Treasures of Encouragement, equips us to undertake with passion the important work of building up the Body of Christ through Biblical encouragement.

The phone rings - someone in your world is in crisis… discouragement, sorrow, fear, illness, death, or one of a myriad of other personal tragedies that occur around us every day. What do you say? What can you do? What helps? What doesn't? Do you hold back because you are unsure of how to wade into another's sorrow, gently, lovingly, supportively, encouragingly? If so, you are like many in the body of Christ. We simply do not know either the depth of the need for encouragement, or we are unsure of how to proceed. In reality, the only wrong thing we can do is to stifle the very gifts of God, given for the building up of the body, and do nothing.

The NEED is more than apparent. The church has never been immune to the difficulties and sufferings of life. We are called to bear one-another’s burdens. The book Treasures of Encouragement focuses on the fact that we, in the body, have been gifted with treasures in these earthen vessels intended to be dispersed under the direction of the Holy Spirit. That treasure was never intended to be hoarded nor kept hidden.

The premise: "When Christ is in us, we have the treasures of his encouragement at our fingertips. And when we obey the encouragement mandate, the treasures we give are multiplied in our own lives." The book does not claim to be a textbook on encouragement, but rather "a passionate plea for the lavish application of encouragement throughout the body. A strengthening force that restores souls, mending broken hearts and lives."

The two-fold purpose of the author is readily apparent to those who have read this book as they invariably report it to be both profoundly scriptural and extensively practical. The author challenges us to think Biblically about our position in Christ, and then to live Biblically as the treasures of encouragement emerge from this new way of thinking.

Each chapter offers a basic principle of encouragement which is demonstrated in true life stories and then carefully explained. But, Sharon does not ask us to act on the stories or principles themselves, rather each chapter concludes with six days of daily devotional studies which drive us into the Biblical foundations for each principle and challenge us in ways designed to cultivate our intimacy with Christ and spur us on to practice what we believe.

Sharon discovered the need in her own life at a time of severe grief where "the healing balm of encouragement stopped the spread of despair’s infection and began replacing it with hope’s healing glow." She discovered how "God’s Word was the healing balm, and God’s people applied it lavishly to soothe the searing pain in my soul."

As these inspiring stories, essential principles and helpful daily exercises elucidate essential principles of encouragement, the reader becomes more and more equipped to express God’s loving encouragement throughout her own church. There are countless believers out there in our churches still yearning and hungering for rich, satisfying, community life. In the chapter entitled "Treasures in the Church," the author examines the church at Philippi, uncovering seven traits of an encouraging church that demonstrate the building up of community life. Similarly, each chapter is packed with such treasures.

The appendix of encouragement ideas alone will inspire you.

Studying this book alone will be inspiring, however, studying this book together with the women in your church can open the door for the kind of soul work and spiritual intimacy that brings glory to God, as we perform one-anothering which can dramatically change the culture, and effectiveness of your church’s ministry. A detailed Leader’s Guide is available.

A detailed Leader's Guide is also available.

Recommendations

Those who have read this book report it to be powerful, moving, compelling, life-changing, and practical. Susan Hunt calls this book "Sharon’s sacrifice of praise...Her theological integrity and her personal pilgrimage through pain harmonize into a glorious doxology."