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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chris_chicky at yahoo dot com
I have a role reversal…..a great friend of mine encourages me all of the time. If I have a problem, she is there for me with just the right words to say.
Through her, I have learned forgiveness and grace. I will be encouraging myself to be stronger in this life and know that God is there for me.
‘Do not fear, for I am with you; do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.’ Isaiah 41:10
jen6122 at hotmail dot com
I am going to encourage my husband. He lost his job at the beginning of this year and is still trying to figure out what to do.
My favorite encouraging verse is Luke 12:32- “Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has been pleased to give you the kingdom.”
-Jennifer
I plan to encourage my prayer partner in Bible Study, as well as others that cross my path this week. Just last night we were discussing things we struggle with and the small group that I was in had many trials & many of them are on my mind as well.
benpip at yahoo dot com
When thou passeth through the water I will be with thee, and through the rivers they will not overflow thee, and when thou walkest through the fire thou shalt not be burned, neither shall the flame kindle upon thee. Isaiah 43:2
Gotta love technology 🙂 Glad you were able to recover it!
Sue ([email protected])
I will be encouraging my husband as he is overtired and as he said this morning "without spirit"
My favorite scripture is "Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take." Proverbs 3:5-6
I encourage my big sister who had back fusion surgery recently and also has a grown(30) son with mental illness who is dependent on her and her husband.
My favorite encouraging verse is:
For I know the plans I have for you, says the LORD, plans for your welfare, not for woe! Plans to give you a future full of hope. Jer 29:11
Sorry you lost your post Renee. Technology can be so frustrating sometimes! My email is [email protected]. I will be encouraging my daughter this week. One of my favorite verses is I Thessalonians 5:16-18 "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
Sometimes it's hard to feel joyful but but I have found that just by whispering "thank you" to Jesus my attitude can change.
Susan Southerland
My email is suzy underscore south at hotmail dot com
I will be encouraging a friend who is 23 and pregnant for the first time, struggling in her marriage, and desiring to grow in the Lord and working hard towards that goal.
Jeremiah 29:11 (NIV) "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."
Rachel: hoek73 at yahoo dot com
I will encourage Cara.
My favorite encouraging scripture is actually from your Proverbs 31 devotion: Ephesians 2:10.
"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." (NIV)
Clearissa Poston
[email protected]
I will be encouraging my friend Mia this week. She's not feeling positive about her weight loss effort and I know she can do this.
Myu favorite scripture that relates to this endeavor is "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me."Philippians 4:13
savannah at [email protected]
I will encourage my husband as times are financially tough for us and we are expecting the birth of our 4th child in two weeks.
One of my many favorite encourageing scriptures is psalm 121:2
My help comes from the Lord , who made heaven and earth !!!
Thank you so much for all you share!
mayer4 at bresnan dot net
I am and will continue to encourage my dad. He has accepted the Lord as his saviour and the Holy Spirit is stirring in him like crazy and I cannot even tell you the joy this brings me!
One of my favorite scriptures is:
Anxiety in a man's heart weighs it down, but an encouraging word makes it glad.
Proverbs 12:25
I will be encouraging my step-daughter away at college. I visited with her last night after work and sent her an email today.
My favorite encouraging scripture is:
Do not worry about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving present your requests to God. and the peace of god, which transcends all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. Phil 4: 6-7
fantprestonL at att dot net
[email protected]
I will encourage my Aunt that lost her husband a year ago this week. She misses him very much as they were very close.
ONE of my favorite verses is "Cast all your cares on Him because He cares for you. 1Peter 5:7
CAST – throw out , get it away from us – He wants our cares, what a comfort..
I have been thinking a lot lately about the power of words to crush or encourage. It is not insignificant that Jesus Himself was named the Word. Your devotional has encouraged me to use the power of Jesus Christ that we ALL have been given through the gift of speech and/or writing. I pray I can model this for my kids more than I have.
One of my favorite encouraging verses: Romans 8:31 If God be for us, who can be against us?
SAVANNAH AT [email protected]
I will encourage my husband this week! We are about to expect our 4th child in about 2 weeks and things are financially hard.
One of my favorite encouraging scriptures is psalm 121:2
My help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth !!!!
How I needed this post!! Thank you, Renee. My email is danawade at hotmail dot com. When you asked for an encouraging verse my first thought was Jeremiah 29:11. Even though I've lived more than half my life, this verse still makes me feel like I have a good future. I hope to encourage my son this week. He is an alcoholic and he needs some encouragement and assurance that God loves him and performs millions of miracles each and everyday. One day this week might be just the day for my son's miracle.
Love in Christ,
Dana
Hello Renee – this is my first time to ever do this!
leanne dot laviolette at la dot gov
I will encourage my precious husband this week. He is starting a huge new project at work and is doubting his ability to handle it all. He has done even larger projects in the past but it's been over a year since being in charge of something of this magnitude.
Jeremiah 29:11 For I know the plans I have for you sayeth the LORD, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future!
I loved your proverbs 31 devotion this week. It hit me when I was really needing encouragment.
I will be encouraging my friend Carolyn through a phone call.
My favorite verse is Hebrews 12:1-3
1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3 Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.
my email is grahls at sbcglobal dot net.
Thanks,
Molly
cjcharger98ataoldotcom
I encourage people by sending cards, usually in the mail. i have been encouraging a friend lately by leaving a card on their windshield while they are working. I write a little note inside and maybe a verse that comes to mind and say a prayer before sending it to them.
grosesix at tds dot net
I will be encouraging my oldest son who has an injury that is preventing him from playing violin (his primary instrument for 14 years) to trust God and to find his value in the Lord not in his abilities.
Proverbs 3:5