Encourage One Another...I Dare You! Join the #EncouragementDare ( #Dayspring #LiveYourFaith )

**Post contains affiliate links. All thoughts are my own.

Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing.- 1 Thessalonians 5:11

As we see in the scripture above, we are called to offer encouragement to one another, to build one another up and not tear each other down. When we look at the world around us, it's clear that we need a little more of that, don't we? It's so easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of life, that we forget this simple command. We go on about our days, working so hard to get done what needs to be done that we often miss those simple opportunities all around us to be an encouragement to others.

This is why days like the National Day of Encouragement on September 12 are so important. It offers us that little reminder to go out and make the effort. In celebration of this day, Dayspring is launching its first ever #EncouragementDare!



From today, August 30th through September 12, they are challenging all of us to actively go out and encourage those around us. Ready to take the dare? Here are a few very simple ways that you can offer encouragement:

• Send a Card. Aside from birthdays, how often do you get cards in the mail? For most, it's probably not often, right? I don't know about you, but I personally love getting a handwritten card or note in the mail! It certainly beats bills. It doesn't have to be a long letter, just a quick note to say, "I was thinking of you!" 
• Smile & Say Hello. Simple enough, right? So often when we are out and about doing our daily errands, we get so caught up in what we're doing that we don't pay much attention to those around us. Make the effort to greet people warmly, a simple hello or even a few kind words can be a simple way to brighten someone's day.
• Lend a Helping Hand. Do you know someone that has a lot on their plate? Offer, even insist, on helping them lighten the load! Provide free babysitting to the overwhelmed mama that needs a shopping trip alone. Help with household chores like dishes or mowing the lawn that she just can't seem to get caught up with. Even provide a meal so she gets a night out of cooking. Look for ways to help a stranger when you're out too. Hold the door open, carry groceries to someone's vehicle...these simple gestures can mean the world and don't require money or much time at all.
• Send An E-Card. No stamps in the house to send an actual card? Send an e-card instead. Dayspring has a great selection that are free to send...even some new ones just for the Encouragement Dare! Check them all out, and start sending!
• Pray for Them. Perhaps one of the greatest ways we can offer encouragement to those who need it is to lift them up in prayer. God knows their full needs, even if we do not and I know personally it means the world to me when I know others thought enough to keep me in their prayers when I needed it most.
• Give a Gift, Just Because. It doesn't have to be a large gift or cost a lot of money, but much like the cards can just be a nice gesture that lets someone know that you care about them enough to go that extra step! These gifts can also be a source of encouragement themselves, filled with kind words and encouraging messages that they can look at as they go through their day. From September 1-6, Dayspring will be offering amazing deals on selections from their Encouragement Gifts section, so be sure to look out for those. (I will be sharing more info on this sale in the coming days!)
• Simply Be There. From near or far, just be a listening ear when it's needed. Sometimes, all we need is that knowledge that you've got someone by your side. 
• Spread the Word. Kindness can be contagious, so help spread the word about the Encouragement Dare through your own social media using the hashtag #EncouragementDare and encourage others to join in! Be sure to tag Dayspring in your shares too:
  
  
  Facebook: @dayspringfans
  Instagram: @dayspringcards 
  Twitter: @DaySpring 

Want to learn more about the encouragement day and how you can offer encouragement to others? Visit here for more great ideas!

Will you be accepting the dare? Let me know how you plan to encourage others, and be on the lookout for more from me as the challenge continues.