A Worshipful Heart

Why Does Church Hurt?

If you've attended church for any length of time you know what I'm talking about. Church can hurt, and hurt deeply. I'm not totally sure why church hurts have a particular intensity, but they do. And sadly, they seem unavoidable. We gather hundreds of people together from differing backgrounds, with their own opinions and perspectives, needs, desires, and dare I say - in some cases - agendas. We mix them all together based on one thing - our belief in Jesus Christ as our personal Savior. And we hope and pray that this crazy experiment called the church will work. That we will indeed show the world that we are HIS disciples by our love for one another.

So why do the inevitable disagreements and disappointments hurt so much? Why would we dare believe that you could gather a group of strangers together and everyone get along? 

I think it's because we think church should be different. After all, it IS a community of Believers, not just random people. These are not - supposedly - crazy family members we're stuck with based on genetics alone, but people who are filled with the Spirit of God, living out the fruit of that very Spirit. Isn't church a place where the idea of family is fully redeemed? Where the gathered family is HOLY and sacred, and becoming like Christ? Where our goal is one and the same - to grow in Christ and share the Good News of his love with the world? Arms linked, facing a common enemy - Satan and the forces of hell.

A really wise, older pastor once told me that church hurts are deeper because we never expect to encounter our enemy and hell within the walls of the church. We never expect those of forces of sin to invade the holy sacredness of a community of Believers. Yet they do, each and every day. And it is horribly disappointing.

We have such high hopes. We may enter into relationships wholeheartedly, putting aside our fears. We may share the deepest part of ourselves - our dreams, our fears, our struggles, our hopes. We make ourselves vulnerable to a group of people that we believe is always for us, always with us......because we're the Body of Christ, right?

And then we encounter the enemy - sin. It is still among us, and perhaps even more disappointing and discouraging, still within us. And our sin hurts one another. 

This is why church hurts so much. 

Why do you think church hurts are so much harder to deal with? Why have they been for you? No church or pastor bashing please!

What I'm Thinking as I Visit Your Church

This is part one in a series of weekly posts I'll be doing as Phil and I look for a church. I hope all of you involved in church leadership will take the time to read because I think you can benefit from our insights as we take this awkward journey of figuring out what church God would have us now call home. Having spent the last fifteen years in vocational ministry, we haven't looked for a new church in a LONG time. Undoubtably, my perspective as a church seeker is quite different from the perspective I held as a "church professional", but I continue to view everything through the eyes of a leader. So I hope you'll learn from our insights and experiences as previous church leaders now longing for a home.....

We've only been visiting churches for a couple of weeks now but I already hate it. It's uncomfortable. It's stressful. And perhaps most of all, it's lonely. If you've been in vocational ministry for some time, or if you've called the same church home for many years, you may have forgotten - or never known - what it's like to walk in the doors of a church a total stranger. Many times we, as church leaders, are so in love with our church and have invested so totally in our congregations that we simply cannot understand the perspective of a first time guest.

Each Saturday night I go to bed with a lump in my throat and a knot in my stomach. Even though I've enjoyed the services we've attended I find it hard to actually concentrate. My guess is many first time guests feel this way. I don't know what's going on and I spend a lot of my time observing. Even though I've led worship for over 20 years I still don't always know all the songs and I wonder if it's okay to express myself in worship. So I'm looking around, watching, waiting. It's harder to worship and almost impossible to relax. I feel like I am an observer instead of a true participant.

I'm wondering if I could possibly fit in here, I'm missing all my friends, and I feel invisible. No matter how many people greet me, I still feel like the invisible woman. Although I am acknowledged, I am not known. And isn't that the most significant part of any church experience? To do this spiritual life in community with others? Without any relationships -or a place of service - I feel useless, and my attendance feels a bit pointless. It's the oddest feeling to realize that my attendance to church matters to no one else but Phil and God. No one else cares if I'm there because they do not know me or need me. This is a strange - and sad - realization. 

If I've learned anything at all about church in the past few weeks it is this: sermons are great, worship is uplifting, but the real point of church is spiritual community - to learn, and to worship, yes, but to do so together with those we love. 

