Psssst. Hey.
Hello, my friend.
Just wanted to encourage you a bit today…
Because I think you’re fantabulous.
You’re splendiferous.
You’re fantastical.
And you’re full of awesome sauce.
You are unique.
There is no one created with the same set of gifts, influence, and opportunities as you.
Your uniqueness makes you valuable and needed.
Your best days are not behind you.
Your future is bright.
With God’s help, you can do anything…
And He’s not planning to abandon you now.
Don’t forget it.
Live like it.
You can do it!
Put a smile on your face!
Press on!
And as you keep moving forward…
Don’t forget to encourage someone else along the way.
You can make a decision, but sometimes a decision isn’t enough. There’s always the option of changing your mind.
There are some things where you can’t just simply decide.
You have to resolve.
I resolve to give my best in my job.
How I work is a reflection of the One who provided the job for me in the first place.
I resolve to give my all to my family.
How I love is a reflection of the One who loved me in the first place.
Other than God, my family is my priority, my responsibility, and my investment. I will not let them fall away.
I resolve to live well.
How I live is a reflection of the One who died so I could have life and have it to the full.
I want to be there for my family and friends in the future. I want to live with no regrets.
I resolve to fight when thoughts come into my head that go completely against what God says about me.
There is an enemy out there that wants to take me out.
Those thoughts may seem like nothing at first, but they are weapons that threaten to take me down.
I won’t have it.
I’ll fight back by speaking the truth of God’s Word.
Sometimes you have to dig your heels in and refuse to budge.
You have to choose to fight for your choice, no matter what the opposition.
And there will be opposition…
But some things are worth fighting for.
Fight for it.
Don’t give in.
Resolve.
The people around you may be trying to bring you down.
“Never allow people who suck to suck the joy out of your day.” —Karen Salmansohn
Your circumstances may be weighing you down.
“You must take personal responsibility. You cannot change the circumstances, the seasons, or the wind, but you can change yourself. That is something you have charge of.” —Jim Rohn
If you’re down, get yourself up again.
Give yourself a pep talk.
To rejoice in a storm can feel difficult…
But that’s how you fight.
You’re not done yet.
You’re still needed.
You still have something to offer.
You can make it.
You’re not alone.
Your life is still filled with good. Just look for it.
The evil that has been done to you will be turned around for good. Don’t worry about it.
Keep hoping.
Keep moving forward.
You still need to walk in your destiny and calling.
You still need to do good.
And in due season, your reward will come.
So take heart! Choose joy!
Your game’s not over.
Play hard.
You can do it.
You’re getting excited.
You can see the finish line.
You’re almost to the end of this race.
That’s great.
“But everybody knows…’almost’ doesn’t count.” —Brandy
The time just before the finish line is not the time to rest easy.
It isn’t the time to celebrate.
You’re not done yet.
If you let up now…
There’s still time to make a mistake.
There’s still time for someone to pass you up in the race.
There’s still time for you to get run over.
“Even though you are on the right track, you will get run over if you just sit there.” —Will Rogers
Please don’t settle for “almost.”
“Almost” will get you nothing.
Crossing the finish line well is what matters.
So don’t quit.
Don’t get apathetic or complacent.
Who knows? Someone might still need you to be all you can be in this last leg of your race.
This is still your time to shine.
This is still your time to make a difference.
This is still your time.
Finish well.
“I don’t need ‘easy’; I just need ‘possible.’” —Annasophia Robb as Bethany Hamilton in Soul Surfer
Greatness doesn’t come from “easy.”
“Easy” is not a prerequisite for achieving your goals.
The desire for easy is an enemy of greatness.
An enemy of triumph.
An enemy of destiny.
You are a game changer, an earth shaker, and a history maker…
And you are meant to change your world.
Complacency never accomplished anything…
And you should be making a difference.
So don’t buy into the lie of “easy.”
Don’t shy away from risk just because it seems too hard.
Don’t be afraid to fight when all seems lost.
Your achievement is not determined by the ease of your circumstances.
It’s determined by your drive.
It’s determined by your willpower.
It’s determined by your perseverance.
So don’t quit. Keep running your race.
And as you go, make sure you’re running the right course.
Don’t run after “easy.”
Chase after possibilities.
You should invest in other people.
You should show them love and share your wisdom.
You should do what you can to help them, teach them, and encourage them.
But in the end…
You can’t make decisions for other people.
You can’t force them to listen to reason.
You can’t make them do the right thing.
It’s not your fault if they continue on the path they have chosen. They have free will.
That means you can stop feeling guilty if they don’t choose wisely.
You can stop feeling inadequate.
Remember…
You aren’t God.
There comes a time when you need to let go.
But letting go doesn’t mean giving up.
Sometimes the best thing you can do for other people is to pray for them.
So keep praying. Keep loving. Don’t give up hope.
And maybe, in due season, you’ll see the turnaround come around.
Life is about learning…
And you’re going to mess up sometimes.
“You’re going to make mistakes in life. It’s what you do after the mistakes that counts.” —Brandi Chastain (via quote-book)
Abraham was a liar, yet he’s the father of our faith.
Rahab was a prostitute, yet God used her to save the Israelites and let her be part of Jesus’ family tree.
David was an adulterer and a murderer, yet God calls him a man after His heart.
Redemption is possible.
Forgiveness is possible.
You don’t have to be defined by your mistakes.
“You are not your issues. You are not your shortcomings. Identity is deeper than activity: you are a child of God!” —Steven Furtick
Who you are should not be defined by what you do.
Instead, what you do should be defined by who you are.
Because I am forgiven and adopted as His child…
Because I am created for a purpose…
Because He has promised He would be for me and not against me…
Because He has said He would always be with me…
Because I am loved…
I will get up and move forward…with God’s help.
You might have messed up, but you don’t have to stay a mess.
“Jesus loved you just like you were, but He doesn’t want to leave you just like you were.” —Kevin Gerald
Let God clean you up.
Jesus can heal. Jesus has wisdom. Jesus is love.
Don’t live in your mistakes. Live in Jesus.
He has made you the righteousness of God.
He chooses to let His Spirit live in you.
He thinks you are still lovable, valuable, and usable.
He can make you brand new and use you in spite of your mistakes…
And your mess can still become a masterpiece.
Family.
People who have your back, no matter what…
Because they love you.
Family isn’t limited to blood relations.
You can choose to be family.
God chose you to be part of His family.
“But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God…” John 1:12 (ESV)
You’re a King’s kid. If you believe in Jesus, you belong to God.
So don’t worry about anything.
God loves you.
He’s got your back, no matter what…
Because you’re family.
Do you ever wish you had more power to change things?
Well, you do…
With your words.
There’s a proverb that says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue…”
You can change the world around you with your words.
Life gets worse with things like gossip, complaining, angry words, and pointless criticism. These things just hurt others and make you look jealous or ungrateful.
But when you use your words to encourage someone…
To build someone up…
To compliment…
To say thank you…
You are changing the atmosphere around you for the better.
Who knows? Maybe your words are all someone needs to hear to get the confidence to do what they’re supposed to do.
Maybe your words will be the tipping point for the change you want to see.
Maybe your words will change someone’s destiny.
Maybe your words will change your own destiny.
Your words are a weapon of change…
But it’s up to you how you use it.
Is negativity surrounding you? Change it with your words.
Is fear threatening your outlook? Change it with your words.
Is hopelessness consuming the people around you? Change it with your words.
Change your atmosphere with words of joy, confidence, and hope.
Don’t let anything negative or harmful come out of you.
You carry death and life in your mouth.
You have the ability to influence the world with your words.
You are one powerful person.
