Filled 'Empties'!

Ever had one of those weeks where you just feel low? Of course you have, we all have them. Well I am having one of them for no reason and every reason -isn’t that how it goes?

I have just moved town away from family and friends, my dear family suffered a tragic loss just on us leaving, I have a teething crying baby and right this week I am doing a body cleanse of juice intake only = challenge. Hmmmm… This all sounds like life and yep it’s deflating me.

So I do the smart thing and tell my husband “Hon I’m feeling low and I need some encouragement.”

Now I love my hubby and he is a great encourager in his bloke way yet sometimes it does not seem to hit the spot. However, by him I do feel a little cheered up: tick, loved: tick, he even gave me flowers: tick (yay *kiss*), but deep inside I am still feeling frazzled and a bit empty. Now, sure our family and friends can and should encourage us (so can chocolate) and it does make us feel great, but what happens when it does not hit the spot (tears or fireworks from the mouth!!!!).

Truth Moment: My family and friends cannot be my only source of encouragement.

I need another source of encouragement and it is:

God.

God has to be my bottom line source. Now before you think this is getting all so fluffy and lovely etc… Let’s get one thing straight: When faced with challenges and low moments in our life going back to some of these ‘fluffy basics’ is important. God being our source is a ‘basic’ and it’s these ‘basics’ that give us the foundation to life that we can stand on. So bare with me.

God is the ultimate encouragement source because He is the ‘way’ (John 14:6).

He is a ‘way’ out of discouragement and low days as well as a ‘way’ in the fun times and wins of life. He wants to encourage us wherever we are at: sad, happy, mad, ordinary, board, angry, confused, excited, pained, devastated, frazzled, dazzlingly… (Did I miss one?)

So today I make that choice. I am opening my Bible to get my encouragement to fill that emptiness up with positive words straight from God. (I’ll tweet a few.)
Does anyone find it easy to pick up the Bible when we feel down? How about no! (Except to all you saints out there. ;)) Yep it can be a challenge. This is something we have to continually expend in and make the choice to do. It does not come naturally.

So here is a cheer to open Bibles and filled ‘empties’.

Taken from my deck, and always reminds me of
God's presence in this crasy world!

Thinking: Where do you get your main source of encouragement from????? Is it time to open that Bible again? What are your fav places in the Bible for encouragement?

Side Note: Now just don’t open the Bible and start reading any old place because this is sure to end in dust collecting on the top of a shelved book. Look up books of the bible that are full of personal encouragement. My fav places to read for encouragement are in Psalms or 1st John.
Then when we read it, think about what it says, it is the only thing that fills the empty, lift the lows and sometimes this takes time. As a bonus it can give new perspective on circumstances.