Flourishing Together through Words of Encouragement

Change is not always easy, and often it's unavoidable. And some of the best change is the hardest change.

On September 16, many of us at HealthKeeperz began the process of change together as we started converting to a new electronic medical record system (commonly known as EMR). Jokingly, I recently said to our president, Tim Brooks, that I have never had more prayer requests in a day and week in all my five years at HealthKeeperz!

But it's actually true. And since then, the requests have continued, and I think that I have found a common thread either expressed or communicated in body language. It has to do with coping with the frustrations with learning a new system, working out of two systems in the interim, and encountering the expected and often unexpected mishaps. I've summed up the common prayer request this way: ”Lord, if I become frustrated, help me not to say anything or act in some way hurtful to others, regretful to myself, and dishonoring to you." 

First, I must say that I am so excited to have coworkers who think this way and are humble enough to ask God to help them with their human weaknesses. I know from my own personal experience that the temptation has been present to say or do what I ought not. Praise God for His help!

Second, I am grateful that at HealthKeeperz, there is an undercurrent that is moving us along that flows out our mission statement, “Caring for all people for the glory of God.” That undercurrent is our culture of encouragement, the Barnabas Culture. Simply stated, it's a way of life in the workplace, where being caring, selfless, and humble, as well as encouraging people lifts us all and helps each of us flourish.

I couldn't help but think of a few Proverbs from the Bible that will help us not only glorify God but will also help us support one another in the coming weeks and months as we seek to excel in the EMR transition phase. Listen to three of them and notice how powerful a kind word of encouragement is.
 
Proverbs 16:24 (ESV)
 24 Gracious words are like a honeycomb,
 sweetness to the soul and health to the body.

Proverbs 15:4 (ESV)
 4 A gentle tongue is a tree of life,
 but perverseness in it breaks the spirit.

Proverbs 12:25 (ESV)
 25 Anxiety in a man's heart weighs him down,
 but a good word makes him glad.

Don't you love the pure beauty of God's wisdom in His word? A gracious, gentle, good word is so accessible to us. We need only speak it and watch it heal and rejuvenate a weary soul, bear life giving fruit, or dispel anxiety from a heavy heart. I think this is how we will make it, and not only during this transition, but every day. With so many negative or discouraging words out there, what do you say we commit ourselves to gracious, gentle, and good words for the glory of God and the good our neighbor!
Yours in Christ,
Chaplain James Chavis

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