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Encouraging Em

~ Encouraging Others One Hopeful Truth At A Time

Encouraging Em

Tag Archives: Jesus

Who’s there?

26 Thursday May 2022

Posted by encouragingem in Faith

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encouragement, Jesus, life, pray, truth

There is a battle for your heart. For your faith. For your mind. For your soul. For your purpose. The pursuit is relentless.

The Bible tells us to guard our hearts because it determines the direction of our lives. Our hearts are fragile so we must be good stewards of what we allow to affect it.

It’s like our front door of our house. Do we allow just anyone in? No. I have a ring doorbell that allows me to see who is at my front door. I don’t answer the door if I don’t know who they are. I used to feel bad if I didn’t at least hear them out. After learning the hard way I refuse to do that again.

We have to be diligent to not keep the good out, but to keep harm out. Yes, there will be times we will get hurt and not expect it, but what about allowing those who hurt you back in over and over again? Knowing something or someone is harmful is a benefit because now you can choose whether to allow it in or not.

Choose wisely my friends. Ask Jesus for wisdom and discernment. Read His word. Pray. Cause when the lies, fear, doubts, and threats of the enemy come knocking you’ll know better than to open the door. ❤️

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Ponder It

25 Tuesday Jan 2022

Posted by encouragingem in Faith

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believe, encouragement, God, hope, Jesus, peace, promise, trust, truth

I recall many moments a sweet friend would give me an encouraging word and tell me to “ponder it.” She would always use that word…ponder. I had to look it up because it’s not a word I had ever used. The definition is to think or consider especially quietly, soberly, and deeply. Honestly, I was hesitant because quiet is not my style. Being an external processor I talk things out. My friend on the other hand is the epitome of quiet. She would say very little, but when she spoke you listened. Was I not suppose to talk about the things God has told me?

I’ve come to learn what she meant. What quiet looks like on the inside. How to process in the quietness of Gods presence. How to take what the Lord spoke and let it simmer in my heart like soup cooking over a low flame. Allowing time for the full flavor of it to get down deep where my heart becomes convinced. Considering the words before I speak them knowing how powerful they are. That both life and death are an option by what I speak to myself. Guarding the door of my heart carefully as to not let thieves come in and rob me of the truth.

I’ve come to learn there is a time for everything. A time to speak and a time to listen. I pray you hear me today and consider what the Lord has spoke to you. Keep the words close. Don’t allow others to bring their thoughts before you have your own. Don’t let the dream or vision get cloudy or muddied by opinions. Hold close to your heart what the Lord said and consider it a secret until the appointed time. Just like Mary and my friend Beth, believe in Him who has promised and it will come to pass. ❤️

Comfort and Joy

24 Friday Dec 2021

Posted by encouragingem in Faith

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believe, encouragement, faith, God, grace, hope, Jesus, love, peace

The other day I woke up singing “oh tidings of comfort and joy” and for some reason it hasn’t left my heart as it’s still singing in me. I was sure there was a reason so I started to dig a little deeper.

“Then young women will dance and be glad, young men and old as well. I will turn their mourning into gladness; I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow.” Jeremiah 31:13 NIV

The verse speaks of what God will give us in place of something else. He is so good at that. He offers us what only he can give for what has impaired our hope. Our joy. Our healing. Our restoration. Our peace. Our mourning and sorrow can be felt by Him. Our pain is his pain. Our sorrow is his sorrow. He knows all to well the ache of the human heart in times of suffering. He promises to deliver and comfort us from the hand of things stronger than us. Anxiety. Grief. Disappointment. Pain and even death. God is the only one who could do a trade like that. This is what the angel spoke of “Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. You and I are apart of “all” people.

He will give us comfort AND joy. I wrestled with this because of the grief in my heart lately. I desperately needed something and he saw fit to bring me both. The song in my heart confirmed it. He was saying “I will do this for you. I see, hear, and know you. My hands are stronger than the ones that threaten and consume you. I am Immanuel, God with you. Your comforter. Your Father. Your peace. Your joy.”

I don’t know where your heart is today, but I do know Gods heart towards you. It’s full of love, grace, mercy, comfort, and joy. He’s more than enough to fill the empty and broken places in you. This Christmas is more than the tangible gifts, it’s about the intangible that will heal and bless your soul. What a gift!

Merry Christmas from our home to yours!

Peace over you and yours,

Emilie ❤️

Did You Know?

17 Wednesday Nov 2021

Posted by encouragingem in Faith

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encouragement, faith, hope, Jesus, love, truth

Do you know how loved you are? Not the subjective conditional love that can’t make up its mind from one moment to the next. I’m talking about the I died for you kind of love. The love that fights for you. Believes in you. Protects you. Sees the best in you. A no matter what comes I’m not going anywhere love. If you know Jesus you know he IS this love. The love that sees you and knows you and still went to the cross for you. No one loves like Jesus. His love sets you free. His love is unconditional. We search and desire for someone to love us like this. Truth is…only Jesus could love this flawlessly. Us humans even on our best day will fail the ones we love, but His love never fails. Don’t believe the lie that you’re unloveable or hard to love. You, my love, were created out of love, to be loved, and to share this love. What a lovely truth! ❤️

John 15:13. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.

