Jim Martin's Encouragement Note

(Unsplash - Ante Hamersmit) Welcome to this Encouragement Note. If something is helpful to you, I would love to hear from you (jmartin9669@gmail.com). The List of Five When Fear Gets in the Way (a few suggestions for dealing with our fears) At times, most people I know (including myself) wrestle with fear. Yet, repeatedly the Bible says, “Do not be afraid.”   So  do   not   fear , for I am with yo...

Welcome! In this issue . . . What is the conversation you are avoiding? . . . What is one very important question you are asking yourself right now? . . . Three simple phrases that can make a big difference . . . The List of Five (Unsplash - Priscilla Du Preez) What is the Conversation You Are Avoiding? He had a real scare in the hospital emergency room. Fortunately doctors managed to stabilize hi...

I hope this “Encouragement Note” is a positive addition to your week. I would love to hear from you regarding what is encouraging and helpful (jmartin9669@gmail.com). The List of Five What Am I Like to Be With? Suppose you were to stand on a balcony overlooking a small living room. In the room are six people in conversation. One chair in the room is off to the side and empty. From a distance, you...

Do you ever feel as if you just don’t have enough? You may not have enough time, money, or help. Scarcity seems to rule. When things seem to be scarce, you and I may resort to worry. The List of Five When You Worry It happened about 3:00 AM, in the middle of the night. I was worried about a situation involving one of our children. As you may have experienced in your own life, one worry often leads...

I’m glad you are reading this “Encouragement Note.” Hopefully, at the beginning of a new week, this will provide at least some encouragement. Often, what is needed is simply the encouragement to take the next right step. (Unsplash - Rosie Kerr) The List of Five I’m So Glad I Read This Again I love the following few lines as Mary Oliver gives some simple instructions for living. These lines are fro...

In the last few weeks, I have spent time with two different young men. Each one is a husband, a father, and a Christ-follower. As I listened to each young man talk about his life, and desire to serve, I was encouraged. I know there are men and women whose lives are littered with poor decisions. However, there are also many young men and women who are following Jesus and living to honor him. Hopefu...

On a recent Sunday morning, while in church, I placed my Bible in the chair beside me and opened a very small notebook. I often write down words or phrases that I want to remember. One of the ministers went before the church and led prayer on behalf of a very sick person. After the prayer, he quietly said, “The Lord will provide.” That morning, I needed to hear these words and I wrote them in my n...

Hopefully, something below will encourage, bless, or in some way add value to your day. (The picture below is from our recent trip to Fairhope, Alabama. Page and Palette Bookstore .) The List of Five It’s Your Move We had been seated in an outdoor area.  The restaurant was very busy.  We ordered our food and were waiting on our pizza.  The people at the next table were inches away.  They apparentl...

I’m delighted that you are reading this Encouragement Note. When I write, I often ask myself this question, “Will someone find this helpful or encouraging?” As you read the following, I hope you are blessed. The List of Five (Unsplash - Joshua Sortino) Remember This When You Are Discouraged Who is like you, Lord God Almighty? You, Lord, are mighty , and your faithfulness surrounds you. (Psalm 89:8...

I was pretty low that week. It felt like one problem after the other was stacking up. I was overwhelmed. One evening, I called my friend “Bob.” We talked for a moment and then he said, “Let’s meet at Barnes and Noble (bookstore) in a few minutes.” We found a place to talk in the coffee shop area. He listened patiently as I poured out my frustrations. That evening, he encouraged me. Regardless of h...

We were at church one Sunday. I overheard one of the church leaders say, “We asked John to lead prayer. He leads such a good prayer.” I remember thinking, “What makes a good prayer ?” Maybe he was saying that John was good with words. I’m not sure. I do know that some of the most profound prayers one might ever pray may sound rather simple. This prayer may come from the lips of a child, a man or w...

As 2022 begins, what do you anticipate? Perhaps you anticipate a better year than the previous year or two. Yet maybe the present challenges make us hesitate to anticipate anything better. Regardless, it is an opportunity to begin again. It is a great moment to revisit our purpose and passion for living. It is a time to be intentional about daily habits and practices. I hope 2022 is a significant...

