Encouragement

A favorite little book of mine- Blessings for a Mother's Day by Ruth Bell Graham- was given to all the mothers at church on my very first Mother's Day. I find Mrs. Bell's writings so relatable even though her experience as a new mom was generations ago. I pull this little book out from time to time and it always brings a renewal, even when I didn't realize I needed it most.

One of her journal entries is as follows:

An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up. -Proverbs 12:25

Dear Journal,
Never let a single day pass without saying an encouraging word to each child.
Particularly wherever you have noticed any- even the slightest- improvement on some weak point. Some point at which you have been picking and criticizing.

And never fail to pass on any nice thing you have heard said about anyone to that child.

In David's prayer for Solomon, he said, "...prayer also shall be made for him continually; and daily shall he be praised" (Ps. 72:15)

"More people fail for lack of encouragement," someone wrote, "than for any other reason."