Can We Be Honest?

15 Monday Nov 2021

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healing, Honesty, Jesus, journey, pain, truth

Telling the truth was always hard for me. It’s not like I was lying. In fact, I wasn’t saying anything at all. Being taught to not speak of the truth impaired my ability to process. To heal. I became numb to pain that was so harmful to my soul I couldn’t recognize how hurt I really was. Before you can live a life of truth you must acknowledge what aches in you. Learning to sit with yourself and allow the truth to stir in you. That is the discovery that changes everything. The Lord will not allow us to walk around numb forever. There will come a moment when it’s just you and Him and all the funk within you and his love collide. It’s a meeting of the heart, mind, and soul. Many of us will run till we die to try and avoid what hurts. Can I give you some momma advice? Stop running away from you. You will always be where you are. Good thing is, Jesus will always be ready to listen. His pursuit of you and your heart will never end. Are you ready to know the truth that sets you free? His name is Jesus. He is relentless about seeing you whole. Free from deep rooted sorrow and neglect. It won’t happen overnight. This is the Lords doing. He knows what we can handle. He’s gentle. Patient. Kind. Forgiving. He’s everything we don’t know how to be to ourselves. I pray you take a step closer to Jesus today. That you be honest with yourself and let him come and show you how to be whole. You’ll never regret it, I promise you.

Love, Em ❤️

Change of Scenery

28 Thursday May 2020

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encouragement, healing, hope, Jesus

I remember it so well, crossing the California border headed to Texas. I had no idea what God had in store for us. All I knew was it was gonna be good…eventually. We saw so much potential and possibilities but never realized the journey ahead was for healing. We had so much toxic surrounding us. Every where we went it was there. Unhealthy relationships. Broken dreams. Messed up mind sets. Damaged trust. In Gods grace and mercy he took us to a safe place to heal. To find him, again. To find each other, again. To find ourselves, perhaps for the first time. I love our story of how God redeems everything if we let him. We must yield to his careful hands to take what’s toxic and broken and turn it into something healthy and whole. Only he can do it. Don’t resist his tugging you away. Isolation can be hard as we all have seen in recent days. He has to take you aside and silence the noise for you to hear him speak truth. Life. Healing. Into EVERY broken place. You are safe there. It will hurt, but you’ll heal. I realized after all these years that he was preparing us for the hardest journey we’d ever face. We needed to be emotionally whole to deal with the physical torment of cancer ahead. I’m so glad we said yes. I promise you’ll never regret the change of scenery that healing offers. Go my friend and be healed. ❤️

Another Way 

19 Tuesday Jul 2016

Posted by encouragingem in Daily Truth, Encouraging, Faith, Hope, Jesus, Prayer, Self Reflection

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Jesus, plans, unexpected


Hi y’all!! It’s been awhile since my last post and life has been crazy good and a lot has changed for our family. We have moved from Texas back to California. My husband decided to follow his dream and go into business for himself. Many mixed emotions which brings me here to today’s post. Have you ever thought…ok, that didn’t go like I thought it would? THAT didn’t go as planned?  

I’m a really spontaneous person. I don’t mind the last minute calls for coffee or retail therapy. My world doesn’t swirl upside down if something last minute comes up, but I can tell you with a firm certainty that I wasn’t prepared for this change in plans. 

When God said go we went with no plans just faith. It was crazy. Bold. Courageous. My husband and I had visions of what we thought this new season would be like. We dreamed together. Our hearts were open to all the wonderful things to come. We would soon see that things weren’t going as we thought they would. For 5 years that would be the motto of our life. It caused such disappointment and frustration in us both. I had to really dig deep and search myself, God, and hope to find some peace, some purpose. I did. HALLELUJAH {in my choir voice}! More than I ever thought imaginable God used these last five years to accomplish HIS purpose, not mine. I only had to be open to go his way. 

This is where the struggle is. Can we let go of what we thought it should be like? Do we remain angry and bitter at God because of our own expectations? Are we really being obedient if all we want to do is lead and be in control? It’s a battle we will have to forge through if we ever want to get to the purpose of Gods heart for us. We can’t simply dig our heels in and not budge in opposition to the will of God. I mean we can try, but is that really how we want to be? 

Imagine Joseph from the bible. He had dreams that were God given and I’m sure he had the shock of his life when all went the opposite way. Little did he know, little do we all know, that the will, plan, and purpose of our lives are being cultivated in the unknowns and unexpected. This is where we are trained. Healed. Rid of anything that will cause us to lean on our own understanding. Old mind sets. Our past. This is the preparation for the purpose and there is no other way out, but through. 

There is much grace in this place if you are willing to walk it out with Jesus. His plans are good. His heart is for you. Just because things didn’t go as you planned doesn’t mean God or you failed. Proverbs 19:21 NLT says…You can make many plans, but the Lord’s purpose will prevail. This is actually one of my favorite verses because it reassures me that Gods got my back. 

