“Everyone needs encouragement.”

A thought by John C. Maxwell (2017-03-07) from his book, Encouragement Changes Everything: Bless and Be Blessed (Kindle Location 64). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition. (Click on the title to go to Amazon.com to buy the book.)

Maybe that is true of you today but for sure that is true for someone close to you.  So, read on.

John says, “Everyone needs encouragement. And everyone—young or old, the successful or less–than–successful, unknown or famous—who receives encouragement is changed by it. As Mark Twain said, ‘One compliment can keep me going for a whole month.’

“Encouragement’s impact can be profound. A word of encouragement from a teacher to a child can change his life. A word of encouragement from a spouse can save a marriage. A word of encouragement from a leader can inspire a person to reach her potential. Like Zig Ziglar says, ‘You never know when a moment and a few sincere words can have an impact on a life.’”

John goes on, “What does true encouragement look like—the kind that changes lives forever? To encourage people is to help them gain courage they might not otherwise possess—courage to face the day, to do what’s right, to take risks, to make a difference. And the heart of encouragement is to communicate a person’s value. When we help people feel valuable, capable, and motivated we sometimes see their lives change forever—and then see them go on to change the world.”

John tells this story, “Nineteenth-century writer Walt Whitman struggled for years to get anyone interested in his poetry. In the midst of his discouragement, Whitman received a life–changing letter from an admirer of his work. The note read: ‘Dear sir, I am not blind to the worth of the wonderful gift of Leaves of Grass. I find it the most extraordinary piece of wit and wisdom that America has yet contributed. I greet you at the beginning of a great career.’ It was signed by Ralph Waldo Emerson.”

John then says, “Whitman enjoyed a long career and is now considered one of the giants of American literature. But when times were tough, he needed encouragement to keep going. When we’re on the brink of failure, the right words at the right time can keep us in the game. When we’re too tired or discouraged to keep going, an act of compassion can give us new strength. There’s no doubt about it: Encouragement enables us to persevere like nothing else.”

So, who could you encourage?  Will you do it?