Encouragement for real

What encourages me? Knowing that I can make a difference even or especially on the small scale, on the one person situation. Nevertheless the last 5 days has been a rollercoaster of trying to rest and intense emotions. A gentle time with a new Christian about the difficulties of praying. an ESL student struggling with studying and keeping up with course readings and writing essays. Working with my volunteers in English teaching. A deep conversation about Henry Blackaby's book about experiencing God with a non-Christian Phd student. Standing in the Gap with my Auntie Mary in hospital. A phone call from Taiwan from last year's student wanting to talk about struggles in life. An email from Korea, a mother's pain for her sons' struggles', 2.5 months of returning after 6 years away. An intense discipleship study in Romans asking deep and important questions about faith and Why serve God? A tearful late night phone call from a Japanese student about the lack of care for international students by educational institutions.

This is life and reality, nothing papered over, no falsity nor misrepresentation. Life's rollercoaster is truly up and down. But in it all it is possible to find hope and encouragement even in the darkest lowest moments. Years ago I visited Jerusalem and I visited the church of Dominus Flevit, which means "the cry of the Lord." It remembers when Jesus was moved to tears for Jerusalem. The main window looks from the Mount of Olives towards The Temple Mount and the church is shaped as a tear drop.

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