Over the years since I was a baby Christian, I've received so many encouragement cards that I have been keeping it in shoe boxes instead of my drawers. Once in a while, I will take them out and read. Last night, I did that I was so encouraged. Usually the ones on one coloured paper put inside a shirt wrapper one comes from Andrew. There is even one card designed by a sibling with jay chou pics LOL. Some cards are from my ex-sheeps/sheeps/shepherds/CLs/ULs/SDLs etc etc Some of these cards really managed to spur me up in my downtimes. The words that comes from the heart matters alot and the effort in designing cards such as putting jay chou pics for one, there's even one card with a rusty nail inside to remind me of Jesus' sacrifice and never let him go and people go all the way to print letters, articles, put a rusty nail as they do that, they thought of you, how important as a child of God, it is just so awesome!

The more we encourage, the more we will be stronger as a family of God. Realised how many natural families seldom practice encouragement and spurring? Rather many practice complaining, criticising, putting down and "sparring"! The people of God should be of a different spirit!

And some of the people who have written to me are no longer in the church. Some are doing well in other churches whereas some have left the family and left the parent (God). But I still thank them for their encouragements in the past. But even still, many are still in church, perhaps still in youth or adults! Even my best friend is in adults!

To me, sometimes encouragement cards is better than encouragement words. Cards they leave a sort-of footprint which you can keep. Words hold out as long as you could remember. But of course, we do both, and not doggedly cards only. Both has its value somewhere but most of all, we must be encouraging people!

1 Thessalonians 5:11
Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

Hebrews 3:13
But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called Today, so that none of you may be hardened by sin's deceitfulness.

Hebrews 10:25
Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

These are simple clear Bible verses that talks about encouragement. Encouragement has a value. It is not simply just writing cards for the sake of doing so but it has a purpose. The first verse talks about building one another up, then 2nd one talks about encouraging so people's hearts won't be hardened. When people's hearts hardened, they won't walk right with God, they won't be receptive to His word and they may fall. The 3rd verse talks about encouraging one another as often as we can and look forward to Jesus' 2nd coming, keeping the HOPE.

Recently, I started to write letters instead of cards. And I really write, thinking about the person and what I hope to encourage this person or affirm this person for. Anyone is able to fall, and to say "let God encourage him/her" is really a person that doesn't want to lift a finger and then puts his blame on God when things go bad. Everyone needs encouragement lar... God uses people to love and care for one another in the community of the church. That is the benefit of the community, no one can really encourage himself like Mr Bean - send a letter to his own address and receives it happily. I once tried that when I was a kid but didn't really get the joy that Mr Bean gets.

Anyone whom we loved and is in our circle of influence connection we should encourage them. Our founder writes an average of about 250 letters per month! Even the church may be big, once he know a new convert, he will also write a letter to them. That is the spirit of a shepherd whom we can learn. People do it even though they are very busy because they love you more than their sleep, more than to slack, more than just to do their own things. And that is the spirit of love we communicate and should create in our Hope family! Alright, let's be an encouraging family of God! Effort and heart...