Encouraged to Encourage

Dark. Stressful. Disquieting. Some words I could use to describe this past week.

Inspired. Joyful. Loved. Other words I could use, words that speak God's truth, that hold a higher power, that the darkness cannot conquer.

One reason for this difference? For this past week all the interns were inspired to serve, bless and encourage one another which we did via a "secret santa" sort of idea but more of a "Secret Server" strategy where we each got someone's name picked at random and a few things they would like prayer for. We could then spend the week praying for them and then finding imaginative and creative ways to be extra encouraging and serving to the other person.

I was completely blown away by the lengths some Servers went to in order to ensure their person felt extra cherished, loved, blessed and served.

From simple ideas of making them tea and just generally spending time with them to bunches of flowers sent to their desks, chocolate, home-baked brownies & muffins, little gifts chosen specially for that person, bible verses, cards, encouraging emails, and words of hope, inspiration and love spoken to them. What a difference these simple acts of love and care brought. Out of darkness came light and joy and beauty.

Encouraged to encourage: To stimulate spiritually. To give confidence, motivation and hope. To inspire with courage.

"There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach." (J.R.R. Tolkein, Lord of the Rings III)