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Do you miss the laughter and conversations of a full house? Have your kids moved on to college, marriage, or their own homes? I understand how hard having an empty nest can be. It seems like our children fly the coop all too soon! Rather than giving into sadness, I found a wonderful way to deal with the loneliness when my girls left home.Now is the perfect time to minister to and encourage those outside of your family. Take some time to pray about these questions:
It might be discipling another woman in the faith. Writing emails to a lonely missionary. Taking a meal to a cancer patient. Time is yours to manage. Make it count.
Encouraging others requires a heart filled with sensitivity to their needs. If your heart is filled with concern for God’s people, you’ll be privileged to refresh and encourage many. Proverbs 12:25 says a kind word cheers you up. What a sweet gift to give others!
Where do we glean this kindness from? By sitting at Jesus’ feet and studying the Word. Time with God will fill you with His Spirit, which will naturally overflow to others.
And remember to include your family in this ministry of encouragement. Even though our kids aren’t under our watchful eye, they can still be covered by our prayers. Elisabeth Elliot’s mother prayed and wrote letters to her six children twice a week. For 45 years. Before computers and email!
What can you do today to minister to people near and far? As a loving, praying woman after God’s own heart, reach out to someone today—and every day—with your prayers and your love. It’ll fill their hearts … and yours!
God, help me take advantage of every opportunity to share Your love with others. I want to use my free time to serve You and encourage friends and family. Amen.
RENEWING RESOURCES
A Woman’s High Calling: There’s no higher calling for a woman than making God’s priorities your own. In this book (with study guide included!), Elizabeth will help you simplify your life, adopt God’s essentials, and pass them on to others.
REFLECTION
“Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up.” (Proverbs 12:25)
Take a few minutes today. Who could use a word of encouragement? A call?
REMEMBER
We can fill our heart when our nest is empty with ministry and encouragement to others.
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Jim and Elizabeth George are bestselling authors and national speakers dedicated to helping people live a life after God’s own heart. Together, they have written over 150 books with more than 14 million copies sold around the world. For over 35 years, the teachings and steadfast example of Elizabeth and Jim have helped countless men and women:
Jim and Elizabeth George are bestselling authors and national speakers dedicated to helping people live a life after God’s own heart. Together, they have written over 150 books with more than 14 million copies sold around the world. For over 35 years, the teachings and steadfast example of Elizabeth and Jim have helped countless men and women:
My girls are 13 months apart, which means that during their early years, I often felt like I had twins. I had to really be on my toes-there was little-or-no catching of mistakes I made on the older child so that they wouldn’t be repeated with the younger one. What I was—or wasn’t—doing to love and raise my children was being done to both of them at the same time.
Most of us have no problem memorizing the lyrics to our favorite songs. Sometimes we know them so well, or they're so deeply ingrained in our minds, that they get stuck in our heads. The moment certain songs come on you'll see people rocking in the car or singing along.
