Author: kelley

One of the ways friends can encourage us with words is through prayer. My prayer partner and walking/workout buddy is the dearest woman on the earth. I call her love personified. We see each other at least 2 or 3 times a week to work out and pray together. She comes to our church so I see her there too. We definitely have prayed for each other, and I would be more than confident to have her in my corner any day. She knows how to get heaven’s attention, and to storm the enemy’s gates. She is one tenacious lady who gets thing accomplished. I think everyone needs to have a prayer partner who you know you can count on. Mine just happens to be my workout buddy also. Gal 6:2 says for us to carry each other’s burdens, and that’s the scripture I think about when I think of her. She is like the scuba diver who is prepared with oxygen, flippers and a mask, who comes in as a rescue swimmer and gives oxygen so the swimmer without all the gear so they won’t drown. I think it is called buddy breathing when a scuba diver does that, and it can save someone’s life. I know having a good friend and hearing the encouraging words of a friend, not only breathe life into our soul, but put the wind back in our sail. So today, I want to encourage you…..do you know someone who can use some oxygen or some wind? Be a buddy breather, and let your words encourage your friend.

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Laughter is like medicine. You’ve heard that Bible verse before and it has been proven scientifically. Laughter helps to heal a body. I hope you have someone in your life who makes you laugh. Often it is our kids, and I can’t remember when I laughed so hard all afternoon when I took my son Carson and his friend Dawson on rides at the Fair. We laughed until our sides hurt! Sometimes the one who makes you laugh is a good friend – my laughing buddy and good friend is Carola. We relate to each other so well, we are both in the ministry, and sometimes it seems like we are twin daughters of different mothers. We think a lot alike and we often say the same thing at the same time….maybe because she was raised by parents from Europe too. She made my day last week when she happened to be in town and we got to go to spend some time together. We joined up with some other good friends and just had the best time, just relaxing and laughing until our sides hurt! I think about her words in my life, and what an encouragement she is. Not only through laughter, but by phone calls, and emails, and little gifts. All of that put together say to me I value you, and I value our friendship. Those words and deeds are what make great friendships. Why not share some laughter today? Or call your friend, send a text or an email and encourage your friend. It might just make their day.

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Is there anything better in life than knowing the love of a good friend? Hi, this is Dorette Schaal with your dailyeword. Someone once said, “A friend is someone who understands your past, believes in your future, and accepts you just the way you are.” Another thing a good friend does for you is encourage you with their words. Their words in your life can feel like oxygen to your soul. Proverbs 12:25 says that an anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up. This week we will look at friendships, and how powerful our words can be in our relationships. Here is your encouraging word for today.

Monday
What kind of friend are you? This week we talking about the power of words, and specifically we are talking about their impact in our friendships. So what kind of friend are you? Do your words point out flaws? Do you overlook flaws and say something nice? Or do you determine to help fix flaws gently? We like the ones who just don’t see our shortcomings, but the ones who help us grow and who gently instruct us are the ones we should really appreciate. It happens pretty regularly that I have a typo or two in my email …and sometimes people point them out. I usually spot them in other’s work, but hate it when mine are pointed out. There are those who either notice them and don’t say anything, or notice and comment. And then the third kind, who notice and ask if they can help make it better. Tawnya is a person just like that. She has started coming along side me to make my eword better, and to be an encourager in my ear. She will be a blessing to help not only my email, but my radio program as well, and a whole lot of other areas. Bless you, Tawnya! The words, I would love to help you, were the best words I could hear from my sweet friend. What words can you say to your friends? The words how can I help, or even I would love to help you, may be the best words they could hear as well. A special thank you to all of those who have helped with my dailyeword in the past, and especially to our amazing media team.

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Springtime is a wonderful season of the year. (We actually should say that about every season!) Stages of life are like seasons. Seasons come and go, and we pass on to the next one before you know it. Seasons and environment and stages of life change. We expect and believe for the best, but things don’t always turn out the way you expect. Storms come and winds blow. Sometimes it makes you want to be a kid again! Children seem to have a way of finding wonder in life better than we do as adults, even in the wind and storms. They see life as wonderful! They get excited over little things – and let even small things bring a joy filled moment to their day.

You probably watch the movie called “It’s a Wonderful Life” each Christmas. George Bailey has one bad thing lead to another in his life, and he was overcome by the sorrow of unmet expectations and depressing disappointments. He felt like his dreams had died and he should too. He was rescued by a novice angel named Clarence, and he ultimately got to see how wonderful his life really was. There was a turn around in his heart.

