Hi, friends! For a moment, I thought about titling this post “Where in the world is Rachael?” because I have been missing in action on this blog! Much has been happening in my world with the most recent being my dad undergoing a risky neck surgery. God miraculously brought him out of the surgery and he is at home recovering. I spent a few nights in the hospital this week with him and it was a time that I will never forget. I saw God and felt his presence more real than I have seen him before. My faith was stretched and enlarged. I had deep encounters with God that made me question why I spend my time worrying about silly things in life. It gave me a greater appreciation for life and how I use the time that I am here on this earth.

I also had the chance to see many doctors, nurses, and friends take care of my dad and family. It reminded me of the gift of encouragement that we all carry. I love to encourage people. I believe this is why I am drawn to teaching people, whether it’s fitness or God’s word.

Walking with my dad through this surgery this week has reminded me of the power of encouragement. It may seem small at the time but for some people, that bit of encouragement may be what helps them make it through that day.

If encouraging people doesn’t come naturally to you, here are 4 simple ways you can encourage someone who may be walking through a tough season:

Send them a word or scripture of encouragement. This sounds simple but it is an easy and cheap way to encourage someone. You can do this via text, email or if you really want to knock their socks off…snail mail!  There is nothing more encouraging than a snail mail letter in your mailbox on a day when you need it most.

Offer your help. Are you great at cooking meals? Do you make a batch of award winning brownies? Are you a handyman? Do you have some extra time on your hands to run errands? We all have a service we can offer so figure out what yours is and offer to bless them with it. To those walking through a rough season, someone offering to bring a meal may be the encouragement they need to remember that God is looking out for them and they will make it through this season. My friend Sarah Beckman goes into this in much greater detail in her book “Alongside“. She recommends offering dates and services you are able to help rather than just saying “Let me know if I can help“. That statement puts too much stress on the person in need and they rarely are bold enough to reach out for help.

Send a gift. If you are able to help financially, a gift card to a restaurant or a gift of encouragement in their mailbox will brighten their day. I was recently introduced to Loved + Blessed: the box of encouragement. These boxes are full of encouragement for the recipient. You can do a monthly subscription OR send one of the theme boxes as a one time gift!  You can see those encouragement boxes HERE. And I LOVE this Get Well Soon Box!   You can see the unveiling of the box I got on Facebook here:

Speak Life. And last, but certainly not least, speak life of everyone you encounter. From the cashier at the store to your family at home, may the words that we speak be pleasing to the Lord. May we aim to build one another up rather than tearing each other down. Extend grace to everyone you encounter because everyone is facing some kind of battle in their life. It can be something as simple as telling someone that you love their smile. It might be the highlight of their day.

These are 4 very simple ways to encourage people in your life. How do you like to encourage others or like to be encouraged yourself?

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