If we look outside of ourselves, if we look at our day from the perspective that ‘there are no coincidences’, then we can believe that everyone we interact with each day is there for a reason… however significant or however fleeting.  Perhaps we have connected so that we can encourage them… or perhaps it is for them to encourage us. Either way, we are both blessed in the process.  

There is a light inside of each of us… sometimes we shine so bright we light the way for others.  We draw those toward us like a beacon on a hill.  Other times our own light seems to flicker and grow dim, and we need the spark from someone else to brighten our spirits… to re-ignite us.    

Has someone been on your mind lately but you don’t know why?  Perhaps they need to be uplifted and encouraged.  Have you notice a co-worker who seems distance or detached?  A kind gesture may go a long way in giving them hope to get through whatever they are facing.  We don’t need to know what is weighing on them, we simply need to be obedient to the prompting to reach out.  

Are you in need of encouragement yourself?  Be open to receiving a smile from a stranger or a friend… search out quotes, stories, music, people and scripture that will uplift you.  Pray. Be kind to yourself.