Words matter, don’t they? Sometimes I don’t really think about the impact that my words may have on others but words have the ability to either build up or tear down and I would much rather be a builder upper than a tearer downer. I might have made up some words there but you get what I mean.

Growing up there was a man in one of my Daddy’s churches that always had kind words for me. He nicknamed me Smiley and for a young girl with image issues it always made me feel extra special when Mr. Shaffer called me Smiley. Years and years later when we would see him and his wife at Lakeside at Conference he still called me Smiley as an adult and it made me happy. A simple word, a simple nickname and I remember him to this day some 60 years later.

Another time I had a conversation with a “friend” and this friend said I was unapproachable. I took that to heart and never wanted to believe that I was unapproachable. I didn’t have a response to her for that because I was quite honestly shocked but to this day I remember that conversation from probably 25 years ago. Words have a way of sticking with you and staying with you.

Just today I had a really great conversation with someone whose volunteer position I took over this year. I am doing things differently than she did when she did the job and she made the point of taking the time to tell me that she appreciated how I was doing things and was happy that I had taken the job. I am going to carry that conversation with me for a long time because it lifted me up.

Words matter. They can bring light and brightness or they can bring darkness and every day we have a choice of how we talk to people. Make a point of sharing positive words today. I promise it will make you feel great.