IBIU

To my BFFs:
If you have a tweenager or teenager in your home-or you are dialed in to current text-speak regardless of your age-you have already translated my opening greeting: "Best Friend Forever". The "forever" meaning of "BFF" is important to us as Christians - all who know the Lord Jesus Christ will indeed be best friends forever with Him and with one another.

When we begin to just understood the use of emoticons in email-things and Facebook like :), :(, and :\ - when along came a whole new world of text abbreviations. But we can appreciate this new way of communicating because there are so many more messages to be conveyed between friends and acquaintances. And as you will discover in this lesson, so many ways to follow the Biblical instructions to use those messages to "encourage one another".

It's amazing what emotional impact just a few simple letters can have. Just a small gesture, act, or word on our part can lift a heavy load from the shoulders of a discouraged person-whether friend, new acquaintance, or stranger. Hopefully this lesson will stir your creativity and help you become a powerful encourager.

Whether we use text abbreviations or not, we all must master the skill of en¬couragement. Someone's day may depend on our delivering just the right message.

UG2BK. T+. T@YL. To some, those jumbles of letters, numbers, and symbols are about as decipherable as Egyptian hieroglyphics. But to others who know the code, those short cryptic phrases display the following thoughts: You've got to be kidding. Think positive. Talk at you later.

Welcome to the brave new world of text messages! Just as it is difficult to remember how we coped before the coming of the Internet, it is hard to recall how we were able to keep in touch with each other before the development of the cell phone and-consequently-text messaging and now, FB posts.

Why has text messaging become such a constant and vital source of interaction today? The answer is pretty simple; for it doesn't matter if you are a business owner, schoolteacher, stay-at¬-home-mom, or even retired - we are all pressed for time! That is why it has become THE way to connect with other people. (Most of you remember how long your teacher resisted texting.) A busy world demands creative ways to communicate, and texting allows us to share and convey our thoughts to others with a minimal amount of effort.

Abbreviations are king in text mes¬saging because there is a limit of characters that can be sent in a single text. Because of this, thousands upon thousands of abbreviations have sprung up as people have sought to say as much as they can in as few letters as possible. Thus, a text message could range from having symbols like <3 (which stands for "heart" because it looks like a heart lying on its side) to phonetic jumbles like 4eva (meaning "forever") to long acronyms like AFAIK (as far as I know) or GMTA (great minds think alike).
Now if you have ever used text messaging, there is a good chance that you have written or received a text that contained some of the most common texting abbreviations, such as JIK (just kidding), CUL (see you later), or TNX (thanks). But here is a suggestion for a new one to add to your repertoire: IBIU. Do you know what that stands for? I BELIEVE IN YOU.

It's amazing what emotional impact just a few simple letters can have. Think what "IBIU" says to the person who receives that message in a text, email, Facebook post or hand¬written note: "I believe in you!" Just a small gesture, act, or word on our part can lift a heavy load from the shoulders of a discouraged person-whether friend, new acquaintance, or stranger. Hopefully this lesson will stir your creativity and help you become a powerful encourager.
Text messaging is an ideal way to encourage people. And a simple abbre¬viated phrase like "I believe in you" can make a world of difference in someone's day. Those four common words have the ability to deliver a message that can promote strength, resolve, joy, comfort, love, and even spiritual healing. And how long would it take anyone of us to send such a life-affirming thought of hope to those we love? About 5 seconds.

This lesson is challenging you to be an encourager. It takes courage and effort to be an encourager these days because when we look at the world around us, there is a lot that we can be discouraged about. But we are called as Christ-followers to build each other up and to bear one another's burdens. And although that may seem like a difficult task for you to undertake, we are going to encourage you by taking this small step: Send a text message! Or send an email, FB Message, or
a handwritten note is acceptable.  (See this version of MS Word changed my : and ) into a real smiley face). And you know a cell phone can still be used as a phone. But this lesson is mainly focusing on texting.

