When Leanne penned a note to her daughter’s coach that day, she had no idea it would make such a huge difference in Jill Beran’s life. She didn’t know Jill was at her lowest point, where doubt and loneliness had lead her into deep depression.
With just the right words, God spoke courage and hope into Jill’s heart, through Leanne.
At just the right time, He reached through the darkness and touched Jill’s life, through Leanne.
The night Jill came home, her depression had turned to despair. And then Leann’s note fell out of Jill’s journal. Simple words of appreciation brought hope into the darkness. Someone saw something in Jill that she couldn’t see in herself. Someone believed her life was worth living.
Leanne’s simple words helped changed the course of Jill’s life. But, as I shared in my devotion today, that’s just the beginning of their story. You can read the rest of it in their book Letters from Leanne. Today, I asked them to share more with us about it:
Tell us a little about the book: Letters from Leanne is the story of our friendship over the last ten years and how God has worked through it . We share the joys and trials we’ve encountered on our walk of faith, but ultimately how we saw God’s hand in every situation.
Jill, why did you write this book? Initially, I wanted to thank Leanne. I’d been blessed by her perspective as a mom, her acceptance as a friend, her guidance as an older woman and especially the love she poured out as a Christian. But it isn’t just a thank you to Leanne; it’s a thank you to God. Our friendship has been and still is a gift. I pray by reading our story, women will be encouraged to build similar relationships in their lives.
What do you hope readers will gain? We pray women will be encouraged in their faith and inspired to find or be a mentor. We share how mentoring is not about having all the answers, but simply sharing your life with someone. We give you a look at a specific spiritual mentoring relationship and take you on the journey of how our’s grew.
We’ve also included questions in each chapter to help women apply what we share to their personal lives. Women are encouraged to slow down and take a look at their own lives and find lessons in the letters.
To find out more about Letters from Leanne, visit Amazon. And if you’d like to connect with Jill you can visit her blog.
Encouraging Words Gift Pack
A copy of Letters from Leanne
A $5 Starbucks gift card
A pack of pretty cards
A notepad to give away
20 verses to personalize and send to a friend*********************************
- Leave your name and email typed out (your name at email provider dot com).
- List one person you’re going to encourage this week and how you’re going to do it.
- List your favorite “encouraging” verse if you have one.
Be sure to come back Wednesday for a video blog chat with my friend, author and speaker, Jennifer Rothschild. She’s shares great insights as we talk about the power of words! Also, I’ll be sharing about new make-up I discovered that I call my “magic eraser.” We used it to cover Jennifer’s black eye. More about that Weds. You might even win some along with two of her amazing books and another gift card!
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Lynn T: I thank God for all the women He placed in my life giving encouragement. I ask God to guide me everyday to someone I can encourage for Him. I was inspired from reading your devotional today.
Angel Pyles
[email protected]
Jer. 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future
Suzy
Suzy at qbooksnj dot com
I wish to encourage several people this week . may the Lord help guide me by His Spirit to just those people He wants me to encourage. It is only through He that has taken my mess that is able to make it a message. Come Holy spirit and lead the way. I am just a sinner lost in my flesh daily . I have been blessed myself by the gift of encouragement and surrender all to you Father to allow me the privalege to encourage others in my home ,workplace, relationships, and with complete strangers. Thank you.
Suzy
Suzy at qbooksnj dot com
I wish to encourage several people this week . may the Lord help guide me by His Spirit to just those people He wants me to encourage. It is only through He that has taken my mess that is able to make it a message. Come Holy spirit and lead the way. I am just a sinner lost in my flesh daily . I have been blessed myself by the gift of encouragement and surrender all to you Father to allow me the privalege to encourage others in my home ,workplace, relationships, and with complete strangers. Thank you.
Billie Collier
biddy332 at sbcglobal dot net
One of my favorite passages:
2 Peter 1:3-11
Karen
segos 4 at comcast dot net
I will be encouraging my kids and husband this week. Sometimes I try to encourage them by sending a text with words of encouragement or a verse. I also pray before I walk into the office each day that I can be a blessing & encouragement to my coworkers. My favorite verses are Proverbs 3:5,6 Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.
