It’s amazing how far a little word of encouragement goes.

We all like to be encouraged

Just that feeling that someone has stopped and given you a word of encouragement puts the ‘sparkle’ back into your day.

And it doesn’t even have to be profound.

You don’t have to have a ton of inspirational quotes written on the palm of your hand for those moments.

Plain and simple can work just as well.

“Hey, I really like the colour of your jacket, it really suits you.”

And before you know it that person is giving you a big hug and says, “Thanks, I really needed that.”

You just never know what’s going on inside people’s heads and a little word of encouragement goes a long, long way.

The best thing about encouragement is that it can make someone feel like a million dollars and it hasn’t cost you a thing.

In the book of Acts we read about a man named Joseph, a Levite from Cyprus (Acts 4:36)

But nobody called him by his real name. The apostles called him Barnabas, which means, Son of Encouragement.

How cool is that?

When it came to encouraging people, Barnabas knocked it out of the ballpark!

In fact he helped start the first church.

I can imagine everyone feeling nervous and not really understanding how it was all going to pan out, but Barnabas gave them words of encouragement and told them that they could make it, that the sky was the limit. To dream dreams like they’d never done before because God was cheering them on!

NEVER TOO LATE TO START

Maybe the people who started the first Church had other words spoken over them.

Discouraging words.

Words that had stifled them and squished them into feeling small.

Words that had pushed them into a mould that says:

“You’ll never amount to nothing. This is where you belong. So get you’re head out of the clouds and stop talking about your stupid dream and start looking at your limitations.”

But you have kicked and you fought to not be put into that mould that they’ve spoken over you, until you had no strength left.

And finally you admit defeat, submit and settle down to more realistic dreams, dreams that are more achievable and safe.

You live that lie for years, until one day a Barnabas comes along…

And he encourages you to start dreaming again.

Barnabas tells you it’s never too late to start a new dream.

He tells you that you have what it takes and he believes in you.

Barnabas gives you encouraging words that start to fan the embers of a dead dream, until there’s a spark again.

Words of encouragement have resurrection power!

Words of encouragement have resurrection power!

Encouraging words activate even the deadest of dead dreams.

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If you have a ‘Barnabas’ in your life, look after them because they are your cheerleader when you need support and encouragement.

Will the dream that has been placed in your heart by God be easy?

Nope.

Worth it?

Absolutely.

So stop listening to the naysayers and start dreaming again!

Wendy xo