Who are Your Cheerleaders?

It's been a little over a fortnight since I attended a friend's cheerleading competition, and I still can't get the experience out of my head. It was fun and peppy and I couldn't help myself from being encouraged. I enjoyed seeing my friend with the other girls on the Biola Cheer team, doing flips and other acrobatic things to encourage, energize, and lead the crowd in cheering. Biola's Cheer team is great, my friend even told me that the Biola cheer team has actually beaten the USC cheer team in previous competitions.

My friend, Kristin, is a great cheerleader. But what makes a great cheerleader?  What is a cheerleader in the first place? Well, a cheerleader, is just that a leader in cheer. It's someone who can charge up and rally a crowd behind a team, so the crowd's cheering will encourage their team and show them that they have the support and love from their fans.

Attending the cheer competition, reminded me of a conversation I had with my good and dear friend earlier that week. We talked about the need for our own personal cheerleaders, in the Christian life, and especially in ministry. As has been said, "There are two things you can't do alone, one is to be married, and the other is to be a Christian." Throughout the Bible, we see the need for community and fellowship. The need for accountability and encouragement. Proverbs 27:17 says, "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 says, "Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: if either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up." We all need friends and cheerleaders; someone to help rally people behind us, to be a reference for us, to encourage us.

Who are your cheer leaders? I know for me, my cheerleaders are my close friends and family. My friend Dave Nair, has supported me in ministry along side me as well as from afar. He is constantly praying for me, and allowing himself to be a reference for me. He has heard my frustrations and my joys. He has encouraged me. I believe he has the gift of encouragement. It's also my family. They are always there for me, no matter what. They have supported me, and encouraged me.

At times we all need an encouragement. And I believe that God encourages us through cheer leaders. I also think God uses us to be cheerleaders for others. We can all cheer on our brother and sisters. In fact, it's what we should be doing and most of us probably are. 1 Thessalonians 5:11, "Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing."

So the questions I want to leave with you are these, Who are your cheer leaders? Who is it that is constantly cheering you on? Supporting you any way they can, despite proximity? Who is a constant encouragement to you? Also, who are you cheering on? Who are you a cheerleader to? Who are you supporting and encouraging?

The Top 5 Sports Teams I Cheer On
1. USC Football
2. LA Dodgers
3. LA Lakers
4. LA Kings
5. Any team that any of my former or current junior high students are on.

Happy Birthday To Me!

Today is my birthday... and this is my first blog post... so it's like this is the "birth"day of my blog. Just a thought. That's what this blog is going to be about, my thoughts and feelings on various things as well as updates on my life and what the LORD God is teaching me. If you know me, then you know that I love to give high-fives. This blog is titled "Cameron's High Five" because I want to keep family and friends updated even if they live far away (shout out to Campbell & Krista who are reading from Raleigh), and give them a high five... blog style.

So, today I turn 27. In this day and age it is so much easier to wish someone a happy birthday. Just log onto Facebook, go to their wall and type a birthday message. You don't even need to necessarily remember your friend's birthdays because Facebook will tell you when their birthday is. With the new Facebook layout, Mark Zuckerberg has made it even easier, by having a reminder on your home page that you can click on and type a message out there... without even going to your friend's wall. This morning alone, I woke up with an email message telling me that 16 people had already written on my wall, wishing me a happy birthday. Now, don't get me wrong, I love the birthday wishes. I thank all of my Facebook friends who have written on my wall. But Facebook just makes it too easy which in my mind makes it impersonal.

The absolute best thing you can do, is wish your friends a happy birthday in person, especially if you don't work with them and you have to go out of your way to see them in person. If you can't do that the next best thing is a phone call (or even a text message). This shows that you care enough to contact them directly. If you can't do that (or even in addition to the two previous ideas), then send them a card, snail mail style. Everyone loves getting mail, especially when it's not bills or Netflix. Someone taking the time to hand write a personal birthday message and drive it to the post office to mail it, is OK in my book. It shows love, concern, and time. If you can't (or don't want to) do that, for whatever reason, then Facebook has made it easy. But me, I'll always love the more personal touch. So, if you want, there's still time, give me a call, or text me (like Alexa did) and wish me a happy birthday... that is, if you want.

High Five.