affirmation!

i just want to write a little more about our excursion to Mexico...

Our last night in there, we took some time as a team to affirm each other.

affirmation is not a word that i ever really used or heard before working with Praying Pelican, but they use it a lot, and they really take time to encourage one another and although its always awkward at first - its so so so great to take time to notice the good in other people, and then SHARE it with them.
so we all sat down as a team and went around the circle and had 3 ppl affirm each person. and it went so well - there was never a shortage of people willing to affirm.

an affirmation is not just "i like your hair" or "you are funny"...haha...its pure encouragement, pulling out things in a person that really bless other people, things that God is using them for, etc. it requires us to notice people, to pay attention...which is not always easy.

but its so good to practice getting in that mindset. seeing the good, and then encouraging them in that area. let them know that they are a blessing in that way.
anyways...watching the team share and encourage one another was such a blessing to ME...so encouraging to see them just loving on each other and to go out of their way to point out these things in their teammates.
i was like tearing up! haha...but really.
it might be awkward at first, but its so worth it because as we are supposed to work together as a body...lifting each other up, seeing in others what they might not see for themselves.

we didnt have nearly enough time to have everyone affirm everyone - so we encouraged them to do it on their own time. to make an effort to encourage each other.
and we saw some of them doing that!
i came home and wrote out affirmations for the team via Facebook - not quite the same as face to face, but it works.
i just saw SO much good in the whole team and saw so many new things that i had never noticed before in them. God truly does work through each person SO differently. and its so cool to see all the different character traits and gifts of God by looking at each person using their gifts in ministry.

so great.

so i just want to encourage you all to practice seeing people, practice encouraging people, and practice accepting it! that sometimes is the hardest part...
something that Rory Noland said in our "worshiping artist" book was that we need to ask GOD what His calling for us is.
really listen for the answer - it might not be what we want or expect...but regardless, its what He is calling us to and once we finally just embrace it...God can bring His gifts to life in us and put them to work!
and so it helps to listen to the affirmations, to encouragement from other believers because it helps us to see and understand what it is that God is doing through us and how He is using us.
so lets work together as a body and help each other figure out what role God created us for in His perfect, incredible, amazing plan!