The Mangy Dog ~

1 Thessalonians 5:28 Therefore, encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. ESV

For a while now, I have had the desire to help other women who are struggling with hurt and anger in their lives.  This past week, I have had to search my heart and ask myself why I want to be an encourager.  Is it something God wants me to do or is it something that will make me popular?  Besides, who am I to be worthy of speaking about God’s mercy and grace?  I am just beginning to truly study the Bible and learn myself.

I may not be a Biblical scholar, but I do know about brokenness.  I do know how it feels to be abandoned. I know what it feels like to sit in a judge’s chamber and see your marriage fall apart.  I remember the devastation of watching my children leave to go live with their dad. I know what it is like to have a troubled child.  I know what it is like to get so far away from God that you think there is NO way He will ever let you come back to him.  I also know what it is like when you have that defining moment of surrender, when everything turns around.

When you have a feeling deep in your heart that just won’t leave you alone, I think that is when God is asking you to work for Him.  He plants a little seed and slowly, if you let it, a great desire to do what He wants you to do will grow and grow until you just have to do something about it.

But at the same time, Satan will plant his little seed, too.  The enemy does not like for us to return to God.  He will make you feel unworthy.  He will bring up your past.  He will use everything in his arsenal to make you feel insecure.  Satan does not want us to encourage each other, especially when we are broken, because that’s when we are the most vulnerable.

I get great joy from helping others.  I love to walk along beside women who are where I have been.  I hope to encourage them to see that they can survive whatever stage that they are facing in their lives.  I hope to show them that they have two choices….they can become MEAN or they can become MIGHTY.  I’ve already done the mean; I want to try the mighty.

When I was little, I heard a someone say,  “Even an ol’ mangy dog likes to be petted.”  I envisioned many times what he meant by that.  I think now I know.  We all like to feel good.  We like praise.  We like to be the hero. I pray that God will use me however He wants, even when I am mangy,  but that He will give me the grace to know that nothing good that I do on this earth is for me, but is for Him.