Building One Another  

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. I Thessalonians 5:11

Lift People’s Hearts!

Dear Friend,  

A friend drove me on a six-hour trip when I was recovering from surgery. A receptionist made a phone call she didn’t have to make to help me. A neighbor helped me stop a leaking pipe. All of these acts of kindness lifted my heart and sparked joy in me!

Think about ways you may spark joy in the life of another person. How might you lift their heart and renew their spirit?

One direct way to do this is with your words. As one of Job’s friends said to him, “Your words have put people on their feet!” Indeed, your words have the capacity to lift the heart!

At the same time your acts of kindness have the same capacity to lift hearts – such as a helping hand, a warm smile, your simple presence, a word of encouragement!

We know that joy and kindness are linked along with the other fruit of the Spirit including love, joy, peace, patience and kindness! It’s all about bringing our Lord’s joy to us.

Ask our Lord to give you his “people eyes,” so that you may see people through his eyes and look for ways to lift their hearts and spark their joy.

Joy to you - Stan

© Copyright 2021 E. Stanley Ott

1. Recall a moment or two in which someone lifted your heart, sparked your joy, with some simply word or some helpful action.
2. Prime the Pump - when you awake, think about the people you expect to meet and those who will come your way without warning - and ready yourself to be kindness in action - a person whose words and deeds actually spark joy in others.
3. Name one person you whose heart you will seek to lift, in whom you will seek to spark joy and describe how you plan to do it!

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Photo by E. Stanley Ott‍