A Life of Encouragement

Remember a few posts ago when I said that I would love to work with all those different organizations? Well all of those still stand. But my real, true passion would be to open up a shop and call it Encouragement. It would be a coffee shop of sorts. I would have scripture verses all over the halls. I would sell the coffee and food. But I would also sit down and take time to get to know people personally. I would speak words of love, hope and peace into their lives.

This idea was spurred by a tweet that I received a few days ago. The tweet was from Jenny Simmons. I tweeted something encouraging to her. and she wrote me with the following.

"seriously- you should open a shop&just call it "encourage" and people can come sit and you can give hugs, scripture & hope"

"Be encouraged Jessica, that your spiritual gift of encouragement is used by God to be His very voice in a people's hearts."

When I received these tweets I was really humbled because I don't usually expect to get anything back. I just do and say things because I love to encourage people and that is how God has wired me. It puts a smile on my face and joy in my heart when I do the same for another person. 

Even if God does not have me open up a coffee shop and have my corner of the world be a place where people can come and be encouraged. I want my whole life to be a picture of encouragement. In whatever I do, I want to serve the Lord and encourage and build up others. Just like Jesus did. Life is too short for mean words and tearing others down. It just takes a simple word or smile. It is not that hard and something I have found that I absolutely love doing. and like Jenny said, I think I have found my spiritual gift and I can't wait to see how God is going to use it to bring glory to him.  I have already had the opportunity to pray for friends and family members. But I know that the Lord has bigger plans and I am just simply along for this exciting ride called life.