And it has been a crazy ride so far! The church where I serve is a great place to be, and the leadership is very strong. I’m thankful that they decided to take a chance on an untried newbie. Granted, I had several years of ministry experience, but not in this role.

Since I’m so new, I’m learning the ropes as I go along. Much of what I do, I watched several other men perform well in the churches where I served as a youth minister. But actually doing it… That’s kind of a different story. And there are times where the stress, from the responsibility, the learning curve, the leadership skills needed, and more, all pile up and get you down.

At times like that, what you need is a little encouragement.

A few months ago, several men from our church traveled to a neighboring town for a leadership training day. One of the sessions was about staying encouraged. This isn’t something that I really thought I needed at the time, but over the last few months, I’ve found myself going back over my notes, reviewing and processing these thoughts often.

Since I find these ideas so helpful, I thought I’d share them with you. Hopefully, you can gain as much from these thoughts as I have.

So, over the course of the next few days, I want to share with you four key principles to staying encouraged. Here they are briefly:

1. Get into God’s Word.
2. Remember the purpose of the church.
3. Expect God to act.
4. Find your niche.

These four principles are critical to staying encouraged. And they’ll help you persevere for the long haul, especially when things get tough and you feel like throwing in the towel.

2 Timothy 1:3-7 says this:

I thank God, whom I serve with a clear conscience the way my forefathers did, as I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day, longing to see you, even as I recall your tears, so that I may be filled with joy. For I am mindful of the sincere faith within you, which first dwelt in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am sure that it is in you as well. For this reason I remind you to kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you through the laying on of my hands. For God has not given us a spirit of timidity, but of power and love and discipline.

Paul gives Timothy some incredible encouragement here, and reminds him that even though things can get hard, and ministry can be tough, that he needs to stick to it and stay encouraged.

The same is true for you and I. Staying encouraged is a key part of our spiritual growth and leadership capabilities. And while it takes some work, the results are well worth it.

What do you do to stay encouraged? You can leave your thoughts in the comments section below.

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