Happy New Year Friends!
I haven’t written since last year! (That joke never gets old..) It’s so good to get back in the swing of things now that the holiday hustle and bustle has calmed. We had a great few weeks of rest and fun with friends and family, amazing services at church celebrating Jesus, and I personally ate more sugar than anyone needs. (Is that even possible?) But here we are in the middle of January and I’m convinced this is going to be the best year yet.
One of the reasons I wanted to start writing again was to encourage people in whatever season of life they are in. Life can be hard and sometimes we need someone to shine light on the good in our lives instead of constantly pointing out what we need to change.
Encouragement is a beautiful gift. It’s defined as the action of giving someone support, confidence, or hope. I’m big fan of letters. Receiving them, writing them, mailing them. I actually have a box full of letters and cards that people have given me over the years. From family members to friends to students and teammates. (If you’ve written me a letter or given me a card in the past 15 years, I more than likely have it) There is something so sweet about reading things that people see in you. I often look back at them and I am reminded of where I was and how far I’ve come. I’m also reminded that in those moments God was using me for something more than I realized.
The truth is, sometimes we don’t see what others see in us and we need to be reminded of who we are and what we a capable of doing. Encouragement is a valuable gift you can give someone to show them support, build their confidence, or give hope that they can’t see on their own. Your words hold power not only in your own life but in the life of those around you. You can be the one to speak life into someone.
We can spend all our days thinking highly of someone and they will never know because we haven’t actually stepped out to encourage them. A challenge I have for myself this year is to be more intentional in encouraging others. It’s actually one of the most selfless things we can do because it takes the focus off of how great we think “we” are and puts it on how great we think “others” are.
Will you join me in this challenge? Start out simple and select 3 people a month to love on. Write a note, give a gift, send a quick text. Don’t let this moment pass you by. And try to mix it up. Don’t just tell your 3 closest friends. My suggestion – 1 Family Member, 1 Co-Worker or Classmate, and 1 Friend.
Get those pens and paper ready. Go out and get some cute cards. Let’s start building up those around us!
