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A few weeks ago my sister shared a book with me that I have wanted to read. The book is about personalities. My wife and I and several friends have the personality that this book describes and I am finding what I am learning to be very interesting. I am beginning to see why we think and act in certain ways.

The personality book was getting heavy and deep and I decided that I needed a break. I looked through my Kindle and found a fictional story that I thought might brighten the mood. It looked fun, interesting and a lighter change of pace.

The fictional story challenges the reader to consider the urgency that we should all have to share our faith with those in our circle of influence. The book doesn’t gently suggest this need, it hammers it home. I almost felt like I needed a break from this book. I’m almost finished and I have received its message.

Last Sunday my pastor said he had a book that he encouraged us to read. The book offered hope during stressful times. We are definitely living through troubled times. Between a pandemic, the election and the social unrest, we all need a deposit of hope. I immediately began reading my new book.

The author of the book on hope is a pastor from California. I have heard him on CDs and have watched him on YouTube. Actually, I have read a few of his other books, too. What I really love about this book is that it challenges my thinking about all that is going on in the world. My faith and hope must be firmly planted in Jesus so that the events of the world will not affect my foundation.

Faith, hope and love are critical to growing and maintaining our faith. Another cornerstone that I believe is vital is encouraging each other in our Christian walk. I think it is so critical that I devote my writing to accomplish that purpose. I have a gift and a calling to encourage people. I often feel inadequate, but somehow the Holy Spirit uses me.

That is part of the reason I started my website, EncouragingU.com. I knew that there were other writers like me out there who wanted a place where they could share their message of hope. I feel like after you have consumed the news for the day, your spirit needs to be refreshed and encouraged. That’s what I hope we are doing.

During the summer, I had the idea to get this group of writers together to create a book for Christmas. The idea was to bring our positive and encouraging voices together to focus our thoughts on the birth of our Lord. We have been working hard to tie up all the loose ends and get the book ready for the holidays.

The book’s title, “An EncourgingU Christmas,” sets the tone. You’ll find a fictional retelling of the birth of Christ. There is a story about three lost souls who find healing through the holiday spirit. There are some devotionals and a number of columns that will help you prepare your heart for Christmas. It will be available soon at Amazon.

I believe in the power of our words. Parents, teachers and coaches who speak negative things over the children in their charge can crush a budding spirit. In the same way, positive and encouraging words, which can include correction, can help mold and build possibilities and futures that are hard to imagine.

The media is full of negative and fearful information that can overwhelm our minds. That’s why I believe so much in what I am doing through EncouragingU.com. I want to help build people up and to help them see the good possibilities. After all, we serve the God of the impossible. We need to refocus our minds on Him. We need to remind ourselves that He can do great things in and through us.

I want to encourage you to stir up your faith, hope and love. It is important to be informed, to know what is going on in the world around you. It is equally important to refresh your spirit by filling your mind with God’s word and other positive and encouraging things. It’s important to remind yourself of God’s great love and His goodness. There is nothing too big for Him. He is not surprised by anything that happens in your life. God is watching over you. He wants you to trust Him, lean on Him and to know His favor is resting on you.

Contact Doug Creamer at PO Box 777, Faith, NC 28041 or doug@dougcreamer.com.