Hi, and welcome to the Five Word Prayers Daily, a five-day-a-week daily devotional where we share the

word, prayers, in our heart. I'm Lisa Whittle, and I welcome you to just five minutes with me,

which I trust and pray will be five minutes well spent. So today is a continuation of our series

about ministry, and more specifically how you and I are in ministry if we're followers of Jesus Christ. I hope you listen

to yesterday's show about the ministry of presence, but if you didn't, go back after this one

and do that quickly. It's only five minutes. Such a sweet and important type of ministry God

has called us to, I think. But today is an equally vital one as well. We all love it,

and need it, and actually, I think,

look for it, maybe even fish for it sometimes if we're honest. Yeah, the Ministry of Encouragement.

And I hope our talk will encourage you today.

I'll be honest, I don't know that there is a type of person I love more on the planet than one who is a natural encourager, right?

The kind of person who, when you see them, they make you feel better than when you weren't in their presence.

I'm not sure there are any of us who wouldn't want to be considered a Barnabas type like in the Bible,

though we love fiery, passionate Paul.

The truth is in person, Paul was probably a lot less likable and had less friends.

Barnabas was so encouraging, in fact, that Barnabas wasn't his birth name, Joseph was.

It was his nickname, which meant

son of encouragement, according to the Book of Acts. Barnabas was the guy you wanted around

and wanted to hang out with because of how he encouraged you, and who doesn't want to be wanted?

Encouraging others is a beautiful and vital work of ministry.

And while I believe there are some who had this natural spiritual gift and personality bend,

I also believe all of us can grow in the spirit and develop a more encouraging ministry life

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