Category Archives: Blessing Others

Blessing Others

Is it True, Edifying, or Necessary? (May)

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by Samantha Parker

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“Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.”
(Proverbs 16:18)

Many of us have been told “You should never gossip.” “Okay!” we say. But what does gossip look like? Is it something you struggle with? If so, how can you guard against it? I think that most of us don’t realize that we have a problem with gossiping. Sure, we know of people who have that weakness, but we certainly know better. Beware of this attitude! It reveals a big problem – namely, pride.

So what is gossip after all? I had to look it up myself! Gossip is simply passing on unnecessary information. It is idle talk about someone else’s affairs, and often damages their reputation. Gossip typically (but not necessarily) involves details that are not confirmed true. We waste a lot of time that could be used to serve the Lord when we are “busybodies,” namely, the ones who are always trying to get the newest piece of information. (See 2 Thess. 3:6-12) This has been a tendency of mine, but over the years I have realized that I don’t need to know everything. As Paul told the Romans, we are to be wise unto that which is good and innocent concerning evil. (Rom. 16:19; see also 1 Cor. 14:20)

There is a saying that says, “loose lips sink ships.” How true! A few idle and thoughtless words can destroy a friendship or reputation. “In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise” (Prov. 10:19, Prov. 21:23). “Wherefore, my beloved brethren, let every man be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to wrath.” (James 1:19) Indeed, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue…” (Prov. 18:21) Note: Not only is death in the power of the tongue, but LIFE is as well! Our words have the amazing ability to build someone up, or to tear them down.

“Every wise woman buildeth her house: but the foolish plucketh it down with her hands.”
(Proverbs 14:1)

We get to choose: will we build up our house through encouragement, or tear it down with criticism? Do you want to be a builder? I sure do!

Many times we say things we shouldn’t because we want people to like us. We want others to laugh at our story. These are very self-centered feelings. Gossip is a very selfish thing. Before sharing something about someone else, evaluate your motives. Why are you telling them that story? Do you simply enjoy being the information source? My sister recently came across the following acronym, which reminds us of what we should do whenever we are tempted to gossip. Simply, T.H.I.N.K.!

  • T – Is it true?
  • H – Is it helpful?
  • I – Is it inspiring?
  • N – Is it necessary?
  • K – Is it kind?

Much damage can be done by someone who says a lot of words with very little content. “He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.” (Prov. 13:3, Ecc. 10:12-14 ) When we go on and on without talking about anything meaningful we are, quite frankly, fools. Proverbs tells us that the babbling fool will come to ruin. (Prov. 10:8) Our goal should be to edify and encourage one another with our words.

“Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth,
but that which is good to the use of edifying,
that it may minister grace unto the hearers.”
(Ephesians 4:29-32)

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Jesus said: “…out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh.  A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things: and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things” (Matt. 12:34-35). Guarding our words goes much deeper than simply being careful about what we say. It is a matter of the heart. What is in our heart? What are we allowing ourselves to think about and dwell on? Are we looking down on someone, pridefully thinking that we “know better”? We might try our hardest not to say anything negative or hurtful about “so and so”, but if deep down in our hearts we are thinking hurtful or untrue thoughts, sooner or later they will come out in our words. Out of the abundance of our heart, the mouth speaks! Sure, we never meant to SAY anything negative to anyone about that person, but because that is what we dwelt on, eventually, that is what came out in our words. Make sense?

Let us seek to guard our hearts, and naturally our words will be guarded. Philippians 4:8 tells us,

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true,
whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just,
whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely,
whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue,
and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

Sometimes I would much rather meditate and think on untrue things, or unlovely things, or things I would be ashamed to tell anyone else. It is really hard to guard our hearts and thoughts, but God will help us if we simply ask Him. He can help us redirect and refocus our minds back on Him… replacing those wrong thoughts with thoughts that are true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous, and praiseworthy.

The solution is not to tape our mouths closed. Sometimes I think, “If only I could keep my mouth shut, I would stay out of so much trouble!” But good clear communication is very important and often lacking in our relationships these days. God gave us the ability to talk for a good reason. There must be a balance in our lives between talking too much, and not talking at all. This is a balance that we cannot obtain on our own. We can’t do anything, even something as basic as taking a breath, in our own strength!