Texting is an easy, non-threatening way to approach someone with a word of hope. You can text something simple like P4U (which means "praying for you") or HC4U ("He cares for you"). And when you hear about the joy and encouragement that such a simple act sparked in someone's life, you'll only feel more encouraged to call someone or invite them for coffee and get in¬volved in the serious calling of lifting up our friends and family in their daily journeys.
It doesn't take much to be a positive force in the lives around you. All you have to do is take that first step-for when you do, the joy that you feel in being used of God will propel you forward into the next opportu¬nity. Hopefully as we go over this lesson we can find out how to be an encourager today!

We are called as Christ-followers to build each other up. (1 Thessalonians 5:11)

Melodye Jenkins likes to encourage her son John before his basketball games, but one day she wasn't able to get him on the phone. The Vanderbilt freshman was preparing for the big game against Kentucky. You might think John Jenkins wouldn't need pep talks. He was one of the nation's best high school shooters. But boys still need their moms; so when John didn't answer his phone Melodye sent a non-too subtle text message: "Game-high 25 to 30 points. It has now been spoken." It worked. Playing on national television later that day, Jenkins came alive, scoring 32 points against Kentucky and leading his team to an 81-77 victory.

It doesn't always take a lot to encourage some¬one. A text message, a pat on the back, a whisper of confidence, a "that-a-boy," a note in the mail, a public word of praise, a shot in the arm, a high five. That's the secret power of the letters WTG-Way to Go! We can't say that too often, The people around, young and old, thrive on words of encouragement from someone who believes in them. Encouragement is a key component in strengthening others.….and yourself.

Someone has said, "All encouragement is from the Lord; all discouragement is from the devil." There's truth in that, for our God is a God of kind, yet earnest reproof, and His Word is a book of encouragement.

The apostle Paul told the Romans: "Such things were written in the Scriptures long ago to teach us. And the Scriptures give us hope and encouragement as we wait patiently for God’s promises to be fulfilled. May God, who gives this patience and encouragement, help you live in complete harmony with each other, as is fitting for followers of Christ Jesus. (Romans 15:4-5)
He told the Thessalonians: "May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by his grace gave us eternal encourage¬ment and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word" (2 Thessalonians 2:16-17)
The writer to the Hebrews suggested that his readers had grown weary and were in danger of giving up because they " And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as his children? He said, “My child, don’t make light of the LORD’s discipline, and don’t give up when he corrects you. (Hebrews 12:5).
Educator Jane Bluestein, in her book, The Win- Win Classroom, tells about a teacher who was grading an assignment turned in by her second-graders. Most of the papers were admirable and received positive comments and stickers at the top.

But one student had turned in a paper that was little more than an angry black scribble. Instead of a story, there was a sentence fragment with no capital letters, no punctuation, and no correctly-spelled words. The paper gave evidence of having been crumpled up in frustration. There were also holes in the paper caused by the vigorous use of an eraser.

The teacher was tempted to mark-up the paper with a red pen, but she hesitated. Making a mental note to work with this student on his capitals and spelling (and erasing), she decided to make a positive comment and give him a sticker as she had done to the other children. But what could she say that was positive?

She finally saw something on the paper that the student hadn't messed up. She returned the paper to him bearing the words: "Magnificent Margins!"

The boy was delighted with his stick¬er and proud of his magnificent margins. He grew more concerned about his work, and as his teacher patiently worked with him he showed steady progress.

It takes a little thought and some¬times a slight change in our perspective, but we can learn to touch the lives of others through encouragement. We can learn to say "Way to Go!" Or at least we can say "Magnificent Margins!"

God directs us to be encouragers.

In the Book of Acts, the apostles considered it essential to encourage the family. Luke writes that Paul and Barnabas went around "strengthening the disciples and encouraging them to remain true to the faith” (Acts 14:22, NIV). Two other New Testament workers, Judas and Silas, "who themselves were prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the brothers" (Acts 15:32, NIV). We're told that the apostle Paul traveled around "speaking many words of encouragement to the people" (Acts 20:2)

Don't forget the person sitting near you at church. There's a broken heart in every pew. As you enter for worship, pray for those around you. Commit a random act of kindness. Share a word of Scripture by word, note, or text message. Let them know: LYLS & LYLB. Love you like a sister or Love you like a brother!

Who have you encouraged today?