Encouraging Good Works

And let us encourage one another to love and good works

(Hebrews 10:24)

A year ago this week, I accepted the challenge of becoming a community blogger for the Stuttgart Daily Leader and sharing my Purposed Work blog in other Gatehouse Media online editions in Arkansas. At first, I wondered if I could really come up with enough content to post on a weekly, consistent basis. Fifty posts later, I can humbly say that it is possible because of the love and encouragement received. Thank you to all of the dedicated readers and commenters.

It took a lot of courage for me to expose the mountains and valleys of building a business and a brand, while attempting to maintain my primary role as a wife and mother. One the flip side, because I know that I opened myself to more people following the journey, I have had to lean on the knowledge that others are watching to give myself motivation to persevere when unexpected life events happen (like dealing with a major relocation). My faith has been tested in this year. However, the results of those trials have been exceedingly more than I ever expected or imagined. Thank you all for your virtual encouragement.

This blog is titled Purposed Work as a testament of the journey of releasing what I thought I would do through self-effort to receiving instruction for the work I was purposed to do through divine insight. At this point, I can say Thank You for unanswered prayers, for closed doors, and for earthly no’s because I am steps closer to a supernatural yes. On days where I am lead to places I never imagined, I forge ahead on the path, standing on the promise that faith, without good works, is dead. That blind faith and encouragement from those following the journey has allowed my business to grow into areas I never considered. Thank you all for your prayers and considerations.

One of the unexpected outcomes from writing this blog is the opportunity to mentor others in their efforts to walk by faith. I have received so many calls and emails and made so many new friends along the way. We encourage each other by sharing our stories of grace, mercy, favor, love, and humility in doing purposed work that does not happen easily but is needed to improve our communities. Thank you all for your service.

Sometimes you have to encourage yourself. Sometimes you have to speak victory during your test. And no matter how you feel, speak the word and you will be healed.*** Encourage yourself and others through love and good works. Has your purposed work led you to encourage others to persevere in their good works? Feel free to comment, or, send me an email at latanyua.robinson@gmail.com. If you like this post and want to catch up on some of my previous discussions, please visit the full Purposed Work blog at http://ltr-latrobe-mfg.blogspot.com/.

*** http://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/donaldlawrence/encourageyourself.html ***

Expecting Good Works

Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think,

 according to the power that works in us

(Ephesians 3:20)

It is hard to believe that the first month of 2014 is already considered the past. This is the coldest winter that I can recall. Despite the gray and overcast days, my outlook and disposition for what is coming can only be described as filled with expectancy. In fact, I am having an EX-theme word season. To explain, I refer back to an older blog post from 2013 where my theme was GREATER:

http://ltr-latrobe-mfg.blogspot.com/2013/05/greater-works.html

Four weeks into this year and my world has been filled with subtle and overt examples of EX-themed prophecies of what is coming: EXCELLENCY! EXCEPTIONALISM! EXCEEDINGLY!

EXCELLENCY: By favor, I recently took my car into the dealership for routine maintenance. While sitting there, I had an epiphany about customer expectations for premium quality and service. For our business interactions, we used this word for robust, honest debate on whether or not our clients and partners see Latrobe as a premier industrial service provider. The internal response was underwhelming, forcing us to examine our work processes and our company’s Code of Conduct to explicitly include the following: Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your actions show integrity, dignity…

EXCEPTIONALISM: By grace, we have been operating for four years. Most days are not easy and we have made many mistakes along the way. But the shouting moment is that we are still here, despite some of the challenges that we have faced. I went to a bible study were the pastor reminded us that the will to endure and never quit is the basis for exceptionalism: But He chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; He chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; He chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring from nothing things that are (1 Corinthians 1:27-28). My explanation of what we have been able to accomplish in these few years: except (the root word), because He chose us... 

EXCEEDINGLY: By faith, because He chose us, the expectation is that our self-efforts are not required to do the good works that He is perfecting in His time. The harvest will be abundantly more than anything we could have imagined, because He is able to do exceedingly (Ephesians 3:20).

Expectancy is one of EX-theme words that I am using in 2014 to describe my purposed work. Despite the cold temperatures that have momentary slowed the pace, we are preparing for a harvest that includes excellency, exceptionalism, and exceedingly more than we could have imagined for our customers and our communities.  Do you have any EX-themed or guiding principles to align with your good works in 2014? Feel free to comment, or, send me an email at latanyua.robinson@gmail.com. If you like this post and want to catch up on some of my previous discussions, please visit the full Purposed Work blog at http://ltr-latrobe-mfg.blogspot.com/.