Encourage And Build Each Other Up!!

I'm constantly amazed by my amazing friends! It can be friends I talk to on a regular basis, or ones I just hear from every now and then. I had the best coversation with 2 of my best friends last night. We constantly encourage each other, and I don't know how they feel, but I'm "pumped" the way they encourage me. I need this, you need this, we all need to be encouraged! Of course on the other hand, I have people in my life who don't encourage me. Everytime you talk to them, they are "down in the dumps" or "life is just not fair" or "well you'll never believe what happened to me now"...yes, you know the type! These kinds of people don't encourage me, they just wear me out. I think you could give some people a million dollars,and they would STILL find something to gripe about. You know, when I look around, we really don't have "rough lives", and if we do, alot of it is made by our OWN stupid choices. Oh sure, we have our rough spots, but it always gets better. We live in a country of freedom, food to eat, a roof over our head, clean water, good health care (sometimes! ha!), we have freedom of speech, and most importantly we have freedom to worship! Sometimes I want to tell my complaining friends if you think your life is so rough, try living in Africa for awhile. That's another blog for another time. Is life REALLY so bad here in this country?? We need to encourage each other, when your life isn't going smoothly, you need people there to encourage you, and build you up, not tear you down. 1 Thess. 5:11 says it all "Therefore encourage one another, and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing." Don't you love to be encouraged? Doesn't it make you feel "on top of the world" when someone builds you up, and tells you how much you mean to them?? I love to hear it, and I'm pretty sure you do, too. Just be sure you're not always "taking" the encouragement, but give it, too. It means more to your friends than you will possibly ever know. To my wonderful friends, I'm blessed more than I deserve to know each and everyone of you!! I love you all! Hope you've all had a blessed day!