Monthly Habit #1: Encourage

Encourage each other and build each other up, just as you are already doing.

1 Thessalonians 5:11

Sometimes in the busyness of life, creating an ongoing habit can be challenging. To battle this, our family decided that each month, along with doing small daily kind acts, we would focus on four kindness habits. We posted these four habits on our kitchen chalkboard, and we talked about them during our dinner times. Our first monthly habit was to offer encouragement to someone.

One evening when I asked for suggestions of who might need to be encouraged, my older son told us about another student in his class who had a debilitating illness. The boy was not a close friend of my son, but he had noticed that this boy had missed a number of days from school recently because of his illness. My son asked if we could offer him some cheer.

We agreed this would be a great idea, and the kids discussed what might encourage the boy. They decided that sending him movie tickets and a card would be the best thing to do, so my older son took out a card and the kids wrote words of encouragement and comfort to a young man they hardly knew.

The next morning my son took the note and gift card to school, explained to the secretaries what we were doing, and asked if they would mind sending it on to the boy and his family. They readily agreed and thanked my son for his thoughtfulness. When he came home he told us about his experience and how he felt good for offering encouragement to someone in need of a little support.

Encouraging one another and building one another up can be such a simple thing, but it requires us to intentionally recognize the needs around us. Just like my son did, we can stop each month to send a little note, to make a phone call, or even just to text someone to let them know that someone cares and has considered their needs.

—Kendra

— Today’s Act of Kindness —

Write an encouraging note to someone who may need a pick-me-up.

From the book