Encourage One Another

I really wanted to actually write my 'acknowledgement' page of my yet-to-be-published (or completely written, or entirely thought-through) book, but for now you will simply have to bear with me as I make a few thanks.

You never know what simple little word(s) will carry someone through for the day, perhaps even for a lifetime. There is one precious young mom (young -- she's about my age, but we met when we were young) in Temple where we used to live who, to this day, talks about how much she remembers one sentence of kindness uttered to her ... about 8 or 9 years ago. I have ZERO recollection of those words, but they must have carried her through when needed.

Too often, I recall others' words of hurt and devaluing. Sadly, too often I also remember my own words that sling hurt and belittle others.

This last week I have not been thinking of hurtful words. I have been thinking of building words.

I think of my friend Robin, tiny and soft-spoken, patting the table for emphasis (other people would slap the table, but Robin is genteel and therefore will pat the table as patting a precious baby) while her blue eyes bore a hole in my heart, "You are a writer. You are. You are a writer." (part of why this matters is Robin's background -- she knows writers). This was last summer at a wedding reception, but those 10 words have helped me put one foot in front of the other MANY times in the last 9 months.

I have thought of the precious souls --- all of you people!! --- wrote encouraging words as I tossed out my God-dream. You have NO idea how much each of those meant to me. Some I keep coming back to re-read. Lisa Laree, to remind me that my writing caused her to keep coming back -- well, that was an "apple of gold in a setting of silver".

I think of sweet Lynn B., who I (along with my husband) look WAY up to, and not just because he's real tall. He has consistently blessed me with kind words about my talents, and continues to do so and be a quiet but consistent cheerleader.

Then there's Angela, who not only offered encouraging words, but is helping me refine my skill. There's Christy, who offered to get me in touch with published-author-friend so I can hear the ins and outs. There are SO many of you, Craig, Aralee, Brooke, Kim, and others that pop in from facebook and write very encouraging words.

And there's the 'old-standby's-- those close to me that are sometimes overlooked because, in my heart, they HAVE to be nice to me! :-) My parents, my husband, my coffee group, my church family -- all consistent cheerleaders.

I can't name every name, I can't think of every time, but this I do know: I would never have tried this writing thing without those words. I would have quit long ago, and never looked back. Satan's words of doubt would have won if not for the constant chatter of those around me in sprinklings throughout my week: "You have a gift." "You did it again -- great work." "I love what you said."

So, if you have ever spoken one word of encouragement to ANYONE -- thank you. You never know, but you may have been the ONE voice to keep that person going for that one day.

"A word aptly spoken is like apples of gold in settings of silver." Proverbs 25:11