Focus on Friendship Challenge 3

How’s the challenge to be intentional with friendships going for you?

Even if you’ve missed the first couple, that doesn’t mean you have to sit this challenge out. You can still catch up, or you can just pick up on this week’s challenge.

Speaking of which, have you ever read something that someone else wrote that helped you become a better person? Perhaps you were part of a classroom or audience where the speaker in the front of the room said something that has always stuck with you. Words are one of the most powerful things in this world! In this technology-driven world, we see, skim, read, become offended or inspired by many words.

Sometimes it’s noisy. Too noisy. Other times, though, you happen upon some precious nugget that makes you stop and think about how you’re living or viewing life and it inspires you to change for the better. Maybe you read something that makes you realize that you’re not alone in whatever you’re facing in life. Perhaps your pastor gave an illustration that stopped you in your tracks and pointed you in the right direction.

This week’s challenge is a little different than what you’d probably expect, but it’s important even still. Who knows? In addition to blessing and encouraging someone else, you might end up with a new friend, too!

Take time to write to an individual – be it an author, speaker, teacher, pastor, etc. – who has inspired, encouraged, and made you a better person.

As a former teacher and someone who currently dabbles in the blogging and writing world, I can testify that every last person you could think of in this realm of service is a real person. Crazy right? Anyone who makes an effort to put his or herself and his or her stories out there to encourage others does a ton of behind the scenes work. It’s also likely that they’ve all had to overcome some pretty big struggles to get to the end result that you have had the opportunity to learn from. You may even feel like their friend because you know their stories, but I guarantee they would LOVE to hear yours, too.

We all need encouragement from time to time. If someone has helped you in your quest to be a better wife, friend, mom, whatever and they are still around today – TELL them!

If it’s someone you don’t know personally, it only takes a few minutes to send an email, and finding their email address is usually pretty simple if they have a website or a Facebook page, which most public figures do.

Step outside your everyday routine and say thank you to someone who has invested in you! Have a great week, and get busy writing your note of encouragement! 🙂