What are Stories of Encouragement

Do you know your true power, your source of courage? Here at Words of Encouragement (Woe) we seek and bring you stories to invite you to ponder your sense of who you are, your know-how, and perseverance.

It never changes that we live in turbulent times where the ruckus of negative noise becomes overwhelming. Is it any wonder you may have doubts about yourself?

Of course, we need each other, family, friends, and community to aid us along the way in life. But at the core, a strong understanding of self, your capabilities, and your tenacity are essential if you are to grow.

To be courageous, we must counter the gnawing kind of fear that brings us down. Fear can be useful when it keeps us from walking over cliffs and out of the mouths of lions, but most of the time, we live with unhelpful fear, the kind that zaps energy.

“I will love the Light for it shows me the way, yet I will endure the darkness because it shows me the stars.” Og Mandino

Nagging fear allows us to dislike ourselves and to believe we have no better future. In contrast, to be lifted by encouragement is to not only have courage but recognize and put fear in its proper place.

To come to this ideal of encouragement, we looked at the parts of the word. The prefix “en” means within or in. Courage is the ability to do something that frightens one. And the last bit, the suffix “ment” is the concrete result, object, or agent of an action.  So, encouragement is to be filled with courage, which manifests itself in doing.

Here at WoE we know that stories are powerful for imparting lessons, so we bring you the stories of others who have faced challenges and harnessed their courage. These examples are meant to trigger reflection about your courage and envision how to utilize it more often in tough times.

We take that concept of “giving encouragement” not merely to inspire courage in a moment but to pass something along that can serve you again and again.

This idea likens you to be the runner of your life. You started off running with one hand behind you, prepared to grab the baton of encouragement. And hopefully, at some point, you’ve felt it in your hand and surged forward in the past.

But with time, maybe you’ve felt your grip on courage loosen. We feel it at times too, so we share these stories of encouragement to remind you to clasp firmly to your confidence and keep on trying!

“In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity.” Albert Einstein