Speaking Hope And Encouragement

By Pastor Tammey Aichner, First Church of Christ (Disciples), Williamsport

 Inside my Sunday worship binder, I keep a handful of cards and notes that I have received over the last few years. Each one of them came at a significant time in my life. Inside one card, a friend wrote how much the previous Sunday’s service meant to her: the music, the Scripture passage. That card came when I was at a low moment about a situation in my life, and negative self-thoughts were loud in my head. Her card helped me get through that time.

I still read these cards and soak in the loving words regularly. I have also saved voicemails from a friend who calls out of the blue to pray for me. And by out of the blue, I mean when God places me on her heart when I need it the most. Her message usually starts with, “I don’t know what you are going through right now, but you are on my heart.” I save the messages so that I can go back and listen to them when I need an encouraging word.

I am sure each of you has a story about a friend, family member, or maybe even just an acquaintance who reached out with just the right word at just the right time. Isaiah 50:4 says, “The Sovereign Lord has given me a well-instructed tongue, to know the word that sustains the weary” (NIV). It is one of my bookmarked passages, and a few years ago, I was asked to write a devotion on it. What I love about God’s Word is that the devotion I wrote at that time was not what I saw tonight when I reread the verse. Oh, I remembered it, and I remembered the story I told. But tonight, I read this passage and was reminded of how important it is to reach out to our loved ones. During the past two years, I have lost many family members and friends. Many who were in my daily prayers are no longer alive. I am so glad that I reached out to them when they were here.

I think sometimes we fail to reach out because we don’t know the words to say. Or, maybe we think our words won’t make much of a difference. I ask you, in your darkest moments, would you welcome a comforting word from a friend? In your struggles, would kind words and a shared moment help you get through? You do not need to worry about what to say. If God has placed someone on your heart, He will give you the words that need to be said. I have left encounters wondering where healing words came from that I had said, for they certainly were not mine! Perhaps there is someone in your life who now needs your encouragement more than ever.

At the beginning of Covid, the Hallmark company announced it was giving away one million cards in its “Care Enough” campaign. Because of the overwhelming response, the compay decided to increase the giveaway to two million cards! The purpose was to encourage people to send the cards to family, friends, and others who needed to feel loved and supported.

A small act of kindness can make a big impact. Make a list of thirty people in your life who could use a word of encouragement. Each day this month, reach out to one of them. You could write a note of encouragement in a card or send an email. You could leave a voicemail with a short prayer, thanking God for something special about that person. Post a comment on a friend’s Facebook page telling her how much you appreciate her and why. Text a family member a picture of the two of you and share a memory of that happy time. Be creative in lifting others up.

You have the power to speak hope and encouragement into the lives of others! Your message might be the one they keep and refer to during their challenging times.