanding of His Word, to help me know how to apply it to daily situations, and to guide others in the same path I’m traveling. Prayer helps the guidebook come alive in daily life.

Communing with other believers is also wise. Passing other hikers who were coming from the direction we were going assured us we were traveling in the right direction—even if we had not seen any blazes. There are strength and comfort in numbers.

Don’t guess about whether or not you’re on the right path. You can know.

Prayer: Father, lead us along the right paths in life so we’ll end up where You want us to be. 

Tweetable: Are you on the right path?

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Flashback Friday - What’s for Supper? - Martin Wiles

What’s for Supper?

“What’s for supper?” A question we three brothers often asked Mom, but one we also knew the answer to-“You’ll see when I get it fixed.” 

Suppers in the South are delightful, but while sumptuous, a traditional southern United States supper is almost always unhealthy. Vegetables are not just placed in a pot and boiled. Real sugar is added--as well as several tablespoons of salt and often hunks of fatty meat. Meats are rarely broiled or baked. Fried is almost synonymous with the South. And not before the meat is rolled in a mixture of egg and milk, covered in self-rising flour, and placed in a pan of hot sizzling lard. Read more...

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Walking in the Garden - Martin Wiles

When the cool evening breezes were blowing, the man and his wife heard the LORD God walking about in the garden. So they hid from the LORD God among the trees. Genesis 3:8 NLT

Walking in the garden was a Sunday afternoon tradition.

Edisto Gardens is located in Orangeburg, South Carolina—the only town the 250-mile-long Edisto River passes through. The river is one of only a few Blackwater rivers—so named because the decaying vegetation falls into the river and gives it a black appearance. A smaller pond filled with fish and turtles idles near a rose garden where prize roses show off their sparkling blooms. 

Several paths meander on either side of the paved road snaking through the middle of the gardens. Moss-covered oaks keep most of the garden shaded. Several small covered sheds provide a resting place for those who want to sit and admire the beauty.

When I was a small boy, my paternal grandfather brought me here every Sunday afternoon. It was our alone time. We stopped in the sheds so I could read the names of those who had disobeyed park rules and carved their names in the wood. 

We ambled along the river’s edge to the waterwheel. It served no purpose but continued turning as if it did. And my granddaddy held my hand as I walked along the rock wall, trying to maintain my balance. Spending time in the garden with my grandfather was always enjoyable.

Walking in the cool of the Garden of Eden with God must have been enjoyable for Adam and Eve as well. Wondering how two people could walk with God—or questioning whether or not He was physically present, misses the point. They spent time with their Creator. How long this continued before the tempter showed up, we can’t be sure. I suppose growing older interrupted my walks with my grandfather. Disobedience did for the first couple. 

God wants nothing more than to enjoy these garden walks with us.

It happens initially through accepting what His Son did on Calvary’s cross, but it continues thereafter through the spiritual disciplines of prayer, Bible study, and fellowship with other believers. Sin, misplaced priorities, busyness, and any number of other things can disrupt our garden walks, but they don’t have to. 

Though God expelled Adam and Eve from the garden, He still walked with them when they confessed and sought reconciliation. He’ll do the same for us when we copy their behavior. 

Don’t let anything interfere with your garden walks with the Father. 

Prayer: Father, thank You for Your willingness to walk with us through every day of our lives. 

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