Relationships 101
The Power of Encouragement
We all need encouragement to achieve the full potential God gave us. And, we all have the power to encourage others!
Bob Lonac 
I started this piece the day after Thanksgiving. And I was stuck! I was thinking and praying about what to write. Several times I used the delete button.
I begged again, “Come on Lord, throw me a bone!” (I like to think I am on personal speaking terms with God. I use my everyday language with Him!)
About ten minutes later, I received an email from a friend. It was a thoughtful expression of his thanks to me for who I am and what I am doing through my writing and consulting work. It made my day. And, I needed to hear it! His note was a great encouragement to me.
The following are some of my favorite Bible verses about encouraging one another.
Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.
And Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, encouraged and strengthened the brothers with many words.
So they went out of the prison and visited Lydia. And when they had seen the brothers, they encouraged them and departed.
When he had gone through those regions and had given them much encouragement, he came to Greece.
The early followers of the Way were people just like you and me. They made it through by building up one another.
Use Your Words & Actions to Encourage Others
We have the power to encourage one another. Everyone needs encouragement! But encouragement takes action! It is, “the action of giving someone support, confidence, or hope.”
Make a phone call, write a note, send an email, deliver a gift. We all need encouragement.
Come to think of it; I got three thoughtful gifts from someone this week, a Starbucks card, a book, and some fruit. That was the day before Thanksgiving.
The day after Thanksgiving, I was given another amazing gift — encouragement. It’s a gift I need more than I often realize.
Remember, Genuine Encouragement Comes from the Heart
The root of the word courage is ‘cor’ – the Latin word for heart. In one of its earliest forms, the word courage had a very different definition than it does today. Courage originally meant, "To speak one's mind by telling all one's heart."
For me, real encouragement needs to be genuine and come from the heart. When we hear it, it builds us up. It gives us the courage to carry on.
We are social animals. We need each other. We shouldn’t go it alone. You have the incredible gift of being given the ability to build up other people. Everyone needs it.
I have a mentor in life who I gave the nickname, “The Doctor of Encouragement.” I loved being around this person. Every time I had an encounter I walked away saying, “This guy really likes me. He really thinks I can make a difference”
I actually started calling him that to encourage the encourager! He told me he needed it.
There are many ways to execute this challenge. Make it part of who you are. Right now, in this crazy world, we probably need it more than ever.
Get it done.
I pray this letter is an encouragement to you!
An Insightful Read: How to Win Friends and Influence People
How to Win Friends and Influence People is a self-help book written by Dale Carnegie. It was published in 1936 and has sold over 30 million copies. It’s full of helpful tips and insights about how to encourage others.