The truth that the greatest needs of any human are "to know and be known, to love and be loved, to celebrate and be celebrated" has never been clearer to me than at this time in my life when I feel the lack of a church home so deeply. I go to church on Sundays and I am NOT known, I am NOT truly loved and of course I am NOT celebrated. Nor can I really do these things for anyone else. I'm attending but I stand apart from the crowd, feeling very much like the outsider I am. I feel like I've dropped off the ends of the earth into an alternate universe. It's uncomfortable, awkward, and - many moments - very sad. And while there are sweet moments of worship, some laughter, and even truths learned, there is just something missing. It doesn't feel like home.

So pastors, fellow worship leaders, and anyone else who leads on Sunday mornings, be patient with us who are visiting your church fellowships each weekend. Forgive us if we don't sing or clap, or even if we don't look particularly joyful. We probably feel lost! We're still trying to figure it all out and we may be going through a major life transition - we may have just moved, or have experienced a deep grief, or be seeking God for the first time. We're nervous so please show us some grace! And don't be offended, it's not personal or a judgment on you or your church, it's just us. 

We're longing for home.....

Taking It to the Streets...

God touched my heart so deeply this week through this sweet group of men. We are an odd combination - I am a white woman, they are black men. We come from such different worlds - Haiti is, after all, a 5th world country while I live in comfort in an American city. They speak Creole as their first language while I speak English. I've enjoyed many years of education while some of them struggle to write their names and laboriously worked at taking notes.While I have never truly wanted for anything, they face great physical need daily. And while I was driven to DaJabon to our meeting in a nice van, many of them walked for hours, rode in the back of a pick up truck, or came on the back of a motorcycle and crossed the border from their country. And they are senior pastors, where as I've never held that particular role. You might look at us and think we could not be more different. What could we share together that would strengthen and encourage one another? What could we talk about? What in the world could I teach them that they could use in their setting, which is so different from mine?

I don't know what they will take home with them knowledge-wise, but I hope and pray that they will go home encouraged and filled with hope. I hope they will go home knowing someone cares. I hope they have a few tools to try in their church that will help their congregations grow and flourish.

One of the best moments in the workshop with them was when I asked them to tell me what instruments they had in their church. Jonas shared, "A homemade guira. I used a nail and punched the holes in it myself." A couple had a keyboard. One had a flute and a guira.One had a drum. Others had nothing at all. And so I asked them if they had people with good voices and they resoundingly chorused "YES!".

So I said "You have at least two instruments - your voices and your hands. With just this, you can start and grow a worship ministry team." I shared with them how I started with nothing but me at the first church I led in, and how we did not have but one instrument at The Brook when we began. I shared with them that they had more than I had because I was leading white people and "we don't really know how to clap" - and they thought that was very, very funny! I told them - "with a little organization, and taking time to prepare and rehearse, you can have a wonderful worship ministry with what you already have."

You should have seen their eyes light up. This excited them. It gave them hope. As we talked about how to choose songs and put a set together their eyes lit up. They were thrilled to have some new things to try.

In the end I assured them that worship ministry is really all about the heart.....

We ended our time together with a walk to the park in DaJabon for a time of singing. They worked very hard on making a list of songs to do for me. They thought of creative ways to do old songs. While I had envisioned something simple, they took this singing in the park thing quite seriously!

And so they sang.....and I was so touched. Their joy was obvious and infectious.

I don't know what they learned from me but I learned alot from them. And they have made a request of me, and of you, their brothers and sisters in Christ in America. As they held my hand and wished me God's blessings they asked: "Don't forget the church in Haiti. So I ask you to pray for your brothers and sisters in Christ in the country of Haiti.

And now, let me introduce you to my friends from Haiti...Lucceema, Jackson, Hitler, Anul, Icene, Jonas, Lucner, Romano and the rest. Although you won't be able to see them - we were in the dark - you'll be able to hear them. Occasionally you'll see them when a camera flashed! Enjoy meeting my new friends.

Haitian Pastors Singing in the Park from Jan Owen on Vimeo.

Hallelujah! from Jan Owen on Vimeo.

Good Bye from Haitian Friends from Jan Owen on Vimeo.

