0:00:04 - Heather
Welcome to Your Encouraging 5-Minute Podcast. You give us five minutes. We're going to give you a ton of encouragement Now, because it can be hard to find encouragement, especially easy encouragement. We're going to bring you some good news and encouragement for your day all in five minutes.
0:00:18 - Eric
Let's start with this Think like a river. You spend any time on the water a lake, go to the ocean, the beach, but today, think like a river. You spend any time on the water, a lake, go to the ocean, the beach, but today, think like a river. And here's what I mean. Rivers never go in reverse. Think like a river, they never go in reverse. Forget your past and focus on the future, which, of course, reminded me of the verse out of Philippians Paul. This one thing I do forget those things which are behind and reach forth under those things which are before, pressing on toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.
0:00:55 - Heather
Yeah, because I think sometimes we get caught up and I've even seen my children do this like, oh, I was so cringe then and I'm like you can't be mad at who you were and you can't constantly be looking back at who you were because you didn't have the information you have now.
0:01:11 - Eric
And it's like anything. You start carrying that, and then something else and something else. You feel bogged down.
0:01:16 - Heather
What was that? Like my grandmother used to always say, you're not going to get anywhere. Looking backward, you're going to trip and fall Right.
0:01:26 - Eric
So you have to keep looking forward and think like a river. Today, making friends can be challenging. Maybe it comes easy to you, like it does for my friend.
0:01:39 - Heather
Heather, it's a truth. You're so good with people, you and your husband, you could teach a course. Well, you know what it is. I think that we have seen the worst life has to offer. It is. I think that we have seen the worst life has to offer, and in those moments of being down in the mire, people like not encouraging us, being the absolute opposite of encouraging us.
0:01:53 - Eric
So is it intentional or has just come from who you are, your makeup?
0:01:58 - Heather
Probably a little bit of both. Like, if I'm cranky and I see someone wearing cool shoes, I reframe it instantly like, oh man, those shoes are awesome. I will always tell someone I like your shirt, or you know, I mean genuinely. It's not like I'm making stuff up, Of course not. Life is too short. Because sometimes I mean, think about this.
When you dress up nicely and you feel good about how you look, you're not dressing for other people. But you know, maybe that is a nice dress that you picked up, or those sunglasses were something you've been saving for for a long time. So I want to recognize that, because I think too often people are so mean and cruel and we tear each other down and if someone, their hair looks great, like, oh my goodness, I love that. You know, and I'll see kids, like a friend of mine, Elijah is I think he's going to be 11 soon. He dyed his hair purple, Come on, and it is so awesome, you know, and it's like, dude, your hair looks awesome. But I say that because you know I want to encourage people.
0:02:59 - Eric
Well, we're instructed to. God's word says it, doesn't it Even right out of Ephesians? Everything, let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. That's what you're doing, that's what your husband does, and so many other people do too.
0:03:13 - Heather
True, and I think it's important that we not only do that but continue to do that. Saturday my kids and I were at TJ Maxx and this you know, the aisles are like about six inches wide and this sweet lady had a cart full of stuff and she kept going oh, I'm sorry, I'm sorry. And you could see in her face. She just was kind of down and every time I heard her speak it was I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
0:03:35 - Eric
You were ready to encourage. Oh, my word.
0:03:37 - Heather
So I went to go try some clothes on and I got about three steps and I turned around and I went over and I said, can I ask you a favor? And she goes oh, do you need me to move my cart? I'm like, no, I need you to stop apologizing for taking up space on this planet and just the way that she looked I thought I don't know, I loved seeing her face.
Well, you know, I just think at that moment she just felt comfort, you know, because I don't know what's going on, but it clearly isn't something easy. And I just said to her you are a beautiful, beautiful person. God put you here for a reason. Don't apologize for being who you are and for taking up space. He put you here for a reason.
0:04:18 - Eric
Let me share the verse again Out of Ephesians, Ephesians 4.29, Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.
0:04:29 - Heather
And that is so important, especially when it seems like everybody is so quick to tear each other down now.
0:04:33 - Eric
But you know, on the flip side, I think there's just as many people who want to encourage, who want to build someone up, who want to say something, or they're like me, are just a little hesitant, a little introverted.
0:04:44 - Heather
Sometimes I don't know what to say something, or they're like me, or just a little hesitant, a little introverted.
0:04:47 - Eric
Sometimes I don't know what to say, or if it's appropriate.
0:04:48 - Heather
No, and see, that's the one thing. I would never want someone who is an introvert like you to go out of your way to force a compliment, because then I think it just sounds disingenuine. It kind of has the reverse effect. But you know, I think encouragement doesn't necessarily have to be anything spoken. You can encourage somebody, like holding the door, saying have a nice day to somebody, or even as you walk by someone, hey, how's it going? I mean, it doesn't have to be a long conversation.
0:05:17 - Eric
We hope you've been encouraged today and thank you so much for listening.