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Get Encouraged

Encouraging & Inspiring

Tag: perspective

  • Podcast Episode: Trusting God Through Hard Seasons

    Podcast Episode: Trusting God Through Hard Seasons

    Pip: If your imagination has a ceiling, Get Encouraged is here to remind you the ceiling is the floor.

    Mara: Today we're working through posts from Chris Miller covering three stretches of territory: what it looks like to wait on God's timing, whether God is actually present when things fall apart, and how faith moves when you're already knocked down.

    Pip: Good news for anyone who has ever felt like they're hobbling. Let's start with what waiting and trusting actually cost you.

    Waiting And Trusting

    Mara: The thread running through these posts is the gap between where you are and where you hope to be — and what you do with that gap while you're standing in it.

    Pip: "A Future Beyond Words" sets the stakes early, and the anchor is a verse from First Corinthians: "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him."

    Mara: So the upshot is that the future God is building for us is not just better than our circumstances — it is structurally beyond our ability to picture it. Our best descriptions, glorious, wonderful, eternal, are already undershooting.

    Pip: Which makes waiting feel a little different. You're not just holding on; you're holding on to something you literally cannot overestimate.

    Mara: "Take the Next Step" brings that down to ground level with the story of a widow in Second Kings. She has debt, no income, and creditors coming for her sons. Elisha tells her to gather empty jars and start pouring from the small jar of oil she already has. She can't see the outcome — she just pours.

    Pip: The miracle doesn't appear before the step. It appears because of the step.

    Mara: "Waiting on Dreams" sits right alongside that. It speaks directly to the person whose dream has been alive in their heart for years with no visible progress. The reminder there is pointed: an unfinished dream is not necessarily a forgotten dream. God may be preparing an opportunity, developing character, or working behind the scenes.

    Pip: Three posts, one consistent ask — trust the one who holds the outcome, even when you can't read the plan.

    Mara: And that question of trust gets harder when you're not just waiting but actually hurting. Which is where the next stretch of territory opens up.

    God's Presence In Hardship

    Mara: The question underneath both of these posts is the same one people ask in their worst moments: does God actually see what I'm going through, and is he going to stay?

    Pip: "Does God See Me?" answers the first half directly, pulling from Psalm 139: "O Lord, you have examined my heart and know everything about me. You know when I sit down or stand up. You know my thoughts even when I'm far away."

    Mara: What that passage is doing is more than confirming God's awareness. It's saying he knows the fear behind the smile and the tears behind "I'm doing fine." You don't have to perform or find the right words. He already knows.

    Pip: That's a different kind of seen. Not surveillance — recognition.

    Mara: "The Lord Isn't Leaving" takes the second half of the question. People walk away when life gets messy. The post asks plainly whether God does the same, and Psalm 139 answers: there is nowhere you can go that puts you beyond his presence. A spouse may leave, a friendship may end, a job may disappear — but the Lord stays.

    Pip: Presence that doesn't have a threshold for too much trouble is a fairly remarkable offer.

    Mara: It is. And the practical weight of it is this: you are not too far gone, too broken, or too complicated for God to remain. That holds whether you're waiting on something or actively falling apart.

    Pip: Which leaves one question — what do you actually do while you're in it? That's the next piece.

    Faith In Action

    Pip: Sometimes the race tears your hamstring halfway through, and the question is whether you hobble forward anyway.

    Mara: "Does Life's Race Have You Hobbling?" opens with British runner Derek Redmond at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. His hamstring tears mid-race. He gets up and hobbles toward the finish. The passage he anchors to is Second Corinthians: "We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed."

    Pip: Notice that every line has a but. The trouble is real — the but is the point.

    Mara: And "Buy the Sheets" lands the everyday version of that same move: don't suspend your life waiting for perfect conditions. Today has people to love and blessings worth noticing, right now, even mid-hobble.

    Pip: Keep moving. That's the whole instruction.

    Mara: Wait with hope, trust that you're seen, and don't put the sheets back on the shelf.

    Pip: The next episode will have more to say. We'll see you there.

  • Don’t Miss Today’s Blessings

    Don’t Miss Today’s Blessings

    How has the Lord provided for your needs today?

    At first, you may think this is an odd question. You’re thinking, “Of course the Lord has provided for my needs today,” but have you stopped to count those blessings?

    Sometimes, life’s worries can overshadow the blessings. It’s easy to spend today worrying about tomorrow. We think about upcoming responsibilities, unanswered questions, and problems that may arise. Before long, our minds become consumed with the future, so we may miss the blessings sitting right in front of us.

    So don’t worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will bring its own worries. Today’s trouble is enough for today.

