Encouragement Defined

To give courage to; to inspire with courage, spirit, or hope; to raise, or to increase, the confidence of; to animate; en hearten; to incite; to help forward; — the opposite of discourage.

• Encourage suggests the raising of one’s confidence especially by an external agency – the teacher’s praise encouraged the student to greater efforts, I encourage my athlete son to compete in the race.

• Inspirit, somewhat literary, implies instilling life, energy, courage, or vigor into something – patriots inspirited the people to resist, the pep talk inspirited the weary team to victory.

• Hearten implies the lifting of dispiritedness or despondency by an infusion of fresh courage or zeal – