“Words can give encouragement, encouragement can give confidence and confidence can strengthen you to dare to do the difficult.”
Loren Thornburg
Recently I passed by a boy learning to ride his bike. As I passed by I complemented him on what a good job he was doing. With those few simple words he looked at me with a huge smile that lit up his face and caused him to ride harder and stronger. Now with kids it can be easier to express what a good job they are doing and how proud we are of them. We recognize their need to hear these words as they are learning and growing. Yet as I reflected on the huge smile of the little boy I realized how much I too need that encouragement. I can recall many times where people have spoken an encouraging word to me that gave me the help and strength to do that which I didn’t think I could do. It looks different as we grow and mature but the need is the same. We may think we shouldn’t need it, or think we’re too old to smile like the child when we get it, but we’re not. So lets be people that share encouragement that brings life...everyone needs it.
“Worry weighs a person down; an encouraging word cheers a person up.”
Proverbs 12:25 NLT
God knows better than any the encouragement that we need. He also knows the ways that worry can keep us from the encouragement we need. The bible is full of His invitations to give our worry to Him and His invitation to receive the words of encouragement spoken over us. He can bring words that speak life to the depths of our souls. He is a creative God able to bring encouragement in so many different ways. Often the way He chooses to do that is through people. He uses you and me to speak words of life, to strengthen, to bring support, to give confidence for us to do that which we were ready to give up on doing. So now lets be a part of His life giving encouragement. He is inviting you to His encouragement and also to be a part of sharing that with others.
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