    Today’s blessings may not come in dramatic packaging. They may be the strength to get out of bed or an encouraging conversation. Perhaps you’re blessed with finances arriving at just the right time or peace you can’t explain amid a storm. God often works in ways that are easy to overlook when we are distracted by tomorrow’s concerns.

    Take a moment today to notice the Lord’s blessings. Look for evidence of his goodness. You may discover the solution to tomorrow’s challenge is already unfolding today.

  • A Future Beyond Words

    A Future Beyond Words

    What challenge are you facing today?

    You may be waiting on a doctor’s call with test results, or maybe you’re facing a 12 hour work shift just to make ends meet. Today’s challenges can take many shapes, and staring them down may have you feeling discouraged.

    While the challenges may be fierce, we can find hope in how the bible describes our future.

    “No eye has seen, no ear has heard,
    and no mind has imagined
    what God has prepared
    for those who love him” (1 Corinthians 2:9).

    Think about those words for a moment. Our future is beyond anything we can imagine. It is beyond comprehension. God’s plans for our future stretch past the limits of our imagination.

    The best we can do is describe our future in Heaven as glorious, wonderful, and eternal. Scripture says there will be no more pain, suffering, or sorrow. We find great hope in this description alone, but it may pale in comparison to reality. God has wonderful plans for our future, and they are beyond description.

    Friends, you may be facing a fierce challenge today, but you can cling to this hope. The best part of our future is still coming!

    Thanks for reading.

  • Does Life’s Race Have You Hobbling?

    Does Life’s Race Have You Hobbling?

    Getting to the Olympics is hard, and British runner Derek Redmond had overcome injuries and setbacks to be there. In 1992, Redmond thought his moment had come. He was competing in the 400-meter semifinal at the Barcelona games. Halfway through the race, his hamstring tore. He collapsed to the track, and his Olympic dream appeared to be over.

    As the race continued, Derek struggled to his feet and began hobbling forward.

    Insert yourself here. You’re running life’s race, and suddenly your hamstring is torn. You feel as if you’re hobbling. In these moments, we can find encouragement in the Bible.

    “We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed” (2 Corinthians 4:8-9).

    Notice all the times but appears in this passage.

    • Today may press us on every side, but we won’t be crushed.
    • Challenges may perplex us, but they won’t drive us to despair.
    • Adversity may hunt us down, but we are not abandoned by God.
    • Life may knock us down, but we are not destroyed.

    Today’s circumstances and challenges may be enormous, but they don’t have the final word. God does.

    Remember, Derek. He was hobbling toward the finish line. He wasn’t going to give up without trying to finish.

    While Derek was hobbling forward, his dad was running out of the stands, brushing by security, and jogging to meet him. Derek’s dad put his arm around his son, and with tear-filled eyes, the two finished the race together.

    Derek didn’t win a medal that day, but his story reminds us that a painful setback doesn’t have to be the end of our story.

    While the challenge may look different, you may be facing an enormous one today. You may feel knocked down by unexpected circumstances, but don’t lose hope. What you’re facing today doesn’t have to define your tomorrow. With the Lord’s help, you’ll be able to finish the race.

  • Waiting on Dreams

    Waiting on Dreams

    What happens when a dream stays in your heart but takes years to become a reality?

    Maybe you dream of starting a business, changing careers, or writing a book. Every time you think about it, you feel a spark of excitement. You can picture what it might look like, and you wonder what it would be like to see that dream come true.

    However, years have passed, and you’re still waiting. The excitement that once filled your heart is beginning to fade. You wonder if your dream will ever become a reality. Maybe you’re even tempted to give up.

    If this sounds familiar, the Bible offers some encouragement.

    “Take delight in the Lord,
    and he will give you your heart’s desires.
    Commit everything you do to the Lord.
    Trust him, and he will help you” (Psalm 37:4-5).

    One of the hardest parts of having a dream is learning to wait on the Lord.

    We want answers now; we want to see progress. When nothing seems to be happening, discouragement can creep in. We may feel like throwing away the very dreams we’ve carried for years, but Scripture reminds us that God’s timing is different from ours. Throughout the Bible, we find people who had to wait for God’s promises to unfold. Their stories remind us that waiting doesn’t mean God has forgotten us.

    Just because your dream hasn’t become a reality doesn’t mean the Lord has abandoned his work in your life. He may be preparing an opportunity, developing your character, or working behind the scenes. An unfinished dream is not necessarily a forgotten dream.

    We may not understand why we have to wait or how everything will work out, but we can choose to trust the Lord.

