I’m going to be posting a new way to show encouragement for 30 days. Let’s see how I do. This is a part of the 31 Days Challenge over at The Nester. I came in a day late, so I made it 30 days. 🙂

My challenge is to write it AND do it. Your challenge will be to try to implement the daily ways. With your spouse, your children, friends, or random strangers (my boys love that term, “random stranger”).

Number one: Listen fully

One of the easiest ways (in theory – in action, it’s often not so easy!) to encourage someone is to listen fully and be engaged in what they’re saying.

In today’s tech age, it’s hard to find friends (and family members) who really listen. Not just hear what others are saying, but listen to them.

How often do you say that to your kids, “I know you heard me, but you didn’t listen!”

See, when you’re really listening to someone, he has your full attention. You are looking at his face, his eyes, his mouth, and not at your phone, the tv, or the computer. You’re not thinking about what you want to say when he stops talking. You’re really listening to his words, and letting them absorb in your mind and heart.

I know we’re all busy, and we all try to find ways to multi-task. But let’s not allow important relationships–or any relationships–to suffer.

If you need to quiz yourself on this, you can start out by repeating the key points he’s said, to make sure you heard him right.

Your mission: Go listen to someone.

Let me know how it goes. 🙂
God bless,
Jenn

JennAbout Jenn: I’m a Christian wife to an amazing man (since 1998) and a stay-at-home-teaching mom to four special & incredible boys (born in 2004, 2005, 2007, & 2009). I’m messy and cluttered, but working on that (really, I am!). I’m a discouraged perfectionist and a classic procrastinator who probably has both ADD & Autism, so I tend to jump from topic to topic (and activity to activity) without notice. My Love Languages are Words of Affirmation and Physical Touch. I’m an INFP who enjoys friends but loves to be alone. I love getting and giving hugs, and encouragement is a Spiritual gift of mine that can too-easily be turned into the weapon of discouragement, if I’m not careful. I enjoy writing, singing, words, drawing, photography, digital creations, and reading. Oh, and pizza, tacos, and steak. Now I’m hungry. That reminds me; I eat gluten free and try to eat organic and avoid white sugar and GMOs as much as possible.  Find me on Facebook (Writer/Editor page) (Fan page), Twitter, Pinterest, or Instagram.


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3 Comments

  1. Listening to someone truly, with undivided attention, is a very important expression of love. I’d like to be a better listener.
    I’m looking forward to reading your future posts.

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