My almost-95-year-old friend Betty has a ministry that has blessed my family for over 25 years. Each birthday and anniversary Betty sends a handmade card featuring a nature photo chosen from her collection of pictures taken through her life and a Scripture and greeting on the inside. A colorful page from a calendar folded just so becomes an envelope. Betty slips the card in the envelope and soon it shows up in our mailbox. But we are not the only recipients of Betty’s kindness. Many of our church family have also received similar cards over the years.

Isn’t it wonderful to be remembered at a special occasion!

How long has it been since you have received a note in the mail, sent by a friend, just to say “hello”? Or better yet, a card written to you to encourage you? I hope it hasn’t been too long, but I suspect it probably has.

Here’s one more question: How long has it been since you’ve written a note of encouragemet—or just a friendly greeting—to someone else? No need to share your answer!

My friend Susie Crosby, who wrote a guest post for us last November, loves to write notes of encouragement to people. As a writer of devotions, Susie has learned to be sensitive to the leading of the Holy Spirit. If he puts someone on her heart, she responds. She chooses a card and asks the Lord to give her words and Scripture she can share with her friend.

There are times when see clearly senses the presence of the Holy Spirit working through her, and there are times she does not. Either way, she seeks the Lord through the process and finds joy in this “gift I can give to another person.”

One year Susie decided that, rather than giving up something for Lent she would write a card every day for a month. She says it was one of the most rewarding times in her life. She didn’t just write to people whom she knew well. She wrote one card to a co-worker that she seldom interacted with. The woman was touched. People have cried when they have thanked Susie for the note she’d sent them, with comments like: “How did you know what I was going through?” “I got a real letter!” and “Thank you for caring!”

This is not a project Susie pursues for the attention it brings to her. She does it because she is responding to the prompting of the Spirit of God. And because the Bible encourages us to, well, encourage one another! (see 2 Cor 13:11; Col 2:2, 4:8; and 1Thes 3:7, 5:11).

Susie reminded me that it just takes five minutes to write a note. “You can take longer than that, but five minutes is really enough.” One hint she offered is that if the card will be sent through the mail, she addresses the envelope and stamps it before she writes the note. That way, when she’s finished writing, she just slips it into the envelope and it’s ready to go.

How about you? Is the Lord prompting you to encourage someone with a handwritten note? You can ask him what he wants you to do, and he will guide you. It doesn’t matter if you don’t have a large selection of cards or if your handwriting isn’t as good as it used to be. The recipient won’t care.

Who knows who Jesus would love to bless through you!

God bless you and encourage you, then use you to encourage someone today.

Ginger

That’s Susie at her desk, writing a note. Those photos of cards in the drawer and in the letter holder are also from Susie. The daisy card and envelope I received from Betty.  Our thanks to you both for the way you’ve encouraged many with your card giving.