Words have the power to encourage.

I look forward to the seasons and opportunities of offering hospitality. And because I love Jesus and His commands, I want everything I do to reflect that. I also encourage you to practice hospitality that brings glory to the Lord. I encourage you to love well the people that God has placed in your life. I encourage you to be hospitable to yourself.

What happened to the unity we felt after September 11th? It felt like we were all brothers and sisters who cared about each other, no matter our differences. That sense of unity I was able to experience for a few weeks is something that’s been on my mind a lot in the last two years as we’ve become more and more disconnected as a country and division seems to be becoming an acceptable norm.

You know that saying that goes “actions speak louder than words”?I’ve always had trouble totally agreeing with it, because my life experiences have proven to me that words matter. Actions are very important. Yes they are! But I believe words have a unique power all their own.

When people say and do hurtful things it makes me sad. Yes it affects me personally, but my hurt usually turns into sadness for them. I try not to focus on my hurt, but instead see them through God’s eyes.

There is a certain stigma that comes with admitting you battle depression. When you’re a Christian, people make assumptions about what that means about your faith. What I’ve learned is that the more transparent I am about it, the more encouragement I actually receive. It’s a bit of a catch 22. If you hold it inside and try to battle on your own, you can save face. But if you open up, seek help and let people know when you’re struggling it will put a smile on your face, because you realize you’re not alone.

You’ve enjoyed so many quality times together, and now your best friend texts to cancel lunch because she is sick. Really sick. What do you do with the unexpected free time? Turn your disappointment over the missed meeting into a thoughtful act of service for her.

It can feel really awkward as a grown woman to walk up to someone and say “hey, let’s be friends!” We don’t want to be seen as that crazy lady. But friendship is essential to staying encouraged.

Personally, I've found that putting on love is often easier said than done. Giving true unconditional love and opening your heart to receive love in return requires us to be brave.

Kindness inspires kindness. Let's celebrate Random Acts of Kindness Day! Sprinkle a little kindness amongst everyone you meet with these fun ideas…

September 12th is the National Day of Encouragement. How do you celebrate it? Here are 3 super simple ways to encourage someone.

It seems like a new social network pops up every few months. It's hard to keep up with the latest text or video messaging app. We can get so caught up, that we start to confuse the number of followers, views or likes we have with who our actual friends are. Don't get me wrong, technology has given us a fun and easy way to stay connected to those we care about, but the sweetest friendships still happen offline.