The Power of Encouraging Words

Words are singularly the most powerful force available to humanity. We can choose to use this force constructively with words of encouragement, or destructively using words of despair. Words have energy and power with the ability to help, to heal, to hinder, to hurt, to harm, to humiliate and to humble. ~Yehuda Berg

How many of you, as children, learned the little singsong saying “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never harm me.” Often our parents told us to say that whenever someone said words to us that were hurtful. Maybe we did say that about sticks and stones, but sometimes we had a hard time believing it. Especially when those words stuck around in our memory long after they were said.

How much better it is to hear encouraging words! To be like Barnabas in the Bible. His name was actually Joses according to Acts 4:36 but the apostles called him Barnabas which can be translated as Son of Encouragement. Being an encourager is a gift to those around you and to yourself too.

We are encouraged when we encourage others. That’s why we go to our kids and grandkids ballgames and school programs. That’s why we brag on them when they finish their chores, get good grades, work toward goals and more. A kind word can be a life preserver thrown out to us when we’re in a sea of discouragement. It’s an encouraging boost whether we are feeling discouraged of not. We can hold onto to those encouraging words.

I had my first book signing for A Chance for Kallie Mae at The Kentucky Bookstore, a wonderful little book shop right here in my hometown. Every person who came in and picked up one of my books was an encouragement to me and then when this or that person talked about how they had read and enjoyed my stories, my writing heart was even more encouraged by their words.

Sometimes I wonder if readers will like a book or if I’ll be able to write another story someone will want to read. But then someone will say they couldn’t put my book down, that they had to keep reading to find out what happened or they want me to write another story to find out what was next for a character they loved and I’m encouraged to believe a next story might be possible.

Good reviews can be encouraging too. Especially those reviews from readers who take the time to post about one of my books. Every message I get from readers lifts my spirits and helps me believe my next story might be possible. Your comments here or on my posts on social media make me aware of the power words have to encourage.

Sometimes the encouraging words come in email messages like this one from Aviana.  “I am re-reading your Rosey Corner series once again; I finished it last year but I love it so much that I started it all over.”

Sometimes the encouraging words come from someone who leaves a comment on one of my Facebook posts or a comment here on my blog posts like this one from Kitty after she read my “Sunday Morning Coming Down” post on my FB page.  “I am thankful for you sharing your Sunday morning walks with me and your gift of words that lets me see all that you are seeing.” Just to know someone wants to read your words is an encouragement.

That’s how our kind words can be. We may not realize the boost our words can give others when we compliment something they do or say, but that’s okay. We don’t say kind words, positive words, encouraging words to give ourselves a pat on the back. We say them to give others that pat on the back. I thank you for all the encouraging words you’ve shared with me over the years.

Choose well your words. They will go marching down the years in the lives you touch. ~Wilfred Peterson

Helping others, encouraging others, are often acts of kindness that have more meaning than you may realize. ~Catherine Pulsife

Do you remember a time when a word of encouragement made a difference in your life?

Because I’m still frantically editing my work in progress, some of this post is an edited  repeat from a 2019 post. My deadline is tomorrow and I still need to cut about 3,000 words. And Tuesday is the official release day for A Chance for Kallie Mae. All so much fun.