Facing Change

As I've prayed through the decision of resigning my position at The Brook, I realized that much of what I feared revolved around change. Perhaps for many of you, the emotions you've felt this week reminded you of other times of great change in your life. I found an old post I wrote two years ago when the former pastor of The Brook resigned and the words I wrote so perfectly expressed some of the same anxiety I feel today......perhaps you can relate. So here it is, reposted for us all:

This week has been a week of major change for me. If you're from The Brook you feel the same way. We face an unexpected change that feels a bit frightening and many things are unknown. Our hearts grieve and are hurt and saddened. I understand how you feel because I have felt those same feelings - the anxiety that comes when we know something is about to change! I've been through a few major changes in my life - getting married, having children, moving away from a small community, changing churches, and entering career ministry. Plus there were those incremental changes all along the way - children starting school, children leaving home, moving, job changes, relationships that end, etc. All of these changes denoted the passage of time in my life and illuminated certain seasons of my existence here on earth. As joyous as some of these occasions of change were, they were ALL stressful.

I've decided that I really do not like change. I think it's because I get comfortable where I am, I have learned to handle life in this situation and I am terrified that I may not be able to if anything changes. In every phase of life over time I developed a feeling of security where I was and it felt safe and comfortable and cozy right there. If I stay where I am I know what to expect. I know how my own abilities work in this present situation. I am no longer fearful. I certainly had no thought of moving or changing! Yet God often has other plans for us. I've decided that the discomfort of change is one of His most powerful forces in maturing us spiritually. Without change we would stagnate, stuck in the rut of safe and predictable repetition. We would never stretch and grow. When change occurs we are forced to examine our lives, to let go of certain expectations, to give up our "security blankets" and to try something new. We are forced out of our comfort zone. And that, my friend, can be downright painful and awkward.

I can remember when I had two children, a boy and a girl, and I was expecting my third child. I had nightmares about not being able to care for a third child. I knew even then that we would soon be outnumbered! I would dream of losing track of a child or not having enough clothes or whatever - all signs of extreme anxiety as I sought to figure out how to cope with this upcoming change in our family. I struggled similarly when my youngest started school - I felt "fired" and unneeded and to be honest, I was supremely bored at home all alone. Little did I know that God was launching an era of new things in my life's story. When Maria graduated from high school I again went through these feelings of transition that are so uncomfortable. Change upsets our own ordered little worlds and forces us to leap into the arms of God. Change forces us to give up control as we enter the unknown. It also forces us to acknowledge that we are mortal and that life is not certain and that our hope should not be in some thing or some one but in Christ alone.

I've faced some major transitory times in my life and in each case I felt like God slowly and somewhat painfully unfurled my fingers from the security I was so intent on hanging onto. Usually times of great change - at least in my life - have been preceeded by times of great unease. God was work in my heart preparing me for the change. Yet I didn't want to let go, I grieved the loss and I firmly resisted moving as God would want me to. In every change there was a time of grief, a time of acknowledging and then accepting what I would "lose" as I walked into new territory. In many cases my mind would be filled with irrational fears of the future - the list of "what ifs?" would almost feel overwhelming. Yet I have seen God's hand as I moved and as I trusted Him. Yes, my life was changed, but I was led into a brand new adventure of God. 

Even an adventure can be filled with dread or fear of the unknown. I felt this way about leading worship. I was grateful for the opportunity but was frankly terrified! What if I failed? What if people were laughing? What if no one worshiped with me? What if no one likes me? What if I can't keep my team happy? What if I lose my voice? What if I just simply was not good enough? The list could go on and on. Even in the midst of adventure, change engages our emotions on complex levels, calling us to participate with God in spite of our fears.

If you are a friend from church, I invite you to embrace the change we are encountering. Grieve the loss, bring it and your fears into the presence of God. Thank God for the good times.Then ask God what He has for you in this adventure. Let this change drive you to your knees in prayer, drive you to your church family in love and encouragement and drive you to God's word  as you hunger for Him. God has something powerful for us all as we put our hand trustingly in His and walk through the door of change.

The Most Frequently Asked Questions...

In the wake of the announcement that I have resigned as Worship Pastor at The Brook, I've had some recurring questions come up time and time again. By far the most asked question is this: "Oh, we know you've resigned. But you'll be staying at The Brook won't you?". I want to try and address all of these questions in this post...

The answer is that while we plan - and pray - for our relationship with The Brook to continue our entire lives, Phil and I will not be regular attenders at The Brook after November 8th, which is my last Sunday to lead worship. We plan to return and visit, but we will not be there each Sunday as we have been in the past. I know that this is not the answer many of you may want to hear. To be honest, it's not all that we desire either! I had planned on being at The Brook until I was old and gray, rocking out on the front row each week during worship! But it seems that God has other plans for me. I hope you'll hear my heart as I try to explain. 

