W2R Take Home 1: I Want To Be An Encourager
Yesterday, we (Leanne and I) shared about our Weekend to Remember (W2R) experience at the FamilyLife marriage conference in Hershey, PA. Conferences like this are great, but it can be easy to come away with a mountain top high that quickly fades as real life happens.
When I woke up early yesterday morning for an earlier than normal start, it was easy to become instantly tired and to feel worn out before the week had even started. When I had a migraine headache yesterday at work, it was easy to quickly become frustrated and to feel like I was back to real life. (I’ve been struggling with migraines over the past few weeks.) When I came home from Isaac’s basketball game where we suffered a tough loss in the final four of the playoffs, it was easy to get down knowing that our hoops season was now over.
But throughout the day, I kept reminding myself of the great weekend I had just experienced. I left the conference with a few take homes.
The first major take home for me was put into action last night when Isaac suffered defeat in his basketball game. I want to be an agent of encouragement for my wife and kids. I was pretty down after his game due to the outcome and due to a comment from one of his teammates. I had the chance to express my pride and love for Isaac. Isaac plays the basketball game with a positive attitude. He doesn’t complain. He has fun. He does his best. His game continues to show improvement. I love to watch how he transforms throughout the season into a basketball loving machine.
As we talked about the discouraging remark by his teammate, we had the chance to discuss the power of encouragement. We all have the opportunity to lift people up through our comments. I want our family to live this way to each other, to our classmates, to our teammates, and to others. As a dad, I believe it starts with me as I lead our family. I want to be an agent of encouragement!
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing. I Thessalonians 5:11
How has encouragement transformed your life? Are you an agent of encouragement or of discouragement? What is one thing you can do today to encourage someone?