Everyone Needs an Encourager: "Your Support for Each Season of Life"

By Joseph Jason Cotton

Everyone Needs an Encourager is a practical, step-by-step guide that draws from everyday examples and the scriptures to spur us on to love and perform good deeds. It explains how you can be a source of hope and joy to the lives around you and be blessed in the process. This is your opportunity to make a difference! Through your simple actions and caring words you can help brighten someones day or possibly change their life. Join me in this journey towards becoming a more encouraging person, because there are people right now that are waiting for your encouragement!

• Language: English
• Publisher: WestBow Press
• Release date: Mar 2, 2015
• ISBN: 9781490868677

Joseph Jason Cotton

Joseph Jason Cotton is an economist, encourager and motivational speaker. “Jason” as he is commonly known has been a Christian for more than two decades. He has served as deacon, elder and lay pastor in the island of Trinidad and Tobago and gospel minister in other Caribbean islands including: Barbados, Guyana and the British Virgin Islands. He is also a husband and father and enjoys playing football.

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Copyright © 2015 Joseph Jason Cotton.

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the publisher except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.

Scripture quotations taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, Copyright © 1996, 2004. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, Illinois 60189. All rights reserved.

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Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.

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ISBN: 978-1-4908-6868-4 (sc)

ISBN: 978-1-4908-6867-7 (e)

Library of Congress Control Number: 2015901583

WestBow Press rev. date: 03/02/2015

CONTENTS

Chapter 1   What the World Needs Now?

Chapter 2   One Life Can Make a Difference

Chapter 3   The Benefits of Being an Encourager

Chapter 4   Are You an Encourager?

Chapter 5   The Gift of Encouragement

Chapter 6   The Mission and Ministry of Encouragement

Chapter 7   Practical Ways to Encourage Others

Chapter 8   Beyond a Pat on the Back

Chapter 9   The Harvest Is Ripe

Chapter 10   The Encouragers Challenge

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

I would like to express gratitude to my wife, Angelina for her loving support and affirmation in all my endeavors.

Additionally, thanks to the persons that offered comments and suggestions and supported me during the writing process. Special mention must be made of Reverend Lindon Mitchell, Reverend Michael Grant, Reverend Alfred Horsford, June Cotton, and Dean Franklin. Your labors of love to aid in the completion of this project will not be forgotten.

DEDICATION

I dedicate this book to my late grandmother, Evelyn Marcelle, who was a great source of encouragement to me in the faith.

POEM

I watched them tear a building down,

A band of men in a busy town.

With a ho-heave-ho and a lusty yell,

They swung a beam and a sidewalk fell.

I asked the foreman, Are these men skilled?

And the men you’d hire if you had to build?

He gave a laugh and said, No indeed!

Common labor is all I need.

I can easily wreck in a day or two

What builders have taken a year to do.

And I thought to myself as I went on my way,

Which of these roles have I tried to play?

Am I a builder who works with care?

Measuring life by the rule and square?

Am I shaping my deeds to a well-made plan,

Patiently doing the best I can?

Or am I a wrecker who walks the town,

Content with the labor of tearing down?

(Author Unknown)

CHAPTER 1

What the World Needs Now?

I believe that one of the greatest needs of our day is encouragement.

—Bill Wellons

E veryone needs an encourager because life gets tough at times. We have struggles,