Phil and I both feel it would not be fair to the new worship pastor for me to stay at The Brook. It might be difficult for them to connect with the church family with me sitting there each week. They might feel undue pressure, or awkwardness. We don't want that. We want my successor to succeed and we want worship ministry at The Brook to flourish! We feel that staying might just get in the way of that - or at the very least, not be the best choice. Additionally, we feel it will clear the way for the worship team to build a relationship with the new worship leader. Even though my relationships with these dear friends will not end, it will change somewhat because our roles will change. I don't want to make worship ministry harder for them in the future. I want them to answer God's calling on their life freely and without reservation. Lastly, it would be hard for me as well. As sure as Phil and I are that this is indeed what God is calling us to do, it has been an extremely difficult decision. The decision making process has been filled with moments of great grief and that grief will take some time to heal and work through. I will miss The Brook so much, I'll miss leading worship, I'll miss my team. We feel it might be hard to work through those feelings - and to fully embrace what God is calling us towards - while still regularly attending The Brook. 

So the next question we've been asked again and again is "Well, where will you go to church?" and the answer is "We have no idea at all. None." To be honest, that is a question I cannot think about right now. I know God will lead us and provide for us. But for right now we are simply focusing on the most immediate steps ahead of us. We know we'll take some time to rest, to visit friends in ministry, to go to church with our children, and to travel a bit. We trust that God will show us where he'd have us settle down when that time is right. This is something we ask that you pray for us about.

Another frequently asked question is "What do you need? What can we do for you right now?". That one is easy. Right now I need your friendship. I need to know I am loved and cared for and that you are praying for me and supporting my family. I need hugs! I do welcome communication at this time. This has been the hardest decision I've ever made. In many ways that has made this a deeply lonely time, which has been a bit sad. I have enjoyed touching base with those who have taken a moment to email me, or call me, and I even welcome your wonderings and questions. I had a friend call today and we had a good conversation as she asked "How did you know for sure this is what God wanted you to do?". I'd enjoy sharing that with you as well. 

And I hope you'll join us Saturday night, November 7th at 6:00 pm at The Brook as we have a celebration. Your presence will mean so much to me!

Thanks for all your encouragement and support. I will always thank God for my years at The Brook. 

How Honest Should We Be?

I did not have a particularly good day today. Nothing bad happened, it was just a tough day for me emotionally. Many times I just wanted to twitter (which goes on my Facebook status) "waaaaaaa!!!! I just want to go back to bed and stay there!" On days like this I find it hard to know how to share my life online. I waver between just not sharing at all, to feeling like a fake when I share something inane about my day. 

Let's face it, when we are struggling, it seems almost silly to share what we had for dinner, or whatever else we might usually share. On the other hand, it can be harmful to "overshare". It can alarm our mothers :), and might cause problems in our relationships if our angst is due to another person. And to be honest, so much of our stress seems to be due to conflict with those we care about. So if we share that we're angry right after a confrontation with a loved one, is that right? It seems like that might cause speculation and more hurt feelings. 

So, it's hard to know how to be authentic without being a bit too open. Generally, I've handled this by sharing in very general ways. I'll say something like "Hope you'll pray for me. Been feeling a bit anxious lately." I never really know if anyone is praying but one time "Anxiety Depression" did start following me on Twitter! So I'm not sure if it's helpful or not.

I do know this. If I should go talk to someone else, or if I should pray about it but instead I post it on Facebook or Twitter, that is not right. If I'm doing it to gain attention or sympathy, that also is not productive. So many times I've chosen just to not update at all - I wanted my motives to be pure, I didn't want to upset anyone, or cause questions, and yet I felt like it wouldn't be at all authentic to share something very mundane. I just avoided sharing all together. Yet isn't it the goal of social media - especially in the circle of Believers - to grow community and awareness of one another's lives?

What do you think? How honest should we be online? What are the limits and parameters?

How do you handle days when you're not sure you should share how you feel?

Have you ever shared something and then regretted it or had it cause a problem?

Humbled by Blessings!

Friday night I was so blessed as many of my closest friends and family gathered for the first ever Night of Worship to benefit the Give Worship Project. Fellow worship leaders and musicians donated their time and talents to help make the night a success. We had a great time as we spent the evening worshiping together. 

