I’m a cheerleader. Not the kind that stands in front of a crowd to cheer for a team & rally the fans but the kind that is in the background. Still cheering, sometimes loudly, but from the stands.
Since I was a child I have been cheering others on. It started with my older brother, David. He was a natural born athlete in every sport he took on as a kid from baseball to basketball to football to track to, well, you get the idea. If he was playing a game, I was his Pep Squad. One summer, I was even the “bat-girl” for his baseball team when I was 8 or so. His teammates called him “Mahaffey” & I was “Lil’ Mahaffey”. They even made me a t-shirt with that nickname on it to match the rest of the team & I wore it proudly. I was his biggest fan.
As an adult, I’m still a big fan of cheering on others when they are pursuing their dreams.
This kind of cheerleader is called an Encourager.
What does being an encourager have to do with being a big fan of dreams?
I recently read Holley Gerth’s “You’re Made for a God-Sized Dream”. The book is full of huge nuggets of truth & wisdom. I came to the realization after reading her book that my God-sized dream is to encourage others & help their God-sized dreams come true.
Dreaming doesn’t come natural for me but encouraging does. So I guess you can say my dreams are coming true by encouraging others.
The definition of ENCOURAGE : to INSPIRE with COURAGE, SPIRIT, or CONFIDENCE.
It takes courage, spirit & confidence to inspire others with your encouragement. I believe my strengths, experiences and life skills have all pointed in the direction of helping & encouraging others. That doesn’t mean that it’s always easy or fun to just stand on the sidelines or be the voice of encouragement from the side of the stage. Sometimes the encouragement falls on deaf ears or it’s rejected. Sometimes envy creeps in. Being an encourager can be lonely. Where is the pep squad for the pep squad?
Humility is strength under control. It’s knowing who we are, being secure in that, & then choosing to serve.
Holley Gerth You Were Made for a God-Sized Dream
Despite those feelings of insecurity that sometimes creep in, everyday I have a choice to make.
I choose to serve by encouraging others.
Are you a big fan of dreams?
Galen TeSelle says
Caroline … Without a doubt you have the gift of encouragement. Most, like me, have to desire to inspire. “You can do it” just naturally comes out from your heart. Thank you for all you do in raising your family and encouraging Gunnar, Tygar, Stone, and Eden and Greg. The world needs more encouragers like you. I thank God He made you!
Gale
caroline says
thank you Gale! love you!
Tracey says
I have never realized this but encouraging others comes naturally to me too but dreaming does not. Other than our dream to live in Colorado…and now we’re living that so maybe in 40 years I’ll have another dream too 🙂
caroline says
40 years from now, who knows what the 2 of us will do!
ellen says
you are very definitely an encourager. i’m so thankful for you. i know you’re a blessing to your local friends as you lean in to your gifting.
also! with all this reader mess i’ve been using bloglovin’ which leads me to actual blogs….i love the new look around here :).
ellen recently posted..a bit of everyday on a Saturday.
caroline says
Thank you friend! I’m loving bloglovin’ too! OH! And p.s. Bought my ticket for Influence! woohoo!!
Laura Putnam says
Wow, thank you for helping me realize that there are others like me and that sometimes it is frustrating!
caroline says
It was eye-opening for me to realize that even though I have the gift of encouragement, that sometimes that gift can bring frustration & loneliness. We “encouragers” have to be each other’s pep squad!