Everyone needs encouragement from time to time. In all my years of counseling I have met only a few people who did not respond positively to a few words of encouragement — words carefully chosen and grounded in the Bible. Some of the most memorable moments of my own life have been those when, weighed down by a crushing problem and deep discouragement, someone crossed my path and stirred my faith with a God-given, reassuring word. 'Discouragement' means losing courage, losing heart, giving up. Almost every day we meet discouraging situations: being belittled, hearing criticism, plans that seem to come to nothing, loneliness, sorrow, failure, doubt, and more. 'Encouragement,' by contrast, means imparting fresh confidence and courage — giving heart or hope, strengthening, motivating, helping. A believer once told me: 'I can get through a whole month on a single word of encouragement.' Your Personal Encourager can be used in two ways: first, to help you find the verses and thoughts you need when you face some form of discouragement or despair; and second, as a foundation from which you can help others when they need encouragement. It goes without saying that the power of this book lies in the words of the verses it highlights. I have also added comments and observations of my own, and a prayer that can be used at the end of each reading — if the prayer does not suit you, use your own. My comments, needless to say, are not as valuable as the words of the verses themselves; but they rest on those verses and deal with weighty themes such as God's sovereignty, His power, His compassion, and His forgiveness — the very truths David must surely have pondered in those desperate moments at Ziklag. The thoughts recorded here have been used in countless counseling situations over the years, and many people have told me they found them helpful. I hope they will be so for you as well.