It was so sweet to share my heart and my dreams with friends both old and new who had come out to support a good cause. 

Great news! We raised $1500 for the Give Worship Project during this event!!! I'm well on my way to raising sufficient funds for my trips to the Dominican Republic and Guatemala. We've had 25 spanish language books donated for the worship leaders in the Dominican Republic. 

But we do still have needs. I still need money to travel to India and Rwanda. We need more books for leaders. But I'm thrilled with the progress we've made so far - and that is all due to YOUR generous hearts! I look forward to seeing how God will continue to provide in the days ahead. 

And I'm so humbled by the generosity of my friends and family who truly do believe in the calling of  God on my life and the dreams God has placed on my heart. Every little bit of support - attendance, gifts, prayers - all encourages me to dream without boundaries! More than anything, these brothers and sisters in Christ believe in the power of worshiping our Savior! 

This is just the beginning of a dream. I hope we'll hold these Nights of Worship in other locations around the country in the future - learning about worship together, rejoicing in the work of God and building more and more support for indigenous worship leaders - and their congregations - around the world.

If you're interested in donating, or in buying books for leaders, please visit www.giveworship.com to get all of that information. If you're interested in having me come share with your group or church about worship and the work of the Give Worship Project during your own Night of Worship, please let me know! My email address is janowen@knology.net.

I'm so thankful. And so humbled. And so excited to see how God will work in the future!

Won't you come be a part?

Good - Bye for Now...Why I'm taking a break from social media

I love connecting with friends. This is one of the reasons I have tried to faithfully twitter, interact on facebook, and even blog - it gives me more opportunities to share my life and to get a glimpse of other's lives as well. With that said, you may have noticed I've been conspicuously absent from facebook, twitter, and blogging for most of this week. I've updated twitter exactly once since Sunday night.....must be a record.

I have felt very led by God to take a break from social media for a while - a "fast" if you will from near constant communication and feedback. So you won't see me online for a few weeks. I'm not sure how long this will last, I'm just going to continue until I feel God has said it's okay for me to go back.

So why would I do this? Why do I think God is leading me to take this step?

There are a few things:

1) I think God wants me to take a break from writing about my life and instead to be fully present in the moment. It's a way to honor those I am physically present with - if I'm with Phil and we're taking a walk, no matter what I see or what happens I just enjoy and experience that with him without the distraction of sharing it with the world! I can also really enjoy each moment of my life in a more substantive way. 

2) Similarly, it helps me to be more fully tuned into God. Constant communication and feedback can wreck your ability to pay attention to one thing at a time. It can be distracting. I feel like I'm in a season that I need to really be fully tuned in to the voice of God alone. 

3) I simply need a break.

So, what has my first week been like? To be honest, it's been very peaceful. No constant need to check my phone, no wondering if someone will misunderstand a comment, no obsessing over what someone else meant by their comment, and more time just to "be", to relax mentally, and to be fully present to God and whoever I'm with. I think I might have gotten more work done too. :)

Because of this, Phil and I have made the radical decision - for us anyway! - to not take my iPhone or his Blackberry with us when we travel to Maui on Tuesday. We've also decided we're not checking email while we're away. We're going to focus on hearing from God and being with each other and - oh yes! - relaxing in one of the most beautiful places on earth. 

I wanted you to know I am not ignoring you personally, I'm simply not checking in. I hope you'll understand and pray for me as I take this step in my journey. I trust God has a deep work to do in my life. 

See you later! And ROLL TIDE ROLL!

The Pain of Rebuilding

When something is new to us, it is exciting. It's true of jobs, relationships, hobbies, dreams, and even places. We are challenged and inspired by new relationships. We love to see new, exciting vistas. We enjoy learning about one another and finding those commonalities that bind our hearts together. When we embark on seeing a dream come true, we are able to go without rest. We're running on adrenaline. Each new challenge is seen as a part of the grand adventure in front of us whether that be marriage, parenting, starting a new career or planting a church.

We love new things! As a two - time church planter who has developed two worship ministries, I can attest that there is a certain thrill that can come with starting these new ministries. The "church box" is much bigger than we would find at an established church. We can try fresh ideas without fear of division. We can be different, no one will complain. We meet tons of new people who - because they've just met us! - think we're wonderful and are thrilled to be there. So although it was tiring, it was also exhilarating. Birthing something new keeps you on your toes but is so incredibly rewarding. 

