Words Matter

**Sit quietly, eyes closed, for one minute before reading.**

    What word are you holding onto? What word was spoken to you recently that you cannot let go of.

    Is it a true and good word? A word that is sustaining you and nourishing your soul?

    Is it a negative and untrue word? A word that is distracting you and draining your soul?

    I would love to offer you true words for today:

Beautiful. Redeemed. Beloved. Delighted in.
(And there are so many more God wants to speak to you!)

    May these words speak truth and encouragement to your weary soul today.

**Sit quietly again for as long as is available to you.**

The Gift of Paper

**Sit quietly for one minute before beginning to read.**

    I love paper. I love stationary, notepads, calendars, wrapping paper, cardstock, etc. There is often a gift card to my favorite paper store in my stocking. I love paper.
    A major reason why I love paper is that it is an expression of my creativity. I am not an artist who can paint or draw something from scratch or even watercolor. I like to put things together and paper is the perfect expression of creativity for me. (No, not a scrapbooker either). One of the ways I love to use paper is to write notes to people. Yes, I use paper, pen, an actual stamp and snail mail.
    There is something about receiving a note in the mail. It’s not an email, not a Christmas card (although those are fun) or a thank you card but a note. A handwritten, time-taken, words thought about, pain in the butt going to the post office for stamps note. There is something unique about a note that is encouraging and that expresses thoughtfulness different than anything else. The person reading can take their time, they can read it over and over again and they can save it. The person reading can respond to it on their own terms and in their own time. I believe a handwritten note has power because it includes incredible thoughtfulness and maybe because it is becoming such a rare thing.
    When was the last time you received a handwritten note? How can you share this thoughtful gift with another?

**Sit again for as long as is available to you.**

Speak Blessing

**Before you begin reading, sit down, breathe normally and be quiet for 1 minute.**

Each day we have opportunity to speak blessing into another's life. A word that lifts up, that remembers, that affirms and gives courage. With our words we have great opportunity to bless.
The gift of words. How will you speak blessing to another today?
**Sit quietly again for as much time as is available to you.**

Have more than two minutes? Pray for the increased ability to hear opportunities to bless another with your words.

Hope Holders

**Before you begin reading, sit down, breathe normally and be quiet for 1 minute.**

    There are times in our lives where it's nearly impossible to have hope. A relationship is in shambles, we see no way out of a situation, we do not know how we can go on from a loss or hurt, we cannot imagine how life can be different. We struggle to hold onto hope.
In these times we need hope holders - those who will hold onto hope for us until we can. To have a community that can we can lean on and a community that is leaning on God with us and for us.
    You might be in a place where you need someone to hold onto hope for you. God may be calling you to hold onto hope for another. We all need and can be hope holders for one another, encouraging and giving strength to others. We need hope holders. We need to be hope holders.

**Sit quietly again for as much time as is available to you.**

Have more than two minutes? Read the story of a hope holder found in Acts 27:14-44.

True Words

**Before you begin reading, sit down, breathe normally and be quiet for 1 minute.**

True Words. What a gift to have true, encouraging words spoken to us! What true words have been spoken to you? How might these lead you today?

**Sit quietly again for as much time as is available to you.**

Flattery

**Before you begin reading, sit down, breathe normally and be quiet for 1 minute.**

Flattery. We all love a little bit of flattery! As we spend most of our days doing what we consider menial work, we crave (and need!) any encouragement we can get! I want to be encouraged when I take the time and energy for makeup, hair and clothing other than workout clothes! I will take false or true encouragement because it makes me feel good, important and valued. The danger in false encouragement is that it builds up something that is not truly who I am. False encouragement paints a picture of who I am not rather than who I am. Sure we would rather have all forms of encouragement but at the end of the day I would rather have fewer true encouragements that many false encouragements. We all want to feel good, important and valued, especially when it does not seem that our work as moms is making any significant impact. Flattery comes and goes – smile and move on. Take true encouragement to heart and let it take root.

**Sit quietly again for as much time as is available to you.**