Samantha and RebekahJesus’ own Words come to mind: “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in Me.  I am the vine, ye are the branches: he that abideth in Me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without Me ye can do nothing” (John 15:4-5). It takes humility to realize that we desperately need the Lord Jesus. Without Him, we can do nothing! Will you join me, dear sisters, in asking the Lord for strength, wisdom, and grace in this area? Let us echo David in Psalm 141:3: “Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips.”

“Let the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart,
be acceptable in Thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.”
(Psalm 19:14)

Seeking to follow Christ with you,
Samantha {Guest Writer}

P.S. Many thanks to my sister, Rebekah, who kindly allowed me to use her notes and insights on this topic!

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Blessing Others, Walk With Christ

The Power of the Tongue, Part 2 (March)

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Part 2 (read part 1 here)
by Sarah L. Bryant

“Every word of God is pure:
he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.”
(Proverbs 30:5)

Last month, we looked at the power and influence of our words—they hold the power of life and death. What an encouragement this is to seek out how our Lord would have us to speak honorably. Proverbs 25:11 says that “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver.” The blessing that our words can bring to others is incredible. Have you ever received a kind word on a day when you were discouraged—and been blessed? We all have been given the ability to uplift and exhort one another with our tongue.

“The words of a man’s mouth are as deep waters,
and the wellspring of wisdom as a flowing brook.”
(Proverbs 18:4)

What a beautiful and peaceful picture is given here—the words of the wise are overflowing with wisdom, as a deep flowing brook. We remember from Proverbs 31 that the words of the wise woman are filled with wisdom and kindness. Isn’t the mental picture of a prudent Christian woman beautified, when we consider that her words spill forth with wisdom—not folly and idleness? James 3 says that “The wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.” Wisdom is shown/proven through good conduct and wise, meek conversation. Our words need to reflect that which is pure, peaceable, gentle, merciful, without partiality—and without hypocrisy.

“The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious.”
(Ecclesiastes 10:12)

Our words should not only be wise and purposeful, but also overflowing with grace…refined and gentle. Foul words, idle phrases or crude exclamations, flippant remarks, and degrading judgements should not be found on the lips of a wise woman. Some phrases and exclamations that are commonly heard in our culture are so easy to pick up, and before long, they become a habit. I encourage you to stop and think carefully about the phrases you commonly use. Are they gracious? Seek the Lord humbly, and ask Him to set a watch over your mouth. Ask for His grace in your life, to guard your lips before ungracious words come forth. The fool speaks before he thinks, and later regrets. Therefore, a wise woman must be one of few words. “In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise” (Proverbs 10:19). We must ask that the Lord would purify our mouths and help us use self-control in what comes forth.

Ephesians 5:1-4 contains some powerful exhortations on this topic. Let us break it down as we read…

“Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children;”

Are we saved by God’s grace? Are we His own precious, adopted children? Then let us take careful note of what follows—

“And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us,
and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God
for a sweetsmelling savour.”

We are commanded to walk in pure love, because Christ Himself walked in love, giving Himself for the redemption of our souls. We know this truth to be life-changing…

“But fornication, and all uncleanness, or covetousness,
let it not be once named among you, as becometh saints;”

Now, we might feel justified as we read—“Okay, I don’t usually have a problem with that list…”

“Neither filthiness, nor foolish talking, nor jesting,
which are not convenient: but rather giving of thanks.”

Wait—we need to stop and examine ourselves here! Fornication is very wicked, a sin that we tend to think we would never fall into. However, foolish talking and jesting? Now that something we all do at some point or another. Foolish talking in this passage refers to silliness, ridiculous talk, nonsense, useless/idle words, or “buffoonery.” Certainly, this is not a category that I want to fall under—but do I?

And what exactly is jesting? It is joking, teasing, making puns, or being “witty” just to gain attention. Wow! I find myself convicted by this very potent passage—a lot to evaluate in my own life. We find here in God’s Word that foolish or silly talking and teasing is not to be our regular practice and habit as Christians. There are possibly appropriate times for joking with those we love, but we need to guard against this becoming a regular occurrence, since it can so easily become a habit. It is easy to constantly tease our siblings to the point that we cannot have a sober, edifying conversation with them, to joke with our friends because we are uncomfortable with getting around to serious subjects, and constantly make idle remarks just so that others think we are funny.

