Speak encouraging words to one another. Build up hope. So we’ll all be together in this. No one left out. No one left behind.” — 1 Thessalonians 5:11

What if the encouraging thing you're thinking about saying could completely change someone's day?

In this episode of Everyday Joy, Ash is joined by Shay for a conversation about the power of our words, the importance of encouragement and what it looks like to intentionally build the people around us up.

1 Thessalonians 5:11 reminds us that encouragement isn't just about being nice. We're called to build up hope, strengthen one another and make sure no one is left behind.

Ash and Shay talk about how easy it is to keep a compliment to ourselves, assume someone already knows what we think of them, or focus on what's frustrating rather than what's good. But sometimes the simplest words—"I love that about you," "I'm proud of you," "You're doing a great job"—can make an enormous difference.

They also have an honest conversation about how easy it is to become our own worst critics. We can walk around assuming people are disappointed in us, that we've upset someone or that others see us far more negatively than they actually do. Sometimes we need someone else to speak truth and encouragement into our lives.

But there's a deeper challenge too: are we genuinely encouraging people, or are we only being nice to their face? Ash and Shay unpack the difference between simply being "nice" and allowing God to change what's happening in our hearts, so that our encouragement is genuine both publicly and privately.

The conversation also explores what it means to live out God's Kingdom right now. We don't have to wait for everything to be fixed or for Jesus to return before we start building people up, growing in maturity and bringing hope into the world around us.

Because we are surrounded by enough negativity. We don't need to add to it.

We can choose to be people who build up hope, speak life and make sure the people around us know they aren't alone.