What is the most necessary ingredient for a successful beach camping and fishing trip? Good location?

    A great tent or pop-up camper?

    Comfortable sleeping bags?

    Good company?

    Nice weather?

    A good map and compass (or GPS)?

    Well, an experienced survivalist would tell you that you must have enough fresh water and an adequate supply of food or food producing capabilities. An even more experienced beach camper would make sure that you brought lots of water and would trust he or she could catch the food. However, they would tell you that the most necessary ingredient would be the baby powder with cornstarch.

    What?

Never forget how powerful a treasure you can be to someone with just a touch of kindness and encouragement.

    Yep, baby powder with cornstarch the crucial ingredient. At the end of the day, you cover your body in the powder and the sand falls off. It comes off better than if you tried to wash it off. It keeps you from perspiring as much and reduces that night-time beach stickiness. It keeps your sleeping bag from becoming a human body-polishing sander. It helps the chafing and itching where all your clothes tend to rub you raw with that wonderful combination of salt and sand.

    I had a very hard day recently. I was discouraged, weary, disappointed, angry, and hurt. Then Rick called. I knew he was tired. I knew he had been through the ringer. Yet he took the time to call and check on me and see how I was doing in the rare few minutes he had of peace and quiet. It was the gift of baby powder with cornstarch. His encouragement and kindness soothed my sticky, scratchy, and chafed soul. It was a gift beyond repayment. For my heart and for my hope, his encouragement was the most necessary ingredient.

    Very few of us can truly claim to be a Barnabas, a “son of encouragement.” However, we can all serve as a bit of baby powder with cornstarch on occasions when those we know have had a gritty and chaffing day. Please, never forget how powerful a treasure you can be to someone with just a touch of kindness and encouragement.

Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. (Ephesians 4:29)