This passage gives us a needed reminder to steer against light-heartedness, joking, and foolishness. This is a very heavy topic to consider and pray about, for I am sure most of us struggle with this at some point or another.

“Speak not evil one of another, brethren.
He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law,
and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law,
thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge.”
(James 4:11)

Once again, we are shown in God’s Word that our words carry so much power. Speaking evil of one another, slandering one another, speaking unkind words—all of these things are using the power of the tongue to bring death, rather than life. It can be easy to let our guard down around our family, who we are around the most. We can let unkind words fall on those we love the most, sometimes speaking evilly against our family members behind their back. This should never be our practice as God’s children. We need to carefully guard against this, for the consequences can be far-reaching, beyond our imaginations.

“My tongue shall speak of thy righteousness 
and of thy praise all the day long.”
(Psalm 35:28)

Here is one of the positive ways we can use our tongue—God’s praise! God is richly glorified when we open our lips in praise and adoration of His infinite goodness and mercy. His praise should be on our tongue all the day long. It should spill forth in every conversation and lighten our countenance. Our Lord desires and is magnified by our humble praise. He has done so much for us—loaded us with daily and hourly benefits (Psalm 103:1-5). How can we but speak His praises? This is one way we can open our mouth and give forth life!

“A good man out of the good treasure of the heart bringeth forth good things:
and an evil man out of the evil treasure bringeth forth evil things.
 But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak,
they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. 
For by thy words thou shalt be justified,
and by thy words thou shalt be condemned.”
(Matthew 12:35-37)

Here, our Lord Jesus gets to the heart of the matter. What comes forth from our lips is what is in our heart. Sister, if your heart has not been regenerated—cleansed and redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ—you abide under judgement and will find no power within yourself to conquer the tongue (Romans 3:23). You must repent of your wickedness before a holy God, and beg forgiveness under the atonement of the Lord Jesus (Romans 5:8). He is ready and able to forgive, and wipe your heart clean (Ezekial 36:26). Jesus alone can cleanse your mouth and set forth His praise forevermore thereon (Romans 10:9-10)!

As I have studied God’s Word on this topic, I have felt the Lord’s conviction. I have seen areas that need to be changed. At first, I thought that it would be very difficult to discipline myself to be purposeful about my words, but as I sought the Lord in prayer to assist me in this goal, I found victory in Him. He enables that which He commands.

Sister, please stop and consider the words of your mouth. What category would most of your words fall under—wise, gracious, kind, foolish, idle…? This is no light matter before our holy and gracious Lord. We will be called to give account of every word (Matthew 12:37)! If you find that your words need to speak more life and your vocabulary needs refinement, please ask the Lord to purify your mouth! It is definitely not unattainable; the Lord’s grace is more than sufficient. He blesses our efforts to be obedient to His commands.

We have been saved by the precious blood of a Savior, Whose Words spoke this world into being (Hebrews 1:1), Whose every word was pure and loving. Who, by being the very Word (John 1:1-3), has shown us the way of redemption. He has given us the privilege to speak words as well. We can choose to embrace the power of the tongue to be a blessing on a daily—hourly—basis, if we refrain our lips from guile. “For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile.” (I Peter 3:10)

I don’t know about you, but I want my heavenly Father to be the doorkeeper of my lips!
Will you pray with me—

“Set a watch, O LORD, before my mouth;
keep the door of my lips.”
(Psalm 141:3)

At His mercy,

P.S. There are countless other verses God has given us about the power of our words, and I encourage you to personally study this topic and seek the Lord as you evaluate your own life.
 

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Blessing Others, Family Relationships

Plan a Picnic For Your Siblings (Challenge Idea)

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by Sarah L. Bryant

This month, KBR is hosting an “Encourage Your Siblings Challenge.” Throughout the month we are posting articles and ideas by different sisters with ideas on how we can bless the younger siblings in our lives.
What are your ideas? What special things have you done with your siblings? Let’s swap ideas as we journey toward encouraging our siblings in the Lord!

