Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been tagged as “encouragement”
I know many of us are counting the days down to Christmas — that gift-giving day that out-gives all other days in the year. And if you’re wondering, there are 47 days until Christmas. 4-7. And yet, not all of us celebrate Christmas. But gift-giving? It’s a year-round activity, what with birthdays and anniversaries and even “for no special reason” …
Someone came up to me the other day and said, “I didn’t know you were an author!” I smiled and said, “Yes, I am.” Whenever someone says something like this to me, I pause and remember I’m living my dream. This crazy, challenging, some-days-I’m-not-sure-I can-do-it career? It’s my childhood dream come true. And sometimes, I forget it all started because …
So often we look at the time we have and think of what we’re not accomplishing. And we stress out. Maybe we could change how we think about the time we have. Be more positive about our days — the hours and minutes we are blessed with. Today is an opportune time to: be kind. laugh with family and …
My mother-in-law turns 100 years old tomorrow. Yes, you read that correctly: She will be One. Hundred. Years. Old. Her father was one of the last homesteaders in Montana. And she was born in a one-room log cabin — that her father built — during the 1918 Influenza Pandemic. She rode a horse to school, which was also a one-room …
Sometimes life is hard. And sometimes when life is hard, don’t we just want to quit? To stick with the boat analogy, when we’re stuck in the middle of nowhere and nothing’s happening — no wind filling our sails — it’s easy to just sit down and wait it out. Sometimes we tell us ourselves we don’t need a lot …
A lot of people seem to like autumn. I’m basing my statement on a casual, highly non-scientific observation of social media comments. Most of them fall in the category of “I love fall” and “October is my favorite month of the year.” Maybe you’re familiar with this quote from Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery: “I’m so glad I …
Sometimes the most profound truths require the least amount of words. “Life is an adventure in forgiveness.” Six words. Life-changing truth, wouldn’t you agree? Forgiveness is an adventure that leads us into the wide open spaces of freedom. Unforgiveness leads us to a dark dead end of anger and resentment and bitterness. We have a choice: to forgive or not …
We all have certain morning routines — habits we’ve fallen into. Things like: waking up at a certain time eating the same breakfast drinking coffee or tea exercising or maybe taking our dogs for a walk getting out the door and on the road at the same time What if we started off each day determining to talk less and …
Our thoughts are powerful forces for good or evil. And no, I’m not overstating this truth. Think about a time when you were juggling some important tasks or facing a major deadline, but still having a good day. And then, for some unknown reason, you found yourself discouraged. Frustrated. Overwhelmed by all you had to do. You’re not sure how …
I like it when successful people talk about their failures. Take, for example, when another writer shares how many times their manuscript was rejected before they landed a contract. (The Help by Kathryn Stockett was rejected 60 times.) Or when a pro athlete shares his struggles. (6’7″ NBA pro Paul Pierce was cut from the varsity team in high school …
