Who are you

I am in constant restlessness. My heart has been challenged. And when I become convicted/passionate for what God is doing there is no stopping me. I go for it. And this is where I have landed.
The desperate need for encouragement.
Several months back I was so overwhelmed with the darkness. The evil. The mean words people speak. The negativity. The hurt and backstabbing.
Let's face it this world is harsh to live in at times.
My life is no exempt. Words people speak pierce my soul and crush me. There is no way around it.
Words are powerful.

So why are we so quick to speak negativity and slow to speak encouragement? When all of us are in desperate need of loving words?

I believe a lot of us think in our heads encouraging things to say to people, yet we end up never conveying that to people.
We are either discouraging or encouraging people on a day to day basis.
There is no middle ground.
You either do or your don't.

Look at this definition
To encourage

a : to inspire with courage, spirit, or hope

b : to attempt to persuade : urge
2 : to spur on

To Discourage

1.to deprive of courage, hope, or confidence; dishearten; dispirit.

2.to dissuade

The first part of discourage says to deprive, which means to remove or withhold something from the enjoyment.

In our words and actions we are either encouraging and spurring someone on OR we are discouraging them by withholding our words.

This is why I believe God speaks so clearly about living lives of encouragement. In

Hebrews 10:24-25 (New Living Translation)

²⁴ Let us think of ways to motivate one another to acts of love and good works. ²⁵ And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.

1 Thessalonians 5:10-12 (New Living Translation)

¹⁰ Christ died for us so that, whether we are dead or alive when he returns, we can live with him forever. ¹¹ So encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.

whether in words or action I want to be known as an encourager. To inspire others to go for their dreams. To build others up in the amazing talents God has given them. To listen to others and spur them on in their challenges they face. To fill their hearts with hope and truth.

I want to let my conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt (col 4:6)

I still have along ways to go but it's a process. We're all on a journey. One day, one moment, one conversation at a time.

My challenge is how can you be an encourager today?

Write a note, a FB message, a tweet.

Do something!

It's time to stop being shy and withholding encouragement. We need it. All of us.

Let's be bold!

Let's love others. Be full of encouragement. Spur one another on.

Until we meet in Heaven...