Coffee equals Encouragement

I wasn't always a coffee drinker. It was my third pregnancy, at it's peak in the heat of summer that turned me on to iced coffee, full of sugar, full of flavorings. And it just grew from there. I began to look forward to my specialty drinks... sometimes more chocolate and cream than coffee, but little by little, I lessened the amount of sugar in an effort to be "more healthy" so much so that a friend of mine made me some coffee this summer and she went a little heavy on the sugar... I couldn't even drink it! :)

To make a long story short, I gave up coffee twice in the last year in an effort to see how caffeine affected my mood swings. I'm still not sure it's made a difference, but I am currently avoiding caffeine again.  But there is still something to be said about a cup of coffee with a friend--encouragment before we even say a word.

My friend, Holley Gerth, is starting something new this year called "Coffee for Your Heart."  It is all about encouraging your readers, so when I am actually blogging, come back here on Wednesdays for a little bit of love and encouragement.

Today, it's the reminder that when you are feeling down in the dumps, the best thing you can do is encourage someone else. Instead of sitting around thinking "oh, woe is me," Look around, see who needs a bit of encouragement themselves.  Make a phone call, Bake something for someone... make some eggnog for your family, or Send a handwritten note, maybe even written on a handmade notecard. But most of all, start with prayer.

Ask God to help you see  the needs of others, look outside yourself and your wants/needs, and be aware of what you can do for someone else.

And when all else fails and you can't shake your doldrums... go get some sleep!!

Happy New Year! Let's make it a year of love and encouragement!

Are you an encourager? If you have a blog, join us on Wednesdays at Holley Gerth's blog for a linkup to spread the love? Not a blogger? --find someone to encourage today and make it a priority to share the love this year!