Last week, my sister and I enjoyed some time together in the kitchen as we prepared a picnic lunch for our brothers. We made some fresh homemade wheat bread to go with farm-fresh egg salad, fresh pineapple and fruit—and Rachael’s delicious Angel Food Cake!

When our picnic food was prepared, we packed it into a basket and grabbed some blankets, and set off for a grassy shady area, with our brother leading the way on his tractor.


Farm fresh eggs

Planning a picnic is fun and it can provide a memorable time for our siblings to enjoy being together. Here are some recipes we used in our own picnic preparation.

Homemade Whole Wheat Bread

In a Bosch, combine the following ingredients:

    • 6 cups warm water
    • 3 tablespoons yeast
    • 2 cups whole wheat flour

Mix and let sponge for 15 minutes. Then add:

    • 7 cups whole wheat flour
    • 2/3 cup oil
    • 2/3 cup honey
    • 2 tablespoon salt

Mix on speed two. Gradually add more flour (around 5 cups) until dough begins to clean sides of bowl. Let knead on speed 2 for 10 minutes. Form into 6 small loaves; let rise in a warm area, and bake at 350 degrees for 25-30 minutes.


We used shaped pans to make fun heart and star-shaped bread loaves

Angel Food Cake

    • 12-13 egg whites (2 cups)
    • ¼ tsp. salt
    • 1 ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 teaspoon almond extract
    • 1 ¼ cup sugar
    • 1 cup flour

Beat egg whites until foamy, and add salt and cream of tartar; beat until soft peaks form. Add almond extract and vanilla, then gradually add sugar, beating until stiff. Sift flour over the whites and gently fold in. Bake in ungreased 10” cake pan for 50-60 minutes (until toothpick comes out clean). Let cool before removing cake from pan. We love to serve this cake with fresh cream!

Sometimes simple activities can be extra-special for our siblings. Fun memories can be easily made, when we go out of our way to bless them with thoughtful projects or activities. The options are endless, and as we show them that we care and want to spend time with them, they will learn that we truly care about them both physically and spiritually. This is a key to building a strong and trusting relationship. It also opens the door for us to be a godly mentor and confident to them, as we share and point them to God’s Word, which is applicable to every area and struggle in life.

There are so many creative ways that we can share the Scriptures with them and encourage them to really seek out the Word on their own. I have enjoyed doing this in the past by creating Bible quizzes (as I daily study the Bible myself, I find interesting and amazing pieces of information and truth, and it is fun to share them with my brothers and sister). Or I may encounter a bit of interesting trivia about someone in the Old Testament which my brothers find interesting, or find a passage that talks about a topic my sister is interested in. These can be written down or made into quizzes for them to look up and study themselves. “Word finds” are so easy to create, and many young children enjoy doing them.


Create your own Scripture “word finds” for your siblings to do

Word searches are also wonderful to do together, especially in the book of Proverbs. For example, read Proverbs ten and highlight all the references to the “righteous.” Or read Proverbs chapter nine and have your siblings find all the things that “wisdom” does and says. Searching God’s Word can be so fun and interesting; you can make quizzes and challenges for your siblings to do, and give them to them on your picnic!

 

The time and love you put into your siblings’ lives can reap incredible results, which you would not imagine. We were thrilled to hear what God has already done in Christianna’s life this month, as she has done the challenge with her younger siblings:

I am a sixteen-year-old daughter; I have three older siblings and four younger brothers. A year ago I didn’t have much of a relationship with my siblings, especially my brothers. I wished God had given me a younger sister; I felt that then I would be able to have a good relationship with her because she would look up to me and listen to what I told her. However, soon I realized that I was just making excuses for not trying to invest in my brothers. They didn’t look up to me because they knew I didn’t care about them; they didn’t respect me, because I didn’t have their hearts. And I realized that if I did this with my younger brothers, it would probably have been just the same with a sister if God had given me one.

It was then that I was convicted, and began to look for things to do with my brothers and to point them towards Christ. When I decided to do the KBR challenge, I was a bit worried that the idea would be met with scorn. I was wrong; my brothers almost seemed more enthusiastic about it than I was! I have seen tremendous things in them these past few days, that I didn’t know were there, as I have spent more time encouraging them. My brother Tobias has been eager to recite his memory verse to me as soon as he possibly can, and always reminds me when its time to have our Bible time together. Since all my younger siblings are boys, we have a very informal setting. We will often go to the woods and the boys will perch themselves in trees or climb a large rock to read the Bible. Afterwards we all sing hymns (they love doing that) and then play a game like “freeze tag” or “follow the leader.”

I have really enjoyed watching my brothers’ responses to this time. They have had so much more respect for me now, whereas before, they never came begging for me to play with them. I have also been realizing the tremendous gifts that the Lord has placed in each one of them. God has been revealing to me that they are all talented young men with wonderful gifts which I pray will be used for God’s glory. I look forward to the rest of the month!

As you invest in and show your siblings your love, the Lord will bring the increase. This month, strive to plan special activities and projects to do with your brothers and sisters—whether it is a romping outdoor picnic or hike in the woods or fancy tea party. Remember that these investments can bring eternal blessings. “Sow to yourselves in righteousness, reap in mercy” (Hosea 10:12). Give a special and unique gift to your siblings—from your heart. “Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity!” (Psalm 133:1)

A Big Sister,
Sarah Lee

We would love to hear about the special things you have done with your siblings so far this month!

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Blessing Others, Family Relationships

Let’s Encourage Our Siblings! (April)

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by Sarah L. Bryant

This month, KBR is hosting an “Encourage Your Siblings Challenge.” We invite you to join us in this exciting adventure together! We will be posting one article each week by different sisters with ideas on how to invest in and encourage the younger siblings in our lives. We would love to hear your ideas as well, so feel free to comment.

Greetings, dear sisters!

We all want to change the world for Christ, right? Many of us dream of sharing the Gospel and being missionaries to lost people groups across the world.

However, when was the last time you looked around and realized that you are living in a mission field right now? If you have a family, you have people to share the Gospel with on a daily basis, and if you have younger brothers and sisters, so many little eyes are watching you. This gives you a wonderful opportunity to share Jesus every day. So often, because this seems rather ordinary and sometimes “mundane,” we overlook the most important fields of ministry that God has given us as daughters and sisters—that of using our time wisely and investing it in the siblings that are in our lives.

Jesus Christ discipled his twelve disciples on a daily basis. He lived and ate with them, and in so doing He showed them and taught them what the Kingdom of God was truly about. In a much smaller, yet similar way, we as big sisters are given a privilege to live with other souls and to share with them what Christianity is all about. What true love is all about. What sacrifice looks like.

We are not promised another day with our siblings. James 4:14 minds us, “Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away.” Do you know what this next year will look like? Are you even promised another hour of life? Do you know what your siblings will be when they grow up? None of us know what the future holds. You do not want to look back with regret on how you spent the years you had together with your siblings. In ten or twenty years, you will not want to look back and see that the way you treated that “more difficult” sibling degraded and discouraged they as they matured. Rather, it will bring such joy if you can look back and say, that by God’s grace, you strove to uplift and build up your siblings and see the beautiful fruit of godliness in their lives as Christian adults. We must take heed and invest in the opportunity we have been given to grow up in a Christian household.

While we are not to instruct our siblings with authority, we as older sisters certainly do have a special influence in their lives. We should support our parents’ authority and teaching, and set a good example for our siblings. It is very important for little Jonny to see that big sister honors her parents and does what is right when mom and dad are not looking. When she loves him and values God’s Word, she also encourages him to do the same.

Our siblings, Lord willing, will mature into adults and will have their own families one day. They will have legacies. Today we can influence them positively and encourage them to invest in what will truly last—God’s Word and a relationship with Christ—and ultimately impact many generations to come! I find this to be a tremendously sobering realization. It makes me fall to my knees and plead with God for help, for grace, and for wisdom in the way I treat my siblings. The time is so short, the need of the hour so crucial.

There are so many ways to encourage and uplift our siblings both physically and spiritually. However, let me share just a few of the exciting things the Lord has done in my own sibling relationships throughout the past few years.

  • One very important and simple thing that we can do easily is simply listening to our siblings. Communication is a life-line for relationships. If there is no communication, you cannot have a thriving, growing friendship. Sometimes it might take more effort to go out of way to be with a sibling or be around when they’re doing something so that you can talk with them. Making time to be together is a key to simply keeping the line of communication open and ready. Ask your sisters and brothers how they really are doing deep down inside, what they are learning, how they need prayer—simply be interested in their life and their interests. I have some very special memories of late-night conversations with my younger sister! For your brother or sister who enjoys talking, be a good listener—it can be easy to continue looking at what you are working on and nod your head, but take your eyes off your project and pay attention to the conversation. For siblings that are still fairly young, we can do this by taking time to stop and listen when they come running to show us a little picture they drew, a bug they captured, or a Lego truck they made.
  • Some of the most memorable memories our siblings have of times spent together are often things we don’t even remember. Young minds are very impressionable. My sister was telling me recently about some fictitious stories I told her when she was very young (like if you talk too much when you are young, your voice “runs out” when you get old). I didn’t remember telling her those things, but she still remembers! You never know how the choices you make will impact your siblings. When you sit down on the floor and play a short little game with your little brother or plan a sister tea party, it can really be special to them. Take your baby sister on a scroll outside in the baby backpack. Bake some bread or read a book with your four-year-old sister. Write little encouraging notes to your siblings every few weeks.
  • Making fun memories happens naturally in the life of a busy, big family—but we can also make an effort to do fun things with our siblings. A few weeks ago, my siblings and I planned a special “camp-out party” in our basement. On the scheduled evening, we played games, told stories, recited memory verses, sang songs, ate ice cream, and then gathered our sleeping bags and pillows for the night. However, the funnest part of the whole evening was one unique twist—before arriving at the party, we all individually dressed up in the most interesting attire we could find in our closets. We then walked one by one into the pre-decorated basement, and squeals of laughter were exchanged for a long time as we all examined one another’s very eclectic attire. For some reason, this was so funny to each of us and made the party very memorable. Sometimes all that is needed for making fun memories is a bit of the unusual and some creativity.
  • Another fun thing to do with your siblings is to write down what you want to be “in ten years.” Let your imaginations free and have fun writing down random things about one another! In several years, these lists will be so fun to look back on and read together.
  • A few years ago the Lord showed me how important it is to honor and encourage my siblings, instead of discouraging them. I need to show them I have faith in them and believe they can do big and important things—whether that be learning to balance a bike or build a treehouse or earn enough money to buy a house one day. I have made mistakes in past relationships, by saying things like, “You can’t do that!” or making other passing statements that discourages their dreams and goals. You must realize how important this is, and ask for God’s strength and wisdom, so that you can do as the virtuous woman who “openeth her mouth with wisdom; and in her tongue is the law of kindness” (Proverbs 31:26). Cast a vision by encouraging your siblings in their “big dreams” and ambitions. Who knows—your little brother just might become that astronaut he has always wanted to be!
  • I have been impressed with the importance of praying for my siblings, especially when they are going through difficulties. Prayer reaps a harvest that we will never fully know. I challenge you to pray daily for each of your siblings’ salvation. Plead with the Lord for their eternal souls, pray for their sanctification, pray that the Lord would fill their souls with the glory of the Gospel and overflow them with awe, for their courage to fight the many battles we face as Christians. Pray that your brothers would be filled with the power and strength that God requires of godly men, pray that they would be shining lights in a world of darkness, pray that the Lord would raise up their progeny to be powerful warriors in the Kingdom, that God would call their descendants to proclaim the Gospel to the ends of the world, and pray that their future children and all those who follow from their lineage would fight for the crowned rights of Jesus Christ until His return! There are so many important battles at stake, sisters. Praying for our siblings is so much more than just meets the eye; it can have eternal results extending farther than we will ever see in our own lifetimes. I challenge you to develop a habit of praying daily for your siblings.
  • For the past few years, my siblings and I have done a challenge together each summer to read the Bible, memorize Scripture, and be accountable to respective friends, to whom we each recite our verses every few weeks. This fun challenge has been very helpful in encouraging my siblings to develop a solid habit of Scripture memory and Bible reading. I have also encouraged my siblings to read the Bible every day of the year, and for two years in a row now, they have completed that challenge! A few weeks ago we enjoyed a treat together for their accomplishment—some ice cream. It is so exciting to see the spiritual fruit of this diligence in my siblings’ lives; God’s Word never returns void. When older sisters encourage their siblings in these goals, it can really have a powerful impact in their lives.

