Encouraging yourself is building self confidence within.  Encouraging yourself is having self-esteem.

Encouraging yourself is having a positive outlook.  Encouraging yourself is not allowing anyone to turn you around.  All of these are weapons you can use against the enemy.  The enemy's agenda is to defeat you with words that hurt, lower your self esteem, and inflict pain.

Children, make a habit of encouraging yourself so that you will be ready to stand against whatever comes at you in the way of the enemy.

If you allow pain and the anger to settle inside of you, it can destroy your life.  Don't be a victim of the blame game syndrome and let it take over your life.  Encourage yourself to overcome and know that God protects His own.  You can only be hurt if you allow it to happen.  When bad stuff happens, look at the positive side of things instead of the negative side.  Stuff or situations you bring upon yourself is your mess.  Only you can stop it.

You feel as if you want to throw in the towel and say the heck with all of this.  But I come to tell you that you have to encourage yourself.  Acts 11:23 tells us to be encouraged and stay true to the Lord with all our hearts.  Sometimes you have to speak a word to yourself, anointing yourself with oil and go before the Lord saying "Lord, I put my faith and trust in you, please give me the strength to endure."  Matthew 17:20 says:  "If you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move.  Nothing will be impossible for you."

When you discover that you are carrying around emotional baggage, it is time to examine yourself.  It is time to make a change for the best.  Love, joy, kindness, and helping others by doing good deeds can bring a feeling of goodness within.

Haboring and feeling bad only brings you down and may even resort to you doing bad things.  Make every day your best day.  Depending on your age, begin to make a practice of thanking God for looking after you in the good times as well as the bad times

Start giving God thanks for everything.  Life is not a bed of roses.  Life is not always kind.  You will encounter haters, jealousy, and mean-spirited people but don't be any of those types of people.  Grow up and become like Jesus who stands for love.  It is God who loves us best.  He sent Jesus to take on our sins for us to repent.  With both of them in your corner, you cannot go wrong.

There is a song that goes like this:  It's me, O, Lord standing in the need of prayer.  Not my brother, not my sister, but it's me O, Lord standing in the need of prayer.

Remember:  You cannot piggy back off anyone to receive Christ in your life.  You have to be the one to make the decision for yourself.  When you choose to do nothing, you have still made a choice.

You will have difficult situations that you face in life.  You can take comfort that life will be so much easier to use God and Jesus as a place of refuge to seek out in your time of need.  When God is in your life there is no room for ill feelings.

Surround yourself with what you love in life - family, hobbies, good relationships, and Jesus.

Again, make everyday your best day.  Quit tripping over things that you cannot control.  Incorporate a Yes I Can attitude and make life simple instead of complicated.  Yes, I can face whatever comes my way, and yes I can with the help of my God.  Nothing can hurt me.  Never worry about the opinions of others.  There is only one opinion that truly matters and that is God's opinion.

It was not easy for Jesus when He walked here on earth.  Jesus was determined and He was persistent.  He conquered the obstacles and challenges that were presented.  He taught a lot of life lessons through parables you can find presented in the Bible.  These parables are examples Jesus often used when he ministered.  Jesus remained encouraged despite the hardships he endured.  He was put on trial because He was misunderstood by some that didn't want to believe or accept Him as the son of God.  Jesus stayed encouraged.  He was on a mission to do His father's work.

Children be encouraged for the difficulties and challenges as Jesus met until He was crucified on the cross.  Life is compiled of tests and tribulations we face.  At the end, there is victory through Jesus Christ and because He lived; we can face tomorrow.  We can face anyone or anything.

Let Jesus be the one to lead you and guide you.  Never, ever become associated with nonbelievers and Satan.  Never give up the good fight of living a Godly life.

Remember:  You are in God's care and because Jesus lives, you can stay encouraged.

Jacquelyn D Currie - Author Is There A Hell For Children: www.jacquelyndcurrie.com