Heart Notes and an Antidote to Discouragement

"Pleasant words are as a honeycomb, sweet to the soul, and health to the bones."

~Proverbs 16:24~

Hi there!  So happy to have you visit my blog and this post today!  Praying this simple little share from my heart will bless you in just the way that God wants it to! :)

Have you ever had a day where you just felt discouraged and it was kinda hard to shake it no matter how you tried to snap yourself out of it?  I'm pretty sure it's safe to say that every one has.  I was having one of those days.  I love it though how God doesn't deal - out discouragement, He actually gives antidotes for it.  I have found this to be true over and over and over and the affects amaze me every time.  So here it is - when you feel discouraged choose to encourage someone else - that's an antidote that God has miraculously designed to have a ripple affect of JOY!!!  You may not feel like it.  You may feel like you can't or maybe you're thinking, "Why would I want to do that right now?!", but you should!  It truly is amazing how God has designed encouragement to reach into the soul of the one giving it and the one receiving it!  God's prompted me to do this on many of my discouraged moments in life, and it truly does act as an antidote and attacks discouragement in a good way, lifts my spirits and makes me amazed at God's love and His passion for the joy of His people!  

One of the specific ways that God prompts me to encourage others is through notes - "heart" notes aka encouraging words.  These can be on paper (one of my personal favorites) or through text, email, messages, voice memos, etc. etc. etc.  I treasure the note my Dad slipped under my door one day, the little paper that my sister slipped to me in church years ago, with the sweetest simple encouragement that is still in my Bible to this day.  I value notes my brother has given me cheering me on in life and heart-felt letters my Mom has written exhorting me to keep the faith!  I have a note that I keep in my car that someone anonymously left on my windshield with such kind words that they warm my heart whenever I see that paper.  I've gotten random text messages (that weren't so random - but God ordained truly) from friends just to let me know I'm special and I treasure those words better than gold.  I could go on and on, but I think you get my point!  Encouragement is so powerful!  Encouragement is a heart note from God and He loves using us to gives those to each other, because it's blessings all around then!  

It's so important to use words to express your care and love for others, written and spoken every day!  Husbands to wives.  Wives to Husbands.  Fathers and Mothers to children.  Children to Fathers and Mothers.  Sisters and Brothers to Brothers and Sisters. Friends to Friends and even to random strangers with God's prompting! ;)  Do it all your life!  When you're encouraged and discouraged make it your mission in life to encourage others!  There's great and miraculous blessing to those who choose to be givers of "heart notes"! ;)

Proverbs 18:21

"Death and life are in the power of the tongue: and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof."

Ephesians 4:29

"Let no corrupt communication proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, 

that it may minister grace unto the hearers."

Proverbs 16:24

"Pleasant words are as a honeycomb, sweet to the soul, 

and health to the bones."

1 John 4:11

"Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another!"

"Love like there's no tomorrow, and if tomorrow comes, love again!" - Max Lucado

Blessings to you!  Be an encouragement and be encouraged!  :)

~Bri