What he discovered was a profound truth. The wonder of life does not depend on the location of the man, but on the posture of the man’s heart. Whether your dreams have been crushed, or there are disappointments on every hand, you do not have to be controlled by your circumstances. Paul said it this way – “I have learned how to be content in every situation. My joy level isn’t dependent on my circumstances.” I can enjoy a wonder – full life because I choose to live a life full of wonder. The best really is yet to come! So it really doesn’t matter what is going on around you – keep the posture of your heart right, stay in the joy of the Lord, and live the wonderful, abundant, joy filled life that God has for you. Your best days are ahead! I believe mine are too! Happy 50th Birthday to me, this weekend!

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Hi this is Dorette with an encouraging word for kids. I hope you know the wonder of living life full! Jesus wants us to live with joy, enjoying every day and being thankful for every gift we receive from God. I hope that you are encouraged to live that way today!

One thing that you kids do naturally that us older people can learn from you is to enjoy even the small things. There is so much that we have seen and done that we can kind of yawn instead of jump for joy and be glad! But we need you to re-teach us this lesson. Life is wonderful! Jesus came to give us life to the full, overflowing and abundantly. Even with bumps along the way, life can be a wonderful, beautiful ride. That doesn’t erase the fact that bad things can happen to good people, because we do live in a fallen world. We need to remember that we are richly blessed – just even by where we live. We have so many opportunities that many people around the world never get to experience. Probably all of you had 3 meals plus snacks yesterday – that’s something to be glad about. We probably had a soft bed to sleep on, computer access to all that we desire to be connected to, and someone to love you. Those are great things to be thankful for. So instead of thinking about all the things you don’t have, or wish you could have, being content is saying, I’m thankful for the place I am in right now. That’s a great place to be! Keep getting excited about little things, and always be content in the joy of the moment. Maybe we as adults will catch on!

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We live in a world where things are changing all the time. Not only do seasons change, people do, visions change, and desires change, the economy changes too. If you listen to the news, or read the newspaper, you’ve heard the latest. We’re in an economic crisis. There seems to be little positive change in the economy and many people remain frightened and discouraged. My husband always jokes that CNN stands for constant negative news. We are hearing a lot of it! But guess what? In the midst of constant negative news, we still have Good News. It is the gospel. When everyone else is saying the worst is yet to come, I’m going to be saying the opposite. I believe God’s Word. He has a plan for us that has a future and a hope written into it. I believe that hope is not just an emotion, it is a discipline and to live in hope, we have to discipline ourselves to receive the truth of the Word of God as superior to the truth of the news on TV or the internet that comes from the world. The Good News of the Word, trumps the bad news of the world! We can be smart, use our money wisely, make good decisions and we can come out on top. The best is still yet to come! I have never seen the righteous forsaken or His seed out begging for bread as it says in Psalms. God is still our provider. He is Jehovah Jireh. He is the God that is more than enough. He has given us all that we need that pertains to life and godliness, so we can rejoice. Let’s confidently know that God will always meet our needs, according to His riches in Christ Jesus. We can live in the beautiful circle of blessing, God blesses us, we bless others, and we get blessed again….what an encouraging way to live.

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The wonder of life does not depend on the location of the man, but on the posture of the man’s heart. Have you heard that quote before? Let me quote it again. The wonder of life does not depend on the location of the man, but on the posture of the man’s heart. It is hard to think of a heart having posture, and the word attitude may be a better fit. What is your heart attitude? Are you half full person? Or is your glass always half empty? Are you always expecting the best to come your way? Or do you hate to breathe too deeply, because if things have been good for a certain length of time, surely soon everything will fall apart. The difference is not in the circumstances, it is in the attitude. Do we really believe that God can turn difficult situations around? Do we really believe that we serve a God who is more than able to make all grace abound toward us? Do we really believe that God can take something ugly and make something beautiful out of it? YES! It boils down to the attitude of the heart. Jesus attitude was expressed in Phil 2:5-7. He was humble, and even though He was God himself, he became a servant, and became obedient to death on a cross. Because of His obedience, He was exalted by God himself. Verse 12 and 13 of Phil 2 goes on to give us an admonition to live the same way. Because God is in us effectually at work, energizing and creating in you the power and desire both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight, we can live a deeply satisfying life. Not only are we content, but we are bringing glory to God in the process. That’s living the best, blessed life now!

