Encouragement goes a long way. I couldn’t fathom the weight Neal was wearing on his shoulders when he woke up this morning. This is his career that he’s worked hard to remain in an often corrupt world with integrity, honesty and compassion. I’ve always been proud to be married to a man that upholds these traits. So I told him so this morning in a letter.
He came home this afternoon with more bounce in his step, his voice tender as he teased and played with the boys. When we finally had a moment without ‘little ears’ so I sat down next to him on our bed putting my hand on his leg, “Cold, needles!” he said this calmly but his eyes bulged with the pain. 🙁 Even after a year I forget that his right side is not only numb but hypersensitive to the cold…’like a thousand thick needles digging into my skin’ he’d told me. We talked about his day and my heart filled with pride at how he is handling everything. “I appreciated your note this morning,” he said. “It reminded me that we are a team and that you believe in me.”
And I do believe in him.
Today God reiterated how important it is to encourage and to be encouraged. I also went to visit with a friend that is championing through a very delicate time on bed rest with her 3rd child. She’d recently lost her 2nd child, a little girl, and despite the trials of grief, dealing with a 3 yr old while on bed-rest and the stress of the upcoming delivery she finds strength in ministering to other mothers who have lost children. She amazes me.
Most often than not, we don’t want to go through the particular struggles that shape our days. We certainly don’t ask God to hand down our particular cross but we seek our strength from Him.
Phillippians 4:13
I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.
Blessings
Shannon