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“To you, O Lord, I lift up my soul. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.” Psalm 25:1, 5 (ESV)

Side by side we walked out of the gym. Her stride was right in step with mine despite a head full of beautiful silver hair.  The smile on her face was contagious.

“We’re doing pretty good aren’t we?” she asked.

“Yes,” I agreed.  “Great job in the gym today”

As we neared our cars, this sweet little lady asked me to guess her age.  My response was  70’s.

“No,” she responded, “I’m 90.  I try to do the best I can to keep moving.  If I don’t, I won’t be able to do anything.”

You could see her eyes gleaming as she said those words.  I was speechless.

What an inspiration this 90 year old was to me….I thought I want to be like her when I grow up. I want to be active and clear minded.  I want to keep doing the things I love despite the years on my birth certificate. So whenever I see her at the gym, I’m inspired to keep pressing through even when I don’t want to.

Who are we encouraging or inspiring?

We all need someone in our corner cheering us on – even when life is going great – especially when life is hard.  Visibly watching another person push through difficult challenges gives us a renewed perspective and energy to stay on course.

Don’t know about you, but I need daily inspiration to remind me that giving up is not an option. And God’s Word is full of encouragement.  The Psalms are my fave place to go.  Heartfelt words reminding me of God’s character, love and presence in my life.

The Psalmist David faced many challenges and discouraging moments in his life, but he always knew where to go and who to turn to – His God.  Holding back was not David’s default. He laid his soul bare before the Lord and as a result, David experienced an intimacy with God beyond his imagination.

Absolutely love the way God chose to include David’s words in the scriptures.  He knew, we like David, would need daily encouragement.  We would face disappointments and simple ordinary moments when our hearts fought against giving up.

So blessed to read page after page of how God inspired His children to keep moving forward.  So blessed to hear amazing stories of people who have intersected my life and shared of God’s redemptive work in their lives.  Grateful for the opportunity to see tangible proof of God encouraging my heart through His people.

What more could a girl ask for….we are lavishly loved by our God…..He truly is our inspiration.  Don’t miss out on an opportunity to share with others so they will be encouraged too!

“Father, You lift our spirits and strengthen our hearts.  You remind us of Your deep love and Your abiding presence.  When we are discouraged, overwhelmed or defeated, You raise us up to heights we could have never imagined.”

For His Glory

Janet Martin
TRBC Women’s Life