New Award Recognizes Encouragers Among Chronically Ill

Has someone touched your life at Rest Ministries? A new award honors hope builders.

Here at Rest Ministries we often see people who drop by to visit our website and then . . . months later we begin to see the hope they

are building among our community. Rest Ministries exists–and is celebrating 20 years of ministry next year–because you have been involved in giving people hope.

Henry Blackaby once said “We don’t choose what we will do for God. He invites us to join Him where He wants to involve us” (Experiencing God).

I am humbled to think that God has invited so many of you to join us here at Rest Ministries–and involve you. God took the vision of a young girl of 24, recently diagnosed with a life-changing illness–and then made it come true. I am not done dreaming about Rest Ministries’ future and the possibilities. But wow . . . it is such a blessing to see what He has done so far with some of you. And I want to honor you–to say thank you in a small way.

This month we are introducing the Hope Builder Award.

Rest Ministries has always been about you. My motto has always been “people before program.” Yet, I am just one person. I could never have built Rest Ministries without people like you. I needed Hope Builders walking along beside me.

What is a Hope Builder?

Scripture tells us that the God of hope can fill us with “all joy and peace” as we trust in Him–so much so that we can overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Romans 15:13).

We see people here at Rest Ministries who are overflowing! We witness in their lives and we see the impact this has on those around them.

Despite their personal challenges–illnesses, finances, relationships, and more–they overflow with hope–using their surplus to build others up with that same hope that they have found in Jesus.

I can’t even fathom how many thousands of hours have been donated during these two decades. But I do know all of them come from your heart.

You care.
You’re called.
And so you commit–without any recognition.

Starting in April we will be acknowledging someone each month with our Hope Builder Award.

And you are welcome to nominate someone who you think should receive this Hope Builder recognition. You can do this in our Contact Us form at RestMinistries.com.

A Hope Builder is one who shows up wherever they are needed–usually without even being asked.

They see a need and they take care of it if they can. They keep me abreast–making sure I know about individuals who are commenting on a blog or who are quietly hurting in the Sunroom, who may need some extra care.

Hope Builders show up at noon, 9 PM–more times than we realize– at 3 AM. They are the commenters on our website posts, who not only comment on the devotions, but respond to our new visitors, welcoming them with kindness.

Hope Builders are all over our Sunroom social network, helping people with technical questions to posting birthday wishes. Our HopeKeeper leaders around the USA and beyond build up hope in the lives of thousands who walk into a church meeting room and pour out their heart.

They are the pray-ERs who Some encourage multiple hours a day, responding to emails and posts–treating people with loving-kindness and grace. And our volunteers are Hope Builders. Some of them have been building hope here at Rest Ministries for over 15 years.

If you look at the description above and think Ugh! I should be doing more! please know that God sees everything you do–

Perhaps you are building hope in your child with special needs. Or you are a Hope Builder to everyone you visit with at while at the infusion center. Maybe you build hope in a neighbor who recently loss her spouse, or a nurse who is struggling to do it all as a single mom.

You suffer so many losses and weaknesses due to illness –and yet you still give everything you have.

We are excited to honor some of the Hope Builders in our midst.

So don’t miss our future posts that share a bit about the Hope Builders among us.

I can’t wait to share with you how some of our friends here at Rest Ministries have built hope among us. Join us in saying thanks to them and letting them know if they have personally built some hope in your life at some point. We all can use more hope.

Lisa