Encounter.

From the new post on my other blog:


I’ve realized something very simple in the last week:

Many people don’t do things because they think they can’t, not because they don’t want to. Sometimes, the only encouraging words someone needs are, “Youcan.” I would like to take that further, of course, and say that more often than not those words need to be followed by, “…only in Christ.”

Have you ever felt completely stuck? Like you’re trying your best to change, to make a difference, to do better, to love more, to work harder…but you just can’t?

Well, I’m going to guess that you’re trying to do it without God.

So take a minute. Sit in silence. Turn off the music, the TV, close this window in your browser and just BE. You want to change? Then let the Lord do it. You want to hear His voice? Then harden not your hearts and allow Him to speak and break through the noise and clutter and distractions of this life, of your heart. Allow Christ to draw you deeper into his most Sacred Heart and show you how to love and be loved! He may be our God, but he is our God who took on flesh, became human, for us. For you. If you were the only person on earth, he would come and die for you again. And again. He loves us that much, individually. He desires a relationship with us, and that relationship is an encounter with not just a god but with a person.

That encounter with the person of Jesus Christ, our God and Savior, necessarily changes and transforms us in the depths of our being. That’s where true freedom lies.

So all those things you want do? All those things you want to change? Do them. Change them. And encourage others!

In Christ.

Heavenly Father, transform our wills and desires to Yours.

How Do You Poke The Box? (Pt. I)

So I'm reading a new book out by author and blogger Seth Godin called "Poke the Box." He speaks about initiating projects rather than just thinking of ideas and reacting - poking the box.

It's a concise, inspiring book that is quick to read. It motivates and encourages that inner part of you that wants to do something worth doing, that wants to change something worth changing...

It's a book that nudges your heart a little, your heart that's wanting to come alive in a new and real way.

Poke the box.

Come ALIVE!

With a renewed sense of purpose, I have completely redesigned my blog!

Through some reflection that resulted from solitude and sickness, I have realized that being encouraging and being encouraged do not just help us become more positive, they literally help us come ALIVE.

Hence, the rebirth of this blog.

So step out of yourself -- out of misery, despair, distraction, sorrow, apathy, narcissism, mediocrity -- and discover your true self. Experience the freedom in truly coming alive.


Follow me on Twitter (@EPSmits), follow my blog, email my posts, friend me on Facebook -- whatever you want to help you constantly remember the freedom in being alive.

God Of All Encouragement

From January 1 to July 1, as my 2010 New Year's Resolution, I kept another blog called "Betraying Bitter Betty." I was testing a hypothesis of mine that if we began doing something as simple as encouraging each other, the world would be a little more likable. My goal was to "betray the Bitter Betty inside all of us" and truthfully encourage at least one person per day for 6 months.

This turned out to be a hard but exciting challenge that literally changed the way I live. I do not feel as though this challenge has "finished" or "resolved," but rather it has led me to a greater realization of just how important and significant that challenge is.

Now, according to the NAB version, 2 Corinthians 1:3-7 says:

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and God of all encouragement, who encourages us in our every affliction, so that we may be able to encourage those who are in any affliction with the encouragement with which we ourselves are encouraged by God. For as Christ's sufferings overflow to us, so through Christ does our encouragement flow. If we are afflicted, it is for your encouragement and salvation; if we are encouraged, it is for your encouragement, which enables you to endure the same sufferings that we suffer. Our hope for you is firm, for we know that as you share in the sufferings, you also share in the encouragement.

For Lent, our household gave up sarcasm and complaining, resulting in probably one of the hardest yet fruitful Lents in my lifetime. Fortunately for me, this coincided within my New Year's Resolution time frame, thus giving me extra encouragement (and accountability) to encourage...and not be negative.

Coming home for the summer has been really difficult. If there's one big difference that has come from my resolution, it's that I feel almost hypersensitive to negativity. I find myself being dragged against my will back into old behaviors and habits of slicing sarcasm and frustrated arguments with the family. Of course, though it's against my will, I do have the choice not to give in...I just feel the negative environment seems to weaken my will.

To be honest, I don't really know what to do. Trying to stay positive is an obvious effort, but what about practical ways to do that? Still working on it...

If I come up with something, I'll let you know.

Meanwhile, I encourage you to be encouraging. It really does more than we might think on the surface...After all, if God is the God of all encouragement, it necessarily follows that we would strive to imitate that and be God's people of encouragement -- not of judgment, hatred, condescension, or despair.

Encourage.

During a sermon at Mass on Wednesday, Fr. Mike talked about St. Paul and how one of his favorite ministries that we are all called to is the ministry of encouragement.

Think about it. Think about how people's attitudes would change day-to-day if we just encouraged each other to keep going, keep fighting, keep persevering.

He then proceeded to tell a story from 71 yrs. ago when he was 6. He hit a bully in the head with a frying pan because he was picking on the girls, and the other kids encouraged him. After Mass, he told us that we should not miss the moral of the story and that we should find ways other than frying pans to encourage each other...but the point remains the same.

We can over-compliment, but we can never never over-encourage.

Do not let one another fall into discouragement and hopelessness, both of which are not of the Lord.

Encourage one another always, and keep fighting the good fight of faith.