    • Commit your dreams to him.
    • Keep seeking his direction.
    • Take the steps he puts before you.
    • Trust him with the timing and outcome.

    The Lord sees the desires of your heart, and you can wait with hope since your future is in his hands.

    Thanks for reading.

  • Buy the Sheets

    Buy the Sheets

    “Buy the sheets!”

    Those words caught my attention as they came through the radio speakers. I wasn’t dreaming, and I hadn’t accidentally tuned in to some strange program. I was listening to a follower of Christ sharing a simple but powerful reminder.

    “Don’t wait to buy the sheets!”

    What did she mean? Don’t put off enjoying life today while waiting for tomorrow to arrive.

    It’s easy to fall into that trap. We tell ourselves we’ll enjoy life when we reach a certain goal, get through a difficult season, or finally see our dreams come true. We keep looking ahead, waiting for life to get better, but what if we’re missing something wonderful in the process?

    God has given us today, and we shouldn’t miss its blessings because we’re too busy waiting for tomorrow.

    “This is the day the LORD has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it” (Psalm 118:24).

    Perhaps you’re waiting on a relationship, new job, or opportunity. Keep looking forward with hope. The Lord knows the plans he has for tomorrow, but as you’re hoping, don’t overlook today’s blessings.

    Friends, enjoy today. There are people to love and blessings to recognize. You don’t have to put life on hold until everything falls into place. The dream may still be ahead of you, but today has much to offer as well.

    So, don’t wait for the perfect relationship to come before buying new sheets. Don’t wait for everything to fall into place before living a full life. Enjoy today.

  • Take the Next Step

    Take the Next Step

    What do you do when God asks you to take a step, but you can’t see how it will work out?

    It’s easy to trust God when we can see a solution, but what happens when the bills are piling up, your resources are running low, and you have no idea how you’re going to make it?

    That’s where we find a widow in 2 Kings 4. She is in a desperate situation. Her husband has died, her debts are mounting, and her creditors are coming to take her two sons as servants. She has nowhere to turn, so she goes to Elisha for help.

    Elisha’s instructions may have surprised her. He doesn’t hand her money or tell her to organize a fundraiser. Instead, he tells her to ask her neighbors for as many empty jars as she can find, go inside her home, and begin pouring oil from the little jar she already has.

    Imagine what must have been going through her mind. How could one small jar of oil possibly solve such a big problem?

    But the widow obeys. She gathers the jars, goes inside, and begins to pour.  The oil keeps flowing until every jar is full. She sells the oil, pays her debts, and has enough left to support herself and her sons.

    The miracle began with a step of faith.

    The widow couldn’t see how God would provide before she started pouring. She didn’t know how much oil she would have or how the story would end. She simply trusted the instruction she had received, and took the next step.

    Faith often works this way. God doesn’t always show us the entire plan. Sometimes, he gives us enough direction to trust him today.

    The widow had to pour the oil before she could see the miracle. Sometimes, we have to take that next step of faith before we see how God will work things out.

    “Faith shows the reality of what we hope for; it is the evidence of things we cannot see” (Hebrews 11:1).

    As you step into a new day, what step of faith is God asking you to take? You may not have all the answers, but you can trust the one who does.

  • The Lord isn’t Leaving

    The Lord isn’t Leaving

    People may walk away when life gets messy, but what about God?

    When problems pile up, relationships fall apart, and you struggle to hold everything together, you may wonder if the Lord will eventually decide you’ve become too much trouble.

    Psalm 139 gives us a reassuring answer. There is nowhere we can go, no mess we can face, and no burden we can carry that will put us beyond the reach of God’s presence.

    “I can never escape from your Spirit!
    I can never get away from your presence!
    If I go up to heaven, you are there;
    if I go down to the grave, you are there” (Psalm 139:7-8).

    No matter how messy life becomes, the Lord is going to always be there. There is not a day or burden heavy enough to cause him to walk away.

    “If I ride the wings of the morning,
    If I dwell by the farthest oceans,
    even there your hand will guide me,
    and your strength will support me” (Psalm 139:9-10).

    Friends, life is never going to be so messy that God decides to stop helping and walk away from us. A spouse may leave, friendship end, or job disappear, but the Lord will still be right beside us.

    Today may be messy. You may face challenges you never expected. You may even feel alone, but remember this: people may walk away, circumstances may change, and life may fall apart.  Even if they do, God is not going anywhere.

    Thanks for reading.

  • Podcast Episode: Everyday Faith In Action

    Podcast Episode: Everyday Faith In Action

    Pip: Get Encouraged lives up to its name this week — Chris Miller has been quietly asking the kind of questions that sound simple until you actually sit with them.

