Saved Letters, Lasting Strength

What if the words you speak today could carry someone through a storm years from now? I know they can—because I’ve kept a private file for 27 years that proves it. 

A mentor gave me this simple advice:

“Keep a file of encouragement.”

I did. I have tucked away cards, notes, children’s art, and even some scribbled pieces of paper where someone offered words of encouragement to me. Over the years, that file has grown. It’s not neat. It’s not organized. But it’s holy.

There are weeks in ministry when the weight feels heavy—walking with people through sorrow and struggle, while carrying my own questions, or just feeling stretched too thin. I pull out the file—rereading words, looking at artwork, and remembering moments of impact I would have missed if someone hadn’t taken the time to write.

Encouragement doesn’t cost much, but it carries tremendous power. It is one of the most overlooked superpowers we have in impacting lives. With just a few words, we can remind someone that they are seen, that their life matters, that their effort is not in vain.

As Paul wrote to the Thessalonians, “Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing” (1 Thess. 5:11). Encouragement isn’t just a nice extra—it’s essential for building up the body of Christ.

This Sunday, as we celebrate World Communion, I’m reminded that encouragement also connects us across borders and cultures. The bread we break and the cup we share remind us and billions of Christians around the world of God’s love for us.  Just as the bread and cup connect us to Christians around the globe, encouragement is a communion of its own—a way of reminding each other that God’s love is real and present.

Don’t wait. Send the note. Speak the word. Share the encouragement. Do it this week. Your words could be the very thing someone holds onto in their storm—today or years from now.

With Gratitude,

Rev. Rodney Whitfield
Senior Pastor
Aldersgate UMC