When I was a teenager, my dad had a friend, Mr. Randy, that sent daily scripture messages to a whole community of people at nearly the same time, every day. Usually, first thing in the morning, between 5:30-6:00am, phones would ding or chirp or beep beep and it was the message for the day. All of these messages were different Bible verses with a desire to see the good, be the good, share the good that the day was offering. Every day, for years I would pour my dad a cup of coffee while he read the day’s message.
At some point, maybe when I moved out, I realized I needed to be added to the community of people who received the messages. So I asked my dad about it and the next day, there was a message. Every day after that, there was a message. For YEARS, daily, without fail, I started my day reading those messages.
Then, one day, there wasn’t a message. Mr. Randy had passed away. What a hole was left without his presence and persistence. I had shared these messages with friends and co-workers. We had spent a moment of our time together daily. Until it was just quiet.
One day, while everything was quiet, I messaged my close friends. Something vague and cliche like “Hey girl – you got this! You’re a rockstar! I love you!” They all messaged back. “I needed this. I love you!” Wait, what? YOU needed this? YOU? I needed this. I needed to not feel alone. I needed to feel loved and worthy and enough. I needed to know somebody was sharing a struggle or a season. I needed to be pumped up. I messaged you what I was reciting to myself to get the day started. So then, like a whole week later, I messaged something else. Equally vague and cliche, but also equally true and powerful and honest. I don’t remember exactly what the message was.
So for a while now, I try to send out good vibes once a week or so. I’m not nearly as committed as Mr. Randy’s daily 6:00am texts. I’m not anywhere close to his pure wisdom or profoundness. Some of my messages are literally just texted words and some are creative, pretty Canva posters. My community does not care what the message looks like. It’s the message. Sometimes I just copy and paste repeats.
The list of “close friends” that I include has grown so much and EVERYYY time I question “I’m not really that close to them – I don’t know if I should send this. It’s corny and cheesy and lame.” I send the message anyways, because the thought above, that’s the devil trying to steal joy. I send the love despite the devil. And every time I defy the devil, the response is always “You don’t know what kinda BAD morning I was having! I needed to hear this! thanks, I love you!”
EVERY.SINGLE.TIME!
So, I’m telling this story to say, if there is something on your heart to share with your community of peeps, just do it. Just share it. Just share the love you have for your people, share the love you have for their efforts, for their struggles, for their beautiful hearts, inside and out. You may be the only person who tells them or encourages them or quiets their own devil telling them things that aren’t true.
If you don’t know what to say, I’m sharing some of my *profound* messages below (feel free to copy and paste!)
- “YOU are loved. Worthy. Loved. Enough. Loved. Strong. Loved. Brave. Loved. Beautiful. Loved. Loved. Loved.”
- “You are a rockstar! Make today your B!”
- “Happy Friday, I love you!”
- “You are powerful. You are beautiful. You are amazing. You are a good friend/daughter/sister/mama!”
- “Jesus loves you and I do too!”
- “Go be amazing! I love you!”