    Mara: The posts cover three territories: trusting God with what you already have, the underestimated power of showing up and encouraging others, and what it actually looks like to find contentment.

    Pip: Let's start with what's already in your hands.

    God Uses What You Have

    Mara: The setup in 2 Kings 4 is stark — a widow with creditors at the door and almost nothing left. Elisha's question cuts right to it: "What do you have?"

    Pip: And her answer, as the post "What Do You Have in Your Hands" records it, is the whole point. She says, "Nothing at all, except a flask of olive oil."

    Mara: That flask becomes the starting point for everything. She borrows empty jars, starts pouring, and the oil keeps flowing until the jars run out. She pays her debts and has enough left to live on.

    Pip: So the upshot is: the limitation wasn't the obstacle. The limitation was the opening.

    Mara: The post frames it plainly — we may look at our resources and see limitations, but God sees possibilities. Time, influence, ability — the question isn't whether you have enough, it's whether you'll offer what you do have.

    Pip: "Bring Your Empty" takes that a step further. The widow couldn't manufacture oil, but she could bring empty jars — and that's the move faith actually requires.

    Mara: And "I Believe, But Help My Unbelief" sits right alongside that — the father in Mark 9 is stretched to the end of his faith, crying out honestly, and Jesus meets him there anyway.

    Pip: Start with what you have. That's the thread running through all of it.

    Mara: Which raises a question about how we actually reach people once we've decided to show up.

    Quiet Influence And Encouragement

    Mara: Sometimes the most powerful thing you can offer isn't a solution — it's your presence. "Showing Up" opens with a line most of us know from the inside: "I don't know what to say."

    Pip: And the answer the post lands on is Romans 12:15 — "Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep."

    Mara: No perfect words required. A hospital visit, a phone call, a handwritten note — these communicate the one thing people most need to hear: you are not alone.

    Pip: "You're an Influencer" makes the same argument about scale. Your circle doesn't need to be large to matter. Jesus puts it in Matthew 5:14 — "You are the light of the world — like a city on a hilltop that cannot be hidden."

    Mara: Light doesn't perform. It just shines. Consistent modeling of love and compassion works the same way.

    Pip: And "Be Like Barnabas" names the person who did this best in the early church — someone who believed in Paul when others were skeptical, and gave John Mark another chance after failure.

    Mara: His name literally means son of encouragement. The post's point is simple: the world has critics. What it needs are more Barnabases.

    Pip: Presence, influence, encouragement — all of it assumes you're actually at peace enough to give it away.

    Contentment And Trust

    Pip: Finding contentment sounds passive, but "Finding Contentment" opens with a 114-year-old woman who called it a daily choice.

    Mara: Eunice Sandborn said she had a happy life and no complaints — and acknowledged there were seasons where she had to actively choose that. The post anchors on Hebrews 13:6: "Be satisfied with what you have. For God has said, 'I will never fail you. I will never abandon you.'"

    Pip: That's not a promise tied to circumstances. It holds in the lean seasons and the full ones alike.

    Mara: Exactly — and that's the ground everything else in this episode stands on.

    Pip: Offer what you have, show up for the people around you, and trust the one who doesn't abandon you in the lean seasons.

    Mara: Simple questions with a lot of weight. More next time.

  • Does God See Me?

    Does God See Me?

    Does God see me?

    This is a question many people ask, and you may be asking it today. Life is chaotic, so you’re really wondering if God sees you. It is a fair question, and the Bible gives us an answer.

    The Bible says God sees us. Psalm 139:1-4 says:

    “O Lord, you have examined my heart
    and know everything about me.
    You know when I sit down or stand up.
    You know my thoughts even when I’m far away.
    You see me when I travel
    and when I rest at home.
    You know everything I do.
    You know what I am going to say
    even before I say it, Lord.”

    When Scripture tells us that God sees us, it isn’t simply saying that He knows we exist. It is more than just seeing us. It means the Lord knows what we’re facing. He knows the details. He knows the things we haven’t told anyone else. He knows the fear behind the smile. He knows the tears behind the words, “I’m doing fine.”

    Psalm 139:2 reminds us that God understands our thoughts, even when we struggle to express them. Verse 4 tells us that before a word reaches our lips, he already knows it. The Lord knows us, and he sees us.

    Friends, you don’t have to pretend with God. You don’t have to hide your pain or find the perfect words to explain what you’re going through. The God who sees you already knows, and he invites you to come just as you are.

    You can bring the Lord your fears, pains, and struggles. He invites you, and he welcomes you.

    Remember, the Lord sees you, and he views you as someone who is priceless.