The power we have to make a difference. And how easy it is to forget in the everyday.

We all have the power to change lives every day. But it is all too easy to forget in the busyness and all of the lives we lead.

Many times we do not even see the result of this simple choice we make, or in the tiny amount of time it takes to make this difference, but it can make an amazing difference to someone else.

A few weeks ago I had been questioning my decision to write and publish. It happens occasionally. It's not like I was about to stop writing, but not pressing publish would be a relatively easy step. By the Thursday afternoon of that week, after driving home from working, coming home to many cuddles, but also overwhelming tiredness, I had pretty much decided to just leave it. Readers had been decreasing and I didn't really see the need to continue. No big deal really. My life is so full as it is.

I'm completely blessed, happy, and have more than enough to keep me busy. If I am not really making a difference to others, then what is the point?

But then about an hour after I had pretty much made my decision, as I picked up my iPad to check Instagram (needing some pretty inspiration!) I noticed a Facebook notification. I opened Facebook to discover a lovely encouraging message from someone I hadn't seen in years. I was completely overcome with gratitude, at the amazing encouragement as I read it. It spoke of how much she had enjoyed reading my blog posts. This, from someone I was unaware had even seen them.

In that moment I sighed and resolved to keep going a little longer. I decided to continue pressing publish, even if very few people were reached. Because I was reminded again that one person reached should be more than enough. It is easy to forget that in the disappointment of statistics that claim failure and the number, rather than names, of those following along.

The power of encouragement is huge.

The difference that reaching one person can make, is at times so big that it can change the course of history.

A sentence. A few words. A smile followed by a brief remark. All these things have the power to make a person's day, yes, but it is so much more than that.

The effect that these very simple words have can be even greater than we ever know. Not everyone lives their life out in the open for all to see. Some are hurting behind the biggest of smiles and the most fabulous hair and make up. Insecurity lives in many people. Some who choose to stand back and remain quiet, as well as some that live loudly laughing before everyone.

You can never judge a book by it's cover, we are told. But more so, you can never know what is going on in the back ground of the life of the person standing right in front of you. We can never know decisions that are being made, feelings that are being felt, and we can never truly know what is in another person's heart.

In this lies amazing power for all who choose to step out and decide they want to make a difference in this very simply way. As words leave your thoughts and move beyond your lips, encouragement can have a great impact on the way the person receiving them sees themselves and feels in that moment, as well as beyond.

Most people are overly critical of themselves. Sometimes this is a great thing because we all have things we need to change and work on. There are times however when we really need to have reflected back to us all the things that are great and lovely about ourselves.

Too often we hear stories of people who have suffered in silence or struggled alone. There are massive problems that exist in our world that seem insurmountable. And we can't fix everything.

But we do have the power to make sure there is a little hope, a little love, a little grace, a little happiness in there for the people we come into contact with.

It is an incredible gift to hold that power and choose to give it away.

We all think encouraging thoughts often. We admire someone's hair style, we smile and think to ourselves how well a mum deals with a tricky situation, we say to ourselves that a colleague is amazing at their job. We think it. We do. All the time.

The power however comes only when these thoughts are given a voice. Saying things out loud for everyone to hear, proclaiming them to be true before others, is a greater gift than many we try to wrap up and give at appropriate times throughout the year.

Simple words of encouragement have incredible power when spoken aloud. Use encouragement to make a difference in someone's life today: use it honestly, liberally and with gratitude. You may never know the difference it makes to someone else, but I can assure you it will.

Jen.x