Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up. Proverbs 12:25
Alberta thought she was alone in her circumstances. But then a small gift arrived that brought constant encouragement into her difficult days.
Life wasn’t supposed to turn out like this. Alberta and her husband had raised a family in the Albanian village where they were both born. After many hard but good years together, Alberta’s husband developed dementia. Their children now have families of their own, and there isn’t money to hire help. So, Alberta cares for him alone as he slowly slips away from her. And yet, people describe Alberta as “a woman full of life and full of faith.” They say that she doesn’t reflect the hardships in her life but shows great joy and confidence in Jesus!
One day the local Christian radio station that reaches her community gave Alberta a small, blue radio. Now, the little radio plays day and night, calming Alberta’s husband. “That radio,” Alberta shares, “is very precious for our family, especially for my husband. Although he cannot see very well, he is still able to listen to the radio.” As Alberta listened to short, daily devotional messages filled with hope and truth, something else changed too. Alberta now knows she’s not alone in her difficulties. She says, “I learn that other people and believers go through struggles as well. I’m encouraged to trust the Lord in every situation ….”
As the Bible proverb says, “Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up” (Proverbs 12:25). For Alberta, encouragement arrived through a simple radio and daily reminders of God’s truth, reassuring her she was not forgotten.
Millions of others around the world are still waiting for that encouragement. You can help send devotionals like this in people’s own languages. Give a gift today at guidelines.org.