Unfortunately, even for us who like a little adrenaline rush now and again, everything in life is not always new and shiny. We don't get to always drive a new car. Warranties expire. Relationships may grow stale and predictable and require extra work. Our new house gets marks on the wall, spots on the carpet and no longer looks as amazing to us. We get bored. 

Or, on a more serious note, marriages dissolve. Relationships crumble. Dreams fail. Churches lose members. Life is hard. We are hurt. Reality greets us everyday. To be sure, we are not driving a car with a "new car smell" and a warranty anymore! And that's where the hard work really begins.

It's time to rebuild. And that, my friends, can be painful. 

Many of you have faced this time of your life. Whether it's rebuilding a marriage, repairing a relationship, or re-growing a team, or healing the wounds of a church, this season of life is not quite so exhilarating! That positive momentum must be created and nurtured and cherished when we find it. It's plain hard work to rebuild. Its costly. It requires perseverance and faithfulness and a desire to see something rise from the ashes that was greater than before. In order to rebuild we must be patient and committed, and we must say good-bye to what we once held so dearly.

It's easy to give up. To trade in the car with 100,000 miles on it, or the wife who is now middle-aged. It's easier to walk away when a friend hurts us or to throw something away when it breaks. Rebuilding is not as fun as building because generally there is sorrow mixed in with the hard work. Generally when we're rebuilding - in any of these scenarios - there is a grief, a loss, perhaps a sense of hopelessness because SOMETHING has caused us to need to rebuild. It takes much more energy to rebuild than to build the first time.

This spring a huge tree fell on my in-laws house. It fell right down the middle. It totaled their home. We all cried. We had so many great memories in that house. It had to be torn down and rebuilt almost completely. And we were saddened by that. As my in-laws now rebuild they are excited about a new home, but that joy is certainly tempered by the loss and trauma they experienced. 

But they know this home will be stronger and better than the first one, however much we loved it.

So what's broken in your life? What loss are you struggling with? 

Where do you need to rebuild? How do you think God can make it better than before?

Words of Life

I was cleaning off bookshelves tonight and I ran across an album that my friend Linda Jones compiled for me in 2003 - when I celebrated 5 years as worship pastor at The Brook. It's a treasured possession because it holds letters from many different friends at The Brook sharing their hearts and appreciation for me. It's the book I've pulled out time and time again when ministry got really tough and I was tempted to throw in the towel. The words that these friends wrote helped me to remember why I serve and the importance in doing so. Many times, they spoke of gifts they saw in me that I did not see in myself. They not only appreciated me but they believed in God's gifting of me. Their words were a treasure.

And it impacted me in a profound way. Not only did I feel encouragement (which means "to give courage") but these friends helped me see myself as God sees me - with gifts and potential that perhaps I had not fully tapped into. You see, I came to The Brook a very scarred and scared woman. I didn't want to be there. I had just had a seriously difficult church experience as a worship leader and really wasn't keen to try again. I was afraid and probably a little emotionally distant. Over the years, the gentle encouragement of my pastor, my team members and the congregation helped heal the wounds I carried. Words of love and thanks gave me the courage to try new things, to grow as a leader, and to step out in confidence into my calling - and to minister with boldness.

My friends at The Brook are not the first ones to give me the gift of encouragement and hopefully they will not be the last. Over the years many people have said "Wow! That was great!" or "You can do it!". From my parents and family to teachers and coaches to my husband, there have been many voices that have spoken words of life to me. Even my children came into this world thinking I was wonderful. But over the years, as we do life with someone for years and years we are bound to let one another down, to disappoint, and to begin to see the negative instead of the positive. Let's face it - in most families we eventually take one another for granted. We get used to one another. We begin to fail to appreciate and to most certainly we are no longer awed! Our words to one another may begin to hold less and less encouragement and life.

I know that this has been true for me. I've failed to say "thank you" as I should. I've not encouraged as often as I once did. I've "gotten used to" those marvelous people around me.

What about you? Has your appreciation for those special people in your life dulled? Have you begun to speak discouragement instead of encouragement? 

Today is a good day to "give courage" to someone God has placed in your life!

Go ahead! Tell the world - Who has given you the gift of encouragement?