Encourage one another and build each other up!

Creating a Family Team

...Encourage one another and build each other up!

"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing." 

1 Thessalonians 5:11

Oh la la....encouragement goes a long....long.... way with a family team!  It doesn't cost any money, it's VERY easy to do, AND the impact is so....PHENOMENAL!  Encouragement can help us to:

• feel good
• have hope
• have energy 
• work harder
• have greater self-confidence 
• have higher self-esteem
• reach for our highest potential

Oh, there are many....many benefits to giving and receiving encouragement.  My late grandfather, Charles Adams, was a SUPER encourager!  One time, he visited us in Ghana.  I took him and my grandmother to see our children play football (soccer).  He was so impressed with our sons' skills.  

Later that day as we were sitting at home reflecting on all we did.  He asked me, "Do you encourage those boys? Do you tell them they're good?"  I was surprised he asked me because they were still young (7 and 9 years old).  I responded by saying, "Not really.  They're too young.  I support them and cheer for them."  He said, "Ahh.  They ain't too young.  You got to tell them. They're listening.  You never know what they'll do if they keep working at it.  Tell them.  They could probably go pro one day. Keep encouraging them."  

In my heart, I knew he was right, but it felt weird to actually say the encouraging words because I thought they were too small...they wouldn't understand...they wouldn't listen.  I always thought the verbal encouragement should come as they approached the teenage years, but I was wrong.  I said, "Ok."  I think from that day forward, I been one ENCOURAGING MOMMA, WIFE, FRIEND, CHILD, SISTER, COUSIN, COCAH, etc!😇. 

I later learned that encouragement is a spiritual gift (Romans 12:8)! What?  Someone can have a spiritual gift to encourage? Looks like my Gandpa Charles had it and passed to me! lol. 😇 I been encouraging since we talked! I even learned to encourage myself! It's Biblical too! (1 Samuel 30:6). 😇 Encouragement is so powerful!   

Recently, my oldest son was working on a puzzle.  I stood in awe watching him work.  He was so....FOCUSED.  With no phone, TV, anyone around to distract him, he was "In the ZONE" working the puzzle. I walked over to get a picture of the moment.  It took him a while to notice I was there.  Oh la...la...The boy was seriously FOCUSED.  

Immediately, I began to think of all the benefits he was getting from working that puzzle.  I thought it would be important for him to understand the skills he was demonstrating and developing while working on that puzzle. I thought, he needed to be encouraged to KEEP IT UP!  It was a good thing!

Sometimes, when we have natural talents, we don't always recognise other skills "the hidden skills" we possess that allow us to do what we do.  Many times those "hidden skills" are transferrable and/or developmental steps to other areas of life.  If we aren't aware of our "hidden skills, we could potentially limit the possibilities of all we can become.  This was definitely and ENCOURAGEMENT opportunity.

Quickly, I did a research on benefits of doing puzzles.  I learned that puzzles help with the following :

• Concentration skills
• Goal setting
• Patience
• Hand-eye coordination 
• Improved mental speed & thought processes
• Stress reduction
• Sense of achievement
• Problem solving
• Pattern recognition
• Perseverance

When he finished his puzzle, I showed him my research findings about the benefits of doing puzzles.  I also shared with him a statement I read about repeating the same puzzle.  It said, "To improve one's memory, it is effective to complete the same puzzle more than once."  He didn't say anything.  He just looked at me.  

I then said, "Since you did the puzzle by looking at the top, I wonder if you can do it without looking at it."  I also said, "Remember, you did the Rubik's cube behind your back and with your eyes closed. I'm sure you can do the puzzle without looking at the box top."  Again, he didn't say anything.  

A few days later, I saw him doing the puzzle again!  This time, he was doing it without looking at the top.  WHAT? WOW! I was so surprised!  He then asked me for another puzzle with more pieces.  The first one had 500 pieces.  He wanted another one with over 1,000 pieces.  WOW!  Yes! Yes!  Gotta keep the encouragement flowing!!!!  

To God be the glory!😇

When creating a family team, be sure to encourage one another and build each other up!