Infertility is hard, and it can be difficult to encourage others when we are feeling empty, dry, and in need of encouragement ourselves. But one thing I’ve learned during infertility is that encouraging others, even when it’s hard, is one of the best ways to bring joy and purpose back into our own life.
September 12 is National Encouragement day. To celebrate this special day, I’m participating in Dayspring’s Encouragement Dare. I wanted to share a few quick and easy ways we can encourage others when we might need encouragement, too.
Pray & Ask for Prayer
Prayer is free. We can do it anytime and anywhere. It’s natural to pray for friends who are going through a tough time, but have you ever thought about how it might encourage others when you ask them to pray for you?
My husband and I recently talked a young man he knows who is a few month into his recovery process from drugs and alcohol. As we said goodbye, my husband told the man he would pray for him. And then my husband said, “Will you pray for me, too?” The young man’s face immediately brightened and he said, “Yes! I will!” It was apparent to me that the young man had always been on the receiving side of prayer and the idea that someone wanted him to do the praying was very meaningful and encouraging. So pray for those who need encouragement, but also remember to ask for prayer, too. It’s a double-dose of encouragement!
Write a Note
Receiving an encouraging text is wonderful. But there’s something extra-special about sending a hand-written note in the mail. I keep a few boxes of DaySpring’s Encouragement Cards on hand for this exact reason. Even just a few hand-written sentences can mean so much to the recipient. Also, who doesn’t love an excuse to buy some pretty notecards?!
If you don’t know what to say in your note, here are some simple ideas:
- I’m so sorry you’re going through this.
- I’m here if you want to talk.
- We’re in this together (for someone else going through infertility).
- I care about you.
- I’m thinking of you / I’m praying for you.
Send a Gift
I love sending small gifts in the mail to people friends who need some encouragement. The thought of them receiving something fun and unexpected in the mail will also cheer me up a little if I’m having a bad day.
If you’re in the middle of a struggle yourself, it can sometimes feel overwhelming to buy a gift, pack it up, and then stand in line at the post office to mail it. I usually just buy a gift small online and have it shipped directly to my recipient.
Do Something Small
The little things mean the most, right? Here are a few extra ideas on how to encourage someone.
- Bring flowers to a friend.
- Leave chocolate on a co-worker’s desk.
- Leave coupons on a store shelf next to the item it’s for (one of my favorites!)
- Buy a drink for the person behind you in line at the coffee shop or drive-thru.
- Set out a bottle of water or a pack of hand-warmers (depending on the weather where you live!) for your mail carrier.
Encouraging someone when you need encouragement yourself doesn’t have to be difficult. Keep things simple, cheap, and from the heart and you can’t go wrong. You might even find that the act of serving someone else may ease some of your own burden.
“Carry each other’s burdens and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ.” – Galatians 6:2
“God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them.” – Hebrews 6:10.
Be sure to check out DaySpring’s Encouragement Kit! It’s filled with more fun tips and free downloads.
All the products you see in the photos above are available at DaySpring.