We drove slowly across the dark parking lot behind the closed Texaco station. Suddenly, three or four Dallas Police cars sped toward us with bright headlights, overhead lights on, and the glare of their spotlights focused on our car. The three of us in the car, all about 20 years old, had just gotten out of Wednesday night Bible class. We were cutting through the parking lot on our way to a fast-f...

Many of us need and want a nugget of encouragement as we attempt to navigate life today. It can take a lot of energy and perseverance just to do the next right thing. Maybe there is something for you in this brief encouragement note that will be helpful. (For those of you who are new, this encouragement note is published every other Monday morning. The sole intent is to encourage.) (Unsplash - Art...

Your time is valuable. Within seconds you decide whether you will read this e-mail or not. Yet, if you are like many of us, you need all the encouragement you can get. The List of Five (Unsplash - Timothy Eberly) When is The Last Time You Felt Thirteen? Writer Jon Acuff recently produced a podcast with the above title. He spoke about occasions when we may have felt silly or out of place. These are...

I was driving too fast! It was raining hard, the road was slick, and the car began to hydroplane in the middle lane of Stemmon’s Expressway in Dallas. The car spun completely around, out of control. I was in college and on my way home from work. That night, I happened to be driving my dad’s car, as mine was in the shop. No damage done, but it sure scared me. Sometimes things seem to be out of cont...

Yes, life can be hard, but there is hope. We can be encouraged today by the strength and might of our God, who is with us (Ps. 37:39-40). Hopefully, you will find something in the following “List of Five” that is helpful. The List of Five Make Progress Sometimes, what we believe about ourselves can really set us back. These include such beliefs as: * I am not very smart. (Why should I raise my han...

Just today. I don’t know about you but I have to periodically be reminded that I only have today. The past is gone. The future is not yet here. What I have today is the present. The following is written for anyone who is just trying to deal with — today. The List of Five (Noah Silliman - Unsplash) This Will Help You Be Ready For The Day Sometimes, you can be alone with God and come away feeling re...

“So what am I supposed to do?” I have asked this question to myself, many times. Sometimes the concern has been related to being a husband, a father, a minister, or just a person trying to do the right thing. The following “Encouragement Note” is written for anyone who is simply trying to navigate life, both in times of joy and in times that are very hard. (Joshua Earle - Unsplash) The List of Fiv...

If you are in a challenging season of life, I hope you find something in the following “Encouragement Note” helpful. Perhaps you are a person shouldering a lot of responsibility and you are tired - bone tired. You may be a minister trying to navigate things at church and feeling weary. Perhaps being a parent is particularly hard right now. Hopefully, you will find something encouraging in the foll...

Each “Encouragement Note” reflects what I have been thinking over the last few weeks. More than anything, I hope this list of five encourages or enriches you in some way. Please share this with a friend if you find this helpful. (Leonel Heisenberg - Unsplash - Charleston, S.C) The List of Five How Do I Receive Another’s Question? I have listened to at least five different podcast interviews in the...

Are you starting something new? Perhaps you have a new job. You are excited but a bit nervous as well. Perhaps this is a new beginning for you. Maybe you are a new parent. Or, maybe you are now an “empty nester.” It could be that you have just retired. Endings and beginnings can both be challenges. Regardless of where you and I might be in life, the challenge is learning to navigate our lives in f...

What would you do if you weren’t afraid? Years ago, I was in a college class. I don’t remember the subject matter that was being discussed in class that day. For some reason, however, I do remember that the professor asked a question to the class and I knew the answer. Yet, I did not raise my hand. Someone else answered. I allowed fear to cause me to hesitate. Unfortunately, I often did this. I le...

I didn’t like what I heard . Unfortunately, it was me who was talking. I was complaining (again) about something . Yet, even while I was complaining, I knew this kind of talk was a dead-end street. I don’t want my complaining to blind me from an opportunity that might be right in front of me. The List of Five What is Our Opportunity? We were on our way back to the Pepperdine University campus. I h...

If there is an image that describes many of our lives, it might that of a very tired man or woman on a treadmill.  What began as a challenging speed has now become completely overwhelming. For many of us, the treadmill of our daily schedules seems to go faster and faster. Life becomes a blur punctuated by birth and death with a flurry of exhausting activity in between. If you are like many, you ar...