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Have you ever wondered why Romans 8 says that we are not only conquerors, but we are more than conquerors? I heard the very best explanation to that one time that I have never forgotten. The conqueror is the aspiring boxer who has been in strict training for years. He eats only what is beneficial for his body, he works out for hours each day, and has sacrificed much to be able to challenge the world champion in a match that is beyond compare. The day of the fight arrives, and confidently he steps in the ring. Is he really a match for the champ? He will soon find out. He fights his heart out. Round one. Round two. Then round three. He goes for the knock out, and thud, the former champ falls to the mat, knocked out by the new champion who has proved his value in the ring. His arm is held high in victory by the referee and he goes home with the champions robe and belt. The strict training paid off. He was bruised up, from the battle, but he becomes the new Champion. He not only gets the title, he gets the big payoff. The amount of the check is bigger than he has ever seen before. He goes home, kisses his wife at the door, and graciously hands her the check. He is the conqueror, and she is more than a conqueror. He did all the work, and she gets all the benefit! I’m sure you see the analogy. Jesus fought the biggest boxing match of all time against the worst enemy of all time, and not only did He win, He knocked the devil out. Jesus then said, what I have done, I did for you, my bride, the church. You are my prize, and I give you the check. We are more than conquerors in this life……Praise the Lord.

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I have strength for all things in Christ, who empowers me, I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses inner strength into me. I am self sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency. I just quoted Phil 4:13 from the amplified version, and I feel empowered and encouraged just saying those words out loud!! Isn’t it amazing to think that the Spirit of God lives on the inside of us? We are in Christ, and He infuses inner strength into our spirits. I know there have been lots of times when I felt weak and powerless. Whether situations were overwhelming, or there seemed to be no end to the storm I was facing, it would have been easy to just go where my emotions wanted to take me. We have to manage our emotions, or they will take over! We can choose how we want to feel! As we begin to meditate on those wonderful words in Phil 4:13, that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, any “I can’t” that I was feeling, became “I can” because of the cross. No thing can to take us out. No evil force, no circumstance, no unmet expectation, no lack in any area, no sickness or pain would have the ability to keep me from being the conqueror that Jesus made me through the cross. I believe that for you too! When I let Christ empower me, I really am ready for anything and equal to anything that might come my way. God really is way bigger than any problem, or adversity, and the strength we receive from Christ makes us more than conquerors not only in this life, but also in our heavenly home. We win both ways! Now that’s encouraging.

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: Hi, this is Dorette Schaal with an encouraging word for your day. I believe that this poem is for you, so be reminded every day this week that: The Best is Yet to Come!
No matter what it looks like, no matter how you feel
The circumstances that you’re in are not what’s really real
The future up ahead is bright, the days ahead will bring
A freshness in your spirit, and a song of joy to sing
You are full and you are rich with what is worth the most
It’s not a product of the world, it’s from the Holy Ghost
Rejoice and be extremely glad, this work God has begun
So sing and shout, and dance with joy, the best is yet to come.
Here is your encouraging word for today.

Monday
Have you found it easy to live a contented life, in a world that is full of yearning for more and trying to find satisfaction in things? It really is easy to get caught up in wanting more stuff and thinking that stuff will fill any emptiness inside of us. Before we met Christ, there was a God shaped vacuum in our life, that could only be filled by God. Jesus came to fill us to overflowing, and for us to be totally satisfied in Him. An “unearthly” longing we as Christians have is for our home in heaven. As wonderful as earth can be, and as much as we can experience of heaven on earth in our Christian walk, nothing compares to the complete bliss and joy of heaven. We have a longing within for our heavenly home, and for the joy of seeing our Savior face to face. That longing is a blessed hope that will be met when we pass from this life to the next. This earth life is very short, and heaven is long! In the mean time, we can be like Paul who said that he has learned the secret of contentment. In Philippians chapter 4, verses 12 and 13 he stresses the fact that he has faced both abundance and lack, that he has been well fed, and been hungry. I’m sure he liked a full tummy and abundance better than hunger and lack! In spite of these circumstances he learned what we quote so often in Phil 4:13, that I can do all things through Christ. I love the Amplified version which says, “I have strength for all things in Christ, who empowers me, I am ready for anything and equal to anything through Him who infuses inner strength into me. I am self sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency.” Now those are some encouraging words, and better days really are in your future!

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