{"id":79,"date":"2011-01-18T12:20:19","date_gmt":"2011-01-18T12:20:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/activistfaith\/2011\/01\/the-power-of-encouragement.html"},"modified":"2011-01-18T12:20:19","modified_gmt":"2011-01-18T12:20:19","slug":"the-power-of-encouragement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/activistfaith\/2011\/01\/the-power-of-encouragement.html","title":{"rendered":"The Power of Encouragement"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"yodaimages.jpg\"<\/span>Yesterday was my birthday. While parties are not the same as when I was a kid (Though my kids did throw me a Star Wars party!), there is something special about the encouragement of birthday cards, calls, and even little “Happy Birthday!” notes on Facebook.<\/p>\n

Encouragement is powerful. As people of faith, we have the opportunity to use encouragement to change the world. But changing the world usually begins with the person in front of us. We can belittle, do little, or encourage a little. Or a lot. The choice is up to you and me to use our power for good. Or as the great theologian Yoda shares, “Do or do not; there is no try.”<\/p>\n

Don’t “try” to encourage someone today. Just do it. Be an encourager. Change a life. Change the world.<\/p>\n

+++
<\/i>
DILLON
\nBURROUGHS is an author, activist, and co-founder of Activist Faith.
\nDillon served in Haiti following the epic 2010 earthquake and has
\ninvestigated modern slavery in the US and internationally. His books
\ninclude Undefending Christianity, Not in My Town (with Charles J.
\nPowell), and Thirst No More (October). Discover more at DillonBurroughs.org<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Yesterday was my birthday. While parties are not the same as when I was a kid (Though my kids did throw me a Star Wars party!), there is something special about the encouragement of birthday cards, calls, and even little “Happy Birthday!” notes on Facebook. Encouragement is powerful. 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