I opened my email and read this from my friend Jim: "This is probably directly from God. I had a long chat with Keith yesterday about my need to be an encouragement to him.

Thank you for thought and good ideas on how to be what I need to be."

I had shared with Jim some of simple thoughts you are about to read. Then Jim sent me his note.

You know what? I loved it! Such a simple thing. "Just" a note.

I was encouraged.

SO WHAT IS ENCOURAGEMENT?

I like to think of encouragement this way:

*"Encouragement is giving a moment of sunshine to soul of another person."

Just a moment of sunshine. Let me repeat that: "just a moment."

Many times that is all we need, right? It was a short note from my friend.

Very short.

I doubt if it took him more than five minutes to write and less for me to read.

But it touched my heart.

THE POSSIBILITIES ARE MANY!

The beauty of encouragement is that it can be delivered in so many types of "packages."

It is as creative and thoughtful *as I am.*

I can send a note, say a kind word, surprise someone with my own unique "sunshine basket" as my wife calls them, take an extra moment to "connect" with a person by my smile, And...