When I started Encouraging Words for Today several years ago, I didn’t realize how often I would be the one needing encouragement. Trying to come up with an encouraging word day-after-day can be a challenge, especially when life throws you a curve and it’s hard to just put one foot in front of the other, let alone string two words together in a sentence.
There have been times when days and even months have gone by without me posting, because I just had nothing to give. But then someone will express appreciation for something I’ve written or said and that’s just what I need to get started again.
That’s what happened a couple days ago. It’d been a busy week and I’d missed posting several times. Feeling a little discouraged, I was talking to a neighbor when, just as the conversation was winding down, he said, “Oh, by the way, I read your column regularly.”
“Column?” I asked. “Oh do you mean my blog, EncouragingWordsForToday.com?”
“Yeah,” he said. “I’ve always believed in God, but He’s been just someone I just call on when I need something. What you’ve written has made me think I need to get closer to Him.”
I was blown away! I didn’t even remember telling him about my blog, but here he was telling me it had made a difference for him. His words were just the encouragement I needed after the rough week I’d had. Right then, I determined to get back to writing as soon as I could, sharing an encouraging word, just like he’d done for me.
The Bible tells us to “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up…” (1 Thessalonians 5:11 NIV). The fact of the matter is, we each need each other. We’re all on this journey together. This world can be a discouraging place and you may never know what a difference an encouraging word will make in someone else’s life today.
So, thank you Gary, for speaking up. I really needed it. And let’s all follow his example today and “encourage one another daily, as long as it is called ‘Today’…” (Hebrews 3:13). Don’t be shy!
Speak up! Because even “encouragers” need an encouraging word now and then.