So, don’t put a period anywhere just yet and most certainly don’t use ink when writing out the vision of your life. Things change. Be open to go another way. You’ll be amazed just how much more that God has for you. Exceedingly, abundantly, above all that you could ask, dream, or imagine. This is what we have to look forward to…mind blown! 

Blessings, Em ☺️ 

Let Go 

10 Tuesday May 2016

Posted by encouragingem in Daily Truth, Encouraging, Faith, Hope, Jesus, Prayer, Self Reflection

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answered prayer, believe, faith, hope, Jesus, Letting go

I recall a time when I was ok with the idea of being single forever. My track record of finding “Mr. So Not Perfect” was flawless. I was resolved that I could be single and be just fine. Really, I was good. I didn’t tear up watching chick flicks, it was allergies. My heart didn’t long for a relationship, that was heartburn. Nope, not going to that wedding, I have to wash my hair that day. Truth was my defenses were up and I didn’t want to go through what I went through before. My past was a reminder of all that could, would, and did go wrong.  So, I shut my heart up and nearly killed my hope. 

Are you stuck in a past defeat or situation that has left you hopeless for the future? Believing that nothing is going to change? If God, right now, answered your prayers could you believe and receive it, or would you be looking back and not notice all that is right in front of you? 

Well, I’m here to encourage you that it’s not to late to begin to look forward with hope and expectations of good. Our seasons of life will change and when they do we must be willing to let go of the past and embrace the new. If not, we risk forfeiting the blessings and the joy that comes with them. 

God will turn our situations around and when he does I’m gonna be ready!! I choose to empty my heart of painful memories, disappointments, and fears and be open to receive all the good he has for me. Yesterday is gone. Today is a new day, with new mercies. New grace. New blessings. New relationships. New jobs. New opportunities. New doors. New visions. New dreams. We can’t go back. There is nothing we can do about yesterday other than let it go. 

When I am tempted to lose my hope I will remember that I have been married for 18 years to a handsome, funny, brilliant, loving, and perfect guy for me. I would’ve settled for just handsome and loving but God is too good to let us settle for less than his best for us. My husband is a reminder to me that when I let go of yesterday and believe that God answers prayer and is true to his word…I get more than I ever asked for. Dare to believe God. Let go and get ready. I promise you, you won’t regret it! 

Now to Him who is able to [carry out His purpose and] do superabundantly more than all that we dare ask or think [infinitely beyond our greatest prayers, hopes, or dreams], according to His power that is at work within us.            

Ephesians 3:20 {AMP}

Plot Twist 

06 Friday May 2016

Posted by encouragingem in Encouraging, Faith, Hope, Jesus, Prayer, Self Reflection

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changes, encouragement, faith, happy endings, hope, Jesus, Victory

I love watching a good movie or reading a good story. However, I do not like it when there is a serious plot twist and it throws me for a loop. I wasn’t expecting it! Seriously!! Way to change it all up!! 

Oh how our lives can be the same way. One day we are good and the next day BAMM it all changes. No matter what the changes are, good or bad, it takes a minute {or longer} to wrap our minds around what is going on. Adjusting to the change may take a little more time as well. 

I recall our first months in Texas. Talk about plot twist! I could not for the life of me wrap my mind around living in Texas. I mean, we are here, in Texas, but in my mind everything was California. Writing my address took some time for me to put the correct state. Realizing that my friends and family were not as close as they used to be. Knowing that I would have to make new friends terrified me.  

Some plot twist can throw you so far off and if we’re not careful they can destroy us. Like the passing of my dad. Never saw that kind of pain coming; for him or for my family. Some things won’t ever make sense and searching for the why’s will lead us down the road of bitterness. A dark and lonely road filled with shadows and despair. No good dwells there. 

I want to be strong. Resilient. Brave. Ready to face what comes unafraid.  Instead, sometimes I run and hide. Cowardly. Full of fear. A damsel in distress who needs rescuing. Through these past years Jesus has reminding me over and over and over again that if I run to him he can take any plot twist and turn into a story that brings hope, restores faith, and encourages others not to give up. Oh sure, I may have to face the big bad wolf or a wicked witch {hopefully not literally} but never alone or without a victory.  

With Jesus as the center of my story ensures that my ending will be fruitful, purposeful, and more than I ever dreamed or imagined. I may endure loss but he has promised to restore. So, I’ll take the plot twist knowing that it will ALWAYS be used for my good! 

Morning Prayer 

28 Thursday Apr 2016

Posted by encouragingem in Daily Truth, Encouraging, Faith, Hope, Jesus, Prayer, Self Reflection

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faith, faithful, hope, Jesus, morning prayer


Lord, we give you this day to do as you will. We trust your heart, your ways, and your plan for our life. You promised that you would finish what you have started in us, so strengthen us to keep hanging on when we feel like we are about to fall. Give us courage to continue to believe your word and promises. Show us your mercy and grace should we blow it today. Remind us God that you are bigger than any issue. Stronger than our weakness and more faithful than the morning sun. Nothing, absolutely nothing, is impossible for you to do. We cling to the hope that you are ALL we will ever need. In Jesus name we pray…Amen!! 

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