Ice Cream Treat Together

These are just a few ways that we can invest in the lives of our brothers and sisters. There is so much more to be said, and in the next few weeks we will have several other sisters share how they like to encourage their siblings. We hope you will join us in our “Encourage Our Siblings” challenge this month, as we seek to establish a foundation of investing in and inspiring tour siblings to seek the Lord Jesus Christ in their youth. This can have a lasting and profound impact, which will only be seen in years to come. You may never know what impact the investments you make will have; sometimes the fruit may seem long in coming. However, I can attest that God is faithful, and does answer our prayers, with the watering of His spirit and answer to fervent prayer. Be faithful and trust the Lord to do the work in their hearts.

What a privilege it is for us to be able to seek the Lord with our best friends—our brothers and sisters! Let us press on, looking forward to the ultimate Day when we all stand united at Christ’s throne, singing loudest praises to Him forever! This is our goal!

With His love,
Sarah Lee
{Founder of KBR Ministries, Big sister to Four}

P.S. I encourage you to read this encouraging article about the influence of sisters written by Timothy Arthur.

We encourage you to tell your friends about this challenge and encourage them to invest in their siblings with you!

Enjoy this month’s special computer desktop wallpaper:

Blessing Others

A Gift to Give Thanks for (December)

4 Comments

by Elizabeth Anne

By Claire E.

“Ye are bought with a price:
therefore glorify God in your body,
and in your spirit, which are God’s.”
{1 Corinthians 6:20}

Every year, we receive gifts from our parents. We also give gifts to our brothers and sisters. Suppose for a moment that you just gave your sister a doll that you made yourself. Do you think that you would feel very happy if your sister thanked you happily and ran off to play with it – or if she thanked you halfheartedly, and put it aside? Thanking someone else makes you and the other person feel so happy.

We enjoy our earthly gifts, and thank the giver for them. However, are we forgetting a very special gift, one that we often wish was different?

“As every man hath received the gift,
even so minister the same one to another,
as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.”
{1 Peter 4:10}

The Lord has given every person a gift: unique talents. It could be painting, drawing, sewing, cooking, or gardening. We should be truly thankful for whatever talents the Lord has given us. It is so amazing to find out just how special our gifts are; everyone in our families will have different gifts. Remember that God has given you a very special gift, and you should not be jealous of anyone else’s gift.

By Claire E.

Every day, you should thank God for your gift. You just can say simply, “Thank you God, for my gift and help me to use it wisely.” Thank God especially for helping you use the gift wisely by serving others with this gift for the glory of God. For example, if you have a talent of baking, then you could have a bake sale and earn money to buy Bibles for missionaries, or make cookies for the elderly in nursing homes. Use the gift of speech to build up your siblings and parents with edifying words and joyful song. If the Lord has given you the ability to paint, then create beautiful pieces of art that convey peace and comfort to the viewer. There are many ways to use your gifts for the glory of God. Remember, the Lord wants you to use your gift wisely, so ask Him to help you to use your gift righteously.

“Unto thee, O God, do we give thanks,
unto thee do we give thanks: for that thy name
is near thy wondrous works declare.”
{Psalms 75:1}

We should not forget a very special gift, a gift that is free, a gift that anyone can have. This great gift is Jesus, the Son of God, the Savior of this world. If He is your Lord and Savior, you must glorify His name with the gift He has given you. Honor Him through humble service.

“For God so loved the world,
that he gave his only begotten Son,
that whosoever believeth in him should not perish,
but have everlasting life.”
{John 3:16}

Today, thank Jesus that He loved you enough to come down and save you from your sins – then glorify Him daily by serving Him with your talents. God bless you as you serve Him.

~Elizabeth Anne (13)
{Guest Writer}