Persevere

And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

Hebrews 10:24-25, NIV

Oh, how I love encouragement!  I love to receive encouragement, and I love to give encouragement. Hebrews 10:25 is my SSMT memory verse for the first half of November.  (It should be verse 21 of the year, but unfortunately I missed the second verse in September and October.  But it's ok.  I will have 22 verses that I have meditated on throughout 2011 and most of which I have memorized... some are new verses to me and some I am using to refresh myself.) 

Encouragement is a necessity in this life.  Hard times come... a hectic schedule, a difficult job, losing someone you love (through death or just a broken relationship), sickness, etc.  The list could go on and on.  But, through faith, we know that a wonderful day is coming... "the Day".  We cannot lose sight of this fact.  This Day should impact how we live each day of our lives.  This Day should encourage us to work through whatever hardships must come because we know that the light to the darkness is coming.  This Day should also encourage us to encourage those around us, our fellow believers as well as others in our life.  We need the encouragement of each other to push us to excel and make the best of what we are given.  Otherwise, it is far too easy for us to fall and make decisions that hurt not only us but those we have come in contact with throughout our lives as well.  May each of us be an encouragement to everyone we come in contact with today.  The simplest form of encouragement:  a smile!