The Pecoraro's

The Pecoraro's
Showing posts with label encouragement. Show all posts
Showing posts with label encouragement. Show all posts

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Hello Everyone (not just moms)

Hello again to those who are following along as we try our best to figure out ways to encourage each other. I hope that each of you realize that you are needed in the never ending business of building each other up.

Anyone can tear another person down. It doesn't take much... a look, a thoughtless remark, a Facebook post. I have been discouraged by each of those things, so I'm pretty sure others have also. I know there are some people who just make me feel worse about myself (and I'm convinced they are doing it on purpose), but I'm trying my hardest to not let them get inside my head because they absolutely do not belong there. Oh, I know that I'm totally a sinner and deserve to feel bad about myself, but if the God of the universe values me enough to have sent His Son to rescue me from my sinful self then I have no business allowing some thoughtless person to make me feel worthless.

Who wants to be known as a discourager?  Not me!
Who wants to be the one everyone avoids because they never have anything positive to say? Not me!

Who wants to make it to the end of their life and leave a legacy of encouragement to all who have known them? ME! ME! ME!

I really hope you will join me in lifting others up. Our friends and acquaintances need our words of encouragement. They need to be noticed...

Maybe we could all, in the next 24 hours, find someone to build up through our words or actions. Maybe we could find a lot of "someones". Just like anyone can be a discourager, anyone can be an encourager. It might take a little "courage," but let's give it a try.... It can't hurt and I'm pretty sure it will spread a little joy to those who receive your words of affirmation.

Monday, February 6, 2012

A New Chapter...Moms Encouraging Moms

I'm very excited to begin a new chapter of my life,. Really, it's more of a new view of my life....That might be kind of strange to say since it's not like anything has drastically changed for me, but over the last year or so  I've begun to finally realize that I have entered a new stage of my life. I've come to this conclusion completely kicking and screaming, but at least I've finally admitted that I am,  even though I couldn't admit it for some time, one of the "older" women that the Bible talks about in Titus 2:3-5.
God gave me the white hair a long time ago, I guess it is finally time to stop trying to fight it.

I think that for many years, because of still having young children myself, I just didn't feel like I was ready to take on the role of being an older woman because I knew some of what that entailed. I knew that once I accepted that I belonged to the older woman demographic, I would need to begin to mentor younger women. I had many precious older women pour into my life when I was younger and I must say that I don't measure up. I have never felt like I have all that much to offer and I certainly don't feel like I have a great deal of wisdom to impart, but I do finally have the willingness to let God use me in this area.

 I have had a few people over the years come to me for advice and I have mostly shied away from giving any because I never want other people to think that I think I have all of the answers. I absolutely KNOW that I don't have all the answers! I have simply come to the conclusion that I have to obey Him and follow His leading in my life.  While I'm sure that obedience to Him is the right thing to do, I can also say with confidence that if God chooses to use me through this new chapter in my life to encourage other women it will be only because of Him.

 The reason that I'm writing about my newfound vision for my life on this blog is because I would like to use this as a place for women to come and talk about the role of being a wife and a mother. I even changed the name of the blog to reflect its new purpose...I don't think it will hurt anything to have one more place for women to find a little encouragement, so I'm offering this blog as a place for people to share joys and burdens and ask questions or seek advice. I'm not saying that I will have answers to every question or even very good advice, but I can definitely give encouragement here and there. I'll still share stories from my own life as a mom because that's just who I am. I hope you'll feel free to share some of your stories, too.

Maybe you fall into the category that I find myself in. Maybe you think that its time you invested time into some other women. May I encourage you to do it.  Don't wait until someone asks you to mentor them. Don't even expect that to happen. Just start by being available to encourage. You can do some of your encouraging on here in written form if you like. I would welcome sweet words from others who want to bless and encourage and add to the comments.

My final and most important thoughts of the day....

When I was a young wife and expecting my first child, I bought a book about advice for young mothers. I'm not really sure if I remember very much of the advice from the book, but I do remember the very first piece of valuable advice that it offered. It went something like this...The greatest thing about advice is that you can take it or leave it. Be kind as you listen to someone's advice whether you asked for it or not and then do exactly what you think God is telling you to do regardless of the advice you were given. It was the best "advice" I ever got!

Stay tuned for tomorrow's blog topic...Raising boys to become Godly men.