These are the essential ingredients of humanity: Affection, Worth, Encouragement.
Created in God's image, each person is created whole to know and respond to affection. Affection is an extension of love. It is the action based upon loving thoughts - like God's towards humanity. Humanity, created by love, to know love, and to experience love. And God is love - 1 John 4:8 (All Versions)
Over and again throughout religion the object of creation, humanity, is valued higher than all other creation. Even in the non-theocentric religions it is man whose consideration is eminent. Worth is essential in the psyche of humanity. Self worth is directly related to interactions with others. It is comparative, balanced, measured, weighed in reflective interaction with others. It is an investment received and given. The highest exchange being between God and humanity. For example, throughout theocentric writings God places the value of humanity higher than all other things while in kind humanity places the value of God higher than all other things. This relationship is more obscure in other religions, yet it can be found or implied, with some creative reasoning.
Because we can think, we can think incorrectly. Incorrect thinking leads to lives less lived. The quality of life is greatly reduced when incorrect thinking leads to discouragement. Encouragement is the best defense and offense against incorrect thinking. Throughout theocentric storylines humanity is encouraged to achieve higher levels of existence. The encouragement most often comes in positive forms of reinforcement (although, negative reinforced encouragement is also found). Encouragement says you are loved and you are worthy. Encouragement says yes, you can! Encouragement states that another believes in you and desires for you to achieve your best existence. Encouragement is a great gift to be given and received. Encouragement is essential.
Mission AWE - It is good to be helpful when possible.
We are all in this together - for better or worse - so let's aim for the better and hold our peace in faith through the worse. Tomorrow always arrives and brings with it the promise of hope.
Mission AWE in action
If you are in a church and it is working for you... stay there. If you are in a church and it is not working for you... get in touch. If you left a church because it was not working for you... get in touch. If you are a minister and that is working for you... amen. If you are a minister and that is not working for you... get in touch. If you left a ministry because it was not working for you... get in touch. Get in touch if you would like to discuss our Lord's words. "And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age." ~Jesus (Matthew 28:20 NLT)