I have two rituals when it comes to encouraging words: 1) I try to be intentional about giving them out and 2) I hang on to everyone that I get.
I'm a pretty routine person and every Tuesday I try to write at least two to three people a note of encouragement. Sometimes I know they are going through something tough and sometimes I just sense that I should write them. That small act of encouraging someone else actually encourages me.
I also have a file in my office marked "encouraging words." Anytime someone writes me a note, sends me an Email or turns in a communication card from the Sunday bulletin, I file them away. It's great to be able to pull that file out when I'm having a tough week and look through it. I literally have notes that are over ten years old.
Several years ago, when I was the youth pastor, our group was pretty upset about a new rule that needed to be put in place. Probably 90% of the students were not happy with me and made it known. After a particularly difficult youth group meeting I wandered into my office feeling really down. Laying on my desk was a handwritten note from one of the students, an eight grader. It said "Hang in there, you're doing a good job. I'm glad you're my youth pastor." Wow! That blew me away.
This week has been one of those weeks. Not bad, just busy, a lot on my mind and feeling really overwhelmed. Out of habit, a few minutes ago, I looked at my Blackberry on my way downstairs to watch some TV. Sitting in my inbox was one of those notes. This time it wasn't from an eight grader, rather someone in their eighties. It said "You're doing a fine job. I'm glad you are my pastor." Those kinds of notes, at just the right time, still blow me away.
Imagine the impact we could have on our world just by encouraging a few people each week. I think we could actually have a part in people being better people. And imagine how your life could be different if you held on to the encouraging words and filed them away and let go of all of the discouraging words.
No comments:
Post a Comment