Today is the National Day of Encouragement.  I am thrilled for this day!  What an incredible opportunity to draw awareness to words and actions that can build people up; a reminder to offer encouragement.

My mission in life is to encourage with love, passion and enthusiasm.  PEP UP for Joy is my life song.  Passionate Encouragement and Prayer Uplifts People for Joy to be shared.  I work to live this out every day.  All of this flows from my life verses:

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another – and all the more as you see the day approaching.”  Hebrews 10:24-25 (NIV)

Once a year a spotlight shines upon Encouragement on September 12th.  I look forward to this day, and try to plan something special like it was a grand holiday, because to me it is.

For 2016 I am using this day as an opportunity to RECONNECT.  Who have I lost touch with?  Who has my communication been weak with?  Who is on my heart that I need to reach out to?  Who do I need to pray for?

We are blessed to live in a world rich with technology that can help us connect.  Calls, emails, messages and social media can be tools used to draw us together.  At the same time, the value of a hand written card or personal visit remains a treasure.

In preparation for the National Day of Encouragement I have been doing a lot of praying over the people I know and have known.  I have a working list of people to visit, call, text, message on Facebook and to write cards to.  All of these individuals I do not have the opportunity to connect with on a regular basis.

One quality they do all share, they have brought JOY to my life.  When I think of them, warm thoughts of love overcome me as I remember the times we have shared.  I just long to thank them for being a part of my life.  I want to remind them that they are appreciated for WHO they are.

How many times a day can we say that someone has approached us to tell us how much they appreciate WHO we are?

Isn’t it more likely to be complimented on what we DO?  Don’t get me wrong, appreciation and feedback for what we DO is nice, but what happens if a time comes where you don’t or can’t DO that anymore?  Are we valuable because of WHO we are or because of what we DO?

I believe our greatest measure of value is WHO we are.  Who we are grows and develops, often times through what we do, but also through who we share our lives with.  To live out 1 Thessalonians 5:11 (NIV), “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up,” we need to value WHO someone is.

Whether you are in a New York office or a rural classroom, your life has immeasurable value because of WHO you are.  If you own a business that employs others or if you are serving others through the business of running a household, you are valuable because of WHO you are.

I have found the world is quick to “click” a snapshot of where we are and what we are doing to assign our value.  Got a promotion, “click”, you are valuable.  Got laid off, “click”, you are not valuable.  Lost a few pounds, “click”, you are successful.  Gained a few pounds, “click”, you are a failure.  Pulled off a great birthday party, “click”, you are a great parent.  Yelled at your child in public, “click”, you are an awful parent.

You really can not take a single snapshot of who I am.  I can not take a snapshot of who you are.  Who we are comes with a story.  Pages, upon pages, upon pages.  Volumes that would make the entire works of Shakespeare look like a quick quote.

Your story makes you WHO you are.  It is what makes you a beautiful treasure and a priceless gift. 

Those supporting characters in our story add value, richness, joy and love.  Hopefully, we can offer those same benefits to the stories we enter into.

For me, today is about flipping through the pages of my story to recognize and thank those who have blessed my life.  I want to sprinkle some JOY into their lives, to induce some smiles and perhaps even offer a bit of courage to face the circumstances of the day.

What about YOU?  Is there someone you can reconnect with?  Who in YOUR life could use some encouragement?  How can you sprinkle joy into their day?

I challenge you to pick one person in your life and do something to encourage them today.

May we PEP UP for Joy this National Day of Encouragement!