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The power of encouragement (1)
'Pleasant words are ... health to the bones.' Proverbs 16:24
Two of the biggest cinema smash hits of the last few years have been the film versions of The Chronicles of Narnia and The Lord of the Rings. But did you know that their authors, CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien, were both professors at Oxford University and were really close friends? Every week they'd meet to eat together and chat about their writing projects. It was Tolkien who encouraged Lewis, who was a full-on atheist, to explore Christianity, ultimately leading to him surrendering his life to Jesus. Later, it was Lewis who encouraged Tolkien to continue writing fiction and to seek publication. If they didn't keep on encouraging each other through thick and thin the world wouldn't have received the gift of some of the greatest stories ever written.
Everybody needs to hear words of encouragement. The Bible says, 'Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones' (Proverbs 16:24 NKJ). Everyone who receives encouragement, be they young or old, success story or dropout, famous or totally unknown, is changed by it. Celebrated author Mark Twain once said, 'One compliment can keep me going for a whole month.'
A word of encouragement from a teacher can turn the course of a pupil's life; a word of encouragement from a leader can inspire a person to reach their potential; a word of encouragement from a friend can swing a decision from giving in to going for it.
written by Bob Gass
'Pleasant words are ... health to the bones.' Proverbs 16:24
Two of the biggest cinema smash hits of the last few years have been the film versions of The Chronicles of Narnia and The Lord of the Rings. But did you know that their authors, CS Lewis and JRR Tolkien, were both professors at Oxford University and were really close friends? Every week they'd meet to eat together and chat about their writing projects. It was Tolkien who encouraged Lewis, who was a full-on atheist, to explore Christianity, ultimately leading to him surrendering his life to Jesus. Later, it was Lewis who encouraged Tolkien to continue writing fiction and to seek publication. If they didn't keep on encouraging each other through thick and thin the world wouldn't have received the gift of some of the greatest stories ever written.
Everybody needs to hear words of encouragement. The Bible says, 'Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones' (Proverbs 16:24 NKJ). Everyone who receives encouragement, be they young or old, success story or dropout, famous or totally unknown, is changed by it. Celebrated author Mark Twain once said, 'One compliment can keep me going for a whole month.'
A word of encouragement from a teacher can turn the course of a pupil's life; a word of encouragement from a leader can inspire a person to reach their potential; a word of encouragement from a friend can swing a decision from giving in to going for it.
written by Bob Gass
