The Power of Encouragement

   Hi friends! I pray you are all doing well.

   I am doing pretty great if I do say so myself. :)

   I find each and every day that God is So Very awesome! I love it!

   Every Sunday night we have what is called The Gathering. All DLA students, full-time and part-time, get together for a night of worship and teaching from one of our wonderful leaders. This last Sunday was so very great indeed. After worship we took a few minutes to go around to our friends and speak encouraging words over them. The timing on this event could not have come at a more perfect time. I am doing swell, growing in the Lord. There are however areas where I am not sure if I am really growing. I think I am but Satan comes in and tries to tell me that I am not improving. So I get discouraged. Stink! Every single person that encouraged me on Sunday night was definitely listening to God. Every single encouragement I received directly correlated to the areas I was not sure if I was really growing in but so desire to. God sent me people to tell me that I was indeed growing. Don't give up! As my pastor back home would say, "Keep on keeping on." ;)
   Jesus - your timing is impeccable!
   Last night during a prayer meeting I decided to continue on the growth topic and look back in my journal to see where God has brought me recently. I teared up as I read God's promises to me from before I came to DLA.

"The Lord is faithful to all his promises

and loving toward all he has made."

Psalm 145:13

February 2, 2011:

   Oh Stefanie, I know that just stressed you out to find our that your interview is not until the 18th of February. I am fully aware that scholarships are due on the 14th. Do you not think I knew this before I had MaryBeth call you? I know everything! I see it ALL Stef! I know what I am doing. I am calling you to simply leave it in my hands. Trust me Stef. Do NOT fill out that Leadership Scholarship. If you do, you are showing me that you don't trust me. Whose plan do you want to follow? Whose do you believe is better, mine or yours? I am the Alpha and Omega. I am Peace. I am love. I am everything you need.

 (When I was worried about what to do this school year God said "Trust me." As you all know, I am exactly where God wanted me to be!)

February 24, 2011:

  Stefanie I know life is difficult. You work more than you did before. Take it as a blessing. I am helping you get the money for Colorado. I will not just hand you all the money you need. Some of it will come more easily than others but I want to see how serious you are. Do you desire to go to this school as much as I desire for you to go? I have such GREAT things in store for you Stefanie. I am so excited for you to go! You are going to miss your family though. You must lean on me. You must let me be your one and only. I am everything you need.

  (When I was frustrated with going to work and school full-time, when I was in desperate need of encouragement, God came through. He also provided me with ALL the money I needed for school, just in time!)

 "Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing,

but let us encourage one another -

and all the more as you see the Day approaching."

Hebrews 10:25

Are you in need of encouragement? Get together with fellow believers. There is SO much encouragement in gathering together and speaking life into each other's lives.

Ask God. He is the Greatest Encourager of all!