Encouragement

From the Jewels of Encouragement Blog

en·cour·age 

tr.v. en·cour·aged, en·cour·ag·ing, en·cour·ag·es

1. To inspire with hope, courage, or confidence; hearten.

2. To give support to; foster: 

I think encouragement is so wonderful. I love to encourage others and be encouraged. Plus encouraging others can be so simple! (How many times can I use encourage in a paragraph?!)

Encouraging someone doesn't even need to require a lot of effort on your part. Here are a few ways I like to encourage or ways I have been encouraged.

1) Send someone a random text or email. 

It doesn't need to be long, and it doesn't have to be eloquent. All it needs to be is uplifting! 

2) Say something kind.

This can be said to a stranger, your coworker, your neighbor, really I mean anyone. Everyone needs encouragement! 

In college I had a random stranger tell me I looked pretty. I struggle with self confidence, and that one stranger completely made my day. I vowed from then on to do the same thing to others. 

3) Give a gift.

I love to give gifts. It makes the recipient feel appreciated and shows you care about them.

 

Gifts don't have to be extravagant.  Ben once gave me a rock he found that was shaped like a heart. It showed me that he was thinking of me even when I was not with him. It was so thoughtful, and I still have it to this day. 

4) Pray

Everyone could use your prayers. This the BEST thing you could do for anyone. 

I read this verse the other day that reminded me we all need encouragement.

Hebrews 3:13
But encourage one another daily, as long as it is called “Today,” so that none of you may be hardened by sin’s deceitfulness.

 There are days I am so glad to have people that God has placed in my life to encourage me through. So, what are you waiting for? Get out there and encourage (this is the last time I will use that word in this post promise!) someone! 

Love Always,

Alix