Encourage
and we have a beautiful three-and-a-half-year-old granddaughter with whom we spend much time. The ARP Women’s Ministries vision statement says, “ARP Women’s Ministries
DAWN LEWIS WM President
years ago. I was ARP Women’s Minis- tries president in 2020. That was a rough year for me, as I had some health problems that began in June and lasted until mid-October. It was also during the pandemic, so the year was not typical. I was nominated that, and it is my honor to serve the Lord again in this capacity. I am a member of Edgemont ARP Church in Coving- ton, Virginia, and have been for about 45 years. I graduated from Erskine College in 1988 with a Bachelor’s De- gree in Education and currently teach special education to children in grades K through four. I have been married to my wonderful husband for 13 years,
I
would like to start by sharing a little bit about myself.
You may have seen me here before, a couple of
is an organization which encourages, equips, and connects the community of ARP women to minister together for God’s glory and purpose.” I want to address the “en- courage” part of that statement in this article. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 reads: “Therefore, encourage one another up, just as you are doing.” Encouraging each other is an im- portant part of loving them as yourself. Providing encouragement is also important because most people you meet are hurting in some way. For some, life may be just too hectic; for others, it may be a family illness or issue, while for others, it may be their own illness. We, men and women, can be encouragers to those that feel the stress of any of that. It doesn’t have to be some big grandiose gesture. First and foremost, praying for those we know are struggling or feeling the weight
of stress is the simplest yet most effective thing we can do. God hears our prayers and answers them. Matthew 21:22 states, “And, whatever you ask in prayer, you will receive if you have faith.” There have been times when I have been overwhelmed, but I know the prayers of others have brought me through those times, as well as my faith in God and knowing he would take care of me. I can now use those experiences to reach out and encourage others in similar situations.
I have also been encouraged by the actions of others. Another simple thing to do
being at Erskine and getting them regularly from members of Edgemont. I was six hours away from home, so everyone was cherished. I have had numerous hospital stays over the last 15 years and always get tons of cards from people near and far. They always uplifted and encouraged me. Through the years, I have tried to be in the habit of sending cards of encouragement to those I think need it. The next time you are in a dollar store, pick up a few cards to have on hand. Let someone know you are thinking of them no matter what the occasion. Maybe you can afford something a little more than a card. I would like to share
me one day and discreetly placed a $20 bill in my hand. She told how someone did that for her under the same circum- stances. Since then, I have done the same for several people I know. It meant so much to me, and passing it on has also meant a lot. Finally, offer actual words of encouragement to the per-
son. You never know how much it may mean to someone. I dedicate this article to the late R. Berkley Mays, who passed away this past July. He always gave me words of encour- agement after reading these articles. I will miss his kind remarks this year. I pray that each of you taking the time to read my articles this year will gain something from them, and I ask for your prayers not only for myself but for ARP Women’s Ministries as we try to be encouraging.
Knowing, loving, serving, Jesus ARPWM January/February 2023 19
Women’s Ministries
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