Words of encouragement have great power. Recently I learned something that helps me understand this more fully.
The word encourage is made up of the prefix en and the word courage. En means to put into. Therefore when you encourage someone you put courage into them. I loved this thought!
Personally, there have been many times when I didn’t have the confidence to take on a task or responsibility. All it took was someone to believe in me and offer encouragement and I felt equipped to move forward.
I hadn’t thought about this giving me courage, but that is exactly what it did. When others showed they believed in me, it was easier to believe in myself. That confidence allowed me to accomplish things I never thought I could.
As the year draws to a close, I reflect on all those who took the time to offer me encouragement this year. You kept me going when I felt I had nothing left to offer. Your support allowed me to blossom. My life is richer because of you. Thank you for making a difference in my life.
At the same time, I hope my words or actions have encouraged you in one way or another.
Moving forward, may we each put courage into those around us by recognizing their gifts and talents and expressing our belief in them.
“Be an encourager. The world has plenty of critics already.” Dave Willis