I Spent 2021 Encouraging the People Around Me

Last year, one of my New Years' Resolutions was to encourage others.  It's been one of the few resolutions that I diligently kept and it has been amazing!

I also chose a theme verse to keep me focused on encouraging others. In recent years, the theme verses I've chosen have really been an expression of what is going on in my life, what I want to work on and has given me an overarching spiritual focus for that year.  

The year before I bought my house, my theme verse was "the Lord Himself goes before you and will be with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged." Deuteronomy 31:8  And I felt the Scripture come alive - I felt God going before me in every step of the scary and overwhelming task of buying your first house.  

Then I had trouble adjusting to living in a house by myself and trouble sleeping. So my verse was "In peace I will both lie down and sleep, for You alone, O Lord, make me to dwell in safety." Psalm 4:7-8

And then a year after my Dad died and I felt like my heart and spirit were still broken, I chose this one, "I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh." Ezekiel 36:26

This is the verse I chose for 2021 (and the first note you received from me if you were one of the people I chose to encourage!).

Here was my Process:

At the beginning of January, I decided to encourage one person for two weeks at a time.  Then I made a list of 26 people "around me".  It included family members, co-workers, a boss, a neighbor, friends from college, and "Friends on Facebook".  Once I had a list of 26, I prayed that each person be encouraged at just the right time.  Then I assigned each person a number and opened a random number generator tool online.  

At the beginning of the two weeks I gave each person the card with my theme verse and wrote on the back, explaining that this verse stood out to me because with the pandemic and election and everything going on in the world, we've all had a lot to endure and that I wanted to spend the year encouraging the people around me.  I let them know I'd be praying for them and finding ways to encourage them.

Then I would look for ways to encourage!  I tried to do a mix of encouraging with words and gifts.  I sent notes or posted on their social media.  I sent emails.  I did a chalk obstacle course.  I gave gift cards.  I baked bread and delivered it.  I sent packages.  On Cinco de Mayo I left a miniature piñata filled with Vegan candy on a co-worker's desk!  

Here's What I Loved About It:

1. I LOVE planning, making lists, thinking ahead, being prepared, etc.  I bought a special planner just for the purpose of planning my encouragement for each person.  It really made me happy!

2. I also love gift-giving, really thinking about what would make the recipient happy.

 

3. It kept my focus on others.  

4. It pushed me to pray for others.

5. It allowed me to live out a Biblical principal.

6. I hope it was a seed planted for non-believers.  In a modern workplace - it's  scary to share your faith and hard to find a way to go about it.  By giving the card with my theme verse to each person, I explained the "why".  Why did I do this - I'm trying to live out my faith.

7. It pushed me outside of my comfort zone.

8. It brought me joy.

9. It gave me a new connection with each recipient - strengthened our friendship and gave us a new memory together.

10. I received an unusual amount of money, gifts, gift cards, cookies, kindness, flowers and notes this year - I know some were connected to my encouragement, but I also believe they were blessings from God, to encourage me, while I was trying to encourage others.

Here's What I Didn't Love About It:

There were some opportunities to encourage others that I missed doing because I was focused on this project.

It got expensive.

Sometimes I felt like it made people uncomfortable to receive so much focused encouragement at once.

Reactions From Those I Encouraged:

I experienced a range of responses.  I noticed kids I encouraged fully expected good things and had no trouble accepting them.  Grownups sometimes asked, why me? or why are you doing this?

Some people reciprocated gifts or gave me a thank you gift.  

Nearly everyone said thank you.

I loved when people shared with me how my encouragement affected their day or how it was really needed at this time in their life.

I Loved when people told me that the experience made them want to find someone in their lives to encourage.  

I LOVED when people told me this made them read their Bible or pray or share Jesus with others.

Encouragement Ideas:

I highly recommend encouragement as a resolution and it can take any form you choose!  Here are some ideas you could try:

*Encourage 1 person a month.  Maybe choose 4 prayer topics for each week.  Or try a different encouragement method each week - words of affirmation, gifts, acts of service and quality time.

*Choose 1 family and encourage them throughout the year.  Use holidays as a reminder to do something for them.  

*Find a college kid you know (maybe a friend's child or someone from your church) and send them mail every week.  Add a care package or gift card once in a while!

*Choose "friends on Facebook" and pick a few people you see on Facebook all the time, but have lost a personal connection with them and re-connect.  "Like" their posts, send them a message, comment on their photos, post on their wall.

*Encourage anonymously in your city - the easiest way is to pay for people behind you in a drive-thru line.  Call a nearby school and give them your credit card # over the phone to pay for kids school lunches.  Call your library and pay for random people's fines.  Leave money near meters or vending machines.  Have pizza delivered to a police station, firehouse or hospital.

*Choose a child to sponsor from Compassion International.  I sponsor Nilda and it really does bring me joy to correspond with her, try to share my faith with her and to think that I may be making a real difference in her life.

Overall, I recommend encouragement as a New Years Resolution!