I will be encouraging my kids and my husband this week. Sometimes I try to encourage them by texting them a word of encouragement or a verse. I also pray before I walk into the office each day, that I can be a blessing & encouragment to my coworkers. My favorite verses are Proverbs 3:5,6
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will direct your paths.
Michelle
[email protected]
I will be encouraging my husband as he works out of town by sending him devotionals ( like yours ) . These are gender neutral ideas. One of my favorite verses is Psalm 19:14 May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart br pleasing to you,O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.
Thank you for the window of opportunity to witness the encouragement of others.
My address is: [email protected]
I will be encouraging my husband who fears I will never become employed again.
My favorite scripture is John 14:27
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
Blessings to you and yours!
[email protected]
I will be encouraging my daughter who is struggling with her job search in the nursing field.
My favorite verse is Proverbs 3:5-Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. This is a verse that God has planted in my heart time and time again.
My email address is SueNabb at Gmail dot com.
I would encourage my grand daughter who just moved in with us. She is fighting a drug problem and needs serious prayer and encouragement daily as do I.
My favorite encouraging Bible Verse is Phillipians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.
Rebecca
tiggerdaisy at gmail dot com
I plan to encourage several people this week: my best friend, a few women at church, my grandmothers and my husband! 🙂
Encouraging verse: I am fearfully and wonderfully made! (Psalm 139:14
Can't wait to hear more on this topic!
Prayers and blessings,
Rebecca
cain4him at hotmail dot com
I will be encouraging my employer, her dad is very ill and I'm sure she'll encourage me as I've needed it since the Christmas Eve passing of my hubby.
Thank you for your words of encouragement. One of the scriptures you quoted is one of my life verses, Isaiah 43:1.
gplhome at sbcglobal dot com
I would send encouraging words to my daughter Becca who is expecting her first baby – my first grandchild. She is far away from home in Hawaii. Her husband Zach is in the Navy.
"From the end of the earth I call to Thee, when my heart is faint (overwhelmed) lead me to the rock that is higher than I.For thou hast been a shelter/refuge for me, a tower of strenth against the enemy." Psalm 61:2,3
You are a blessing!
jobotopher at msn dot com
I will be encouraging a 17-year old mother who will be having a funeral for her baby this week.
My encouraging verse is: Jesus wept. John 11:35
Thank you Renee. This came at just the right time!
I will be encouraging a friend who just had eye surgery and will need to be face down for 10 days! Our small group of 4 (she's one of us) will be joining her for our girl time this week, sitting on the floor by her bedside, looking up as she looks down.
One of my favorite verses is Jeremiah 29:11 "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."
Love your blog!
clhklavier at netzero dot net
Sorry you lost your post.
[email protected]
I will be encouraging my 2 sisters. One who broke her arm and because of it lost her new job and the other because of a difficult marriage she's dealing with. We all pray for each other and I lost my job over a year ago and am stuggling whether to stay put or to move with one sister. I'm waiting for a word from the Lord to let me know which way I should turn before making this difficult decision. I have never lived anywhere but where I am and it would take a giant leap of faith to do this.
Psalms 23
Thank you!! I am going to write my aunt a note of encouragement. She has been there for me in a big way over the past 3 years as my marriage is resurrected from the ashes of my husbands affair. She is now in need of some encouraging words and I want to be there for her. Thank you again.
mamckinley3 at yahoo dot com
my favorite scripture is:
Isaiah 40:31 "But those who's hope is in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint."
I suppose my ladies SS class would be the ones I will be encouraging. Sunday, a longtime member of the class passed away. I'm fairly new to the class and only met the lady once but she had a very magnetic personality and she was a person who shared her faith with everyone, so she will be greatly missed.
On Sunday, I reconnected on Facebook with a friend I had lost contact with and found out since we had talked 2 years ago she has been through a terrible divorce, has low self-esteem, is very lonely, and doesn't know Jesus as her Lord and Savior. I'm praying God will give me just the right words to speak encouragement to her heart. tlpetty218 at gmail dot com