Confession: I’ve given a lot of unused gifts in my life. I know because I’ll see them collecting dust in a friend’s drawer, suddenly disappear from their house forever, or notice it was never activated or unpackaged.
I bet it’s happened to you, too.
But there’s one gift we can give this holiday season that our loved ones long for–and (surprise), it won’t cost you a dime.
It’s the power of your words. James 3 describes that the syllables we speak can either . . .
Upgrade or degrade.
Humanize or dehumanize.
Create or annihilate.
So why not speak life? Take a few moments, grab a notecard, and write words that breathe life into someone you love.
To make it easy-peasy, all you have to do is pick 2 to 3 of the characteristics listed below and write them in your note.
The note doesn’t need to be long, just specific. So start by saying something, “I’m so grateful for you! You have so many gifts.” Then tell the person what you love about them.
#1: Generous: You’re willing to give of yourself wholly and freely.
#2: Joyful: You have a special bounce in your step and heart.
#3: Kind: Compassion pours out of you like a spring.
#4: Honest: You’re breathtakingly honest and true.
#5: Creative: You make the world a more beautiful place.
#6: Patient: You walk through tough situations with so much grace
#7: Humble: You’re always focusing on others instead of yourself.
#8: Partypants: You know how to bring life into any gathering.
#9: Other-oriented: You’re always willing to lift others up in remarkable ways.
#10: Calm: You have a contagious peace and tranquility about you.
#11: Reliable: You do what you say, which often feels like a lost art in our modern world.
#12: Tenacious: Through thick and thin, you refuse to give up or let go.
#13: Loyal: You never shrink back or walk away even when times get tough.
#14: Resilient: You can bounce back from setbacks and hardship.
#15: Adventurous: You’re always up for trying something new.
#16: Gracious: You show kindness and gratitude even when life gets messy.
#17: Grit: You hang in there when others would have given up, and it’s inspiring.
Voila! You’ll give a lot of gifts this year, but the loving words you speak will be among the longest lasting–especially among those closest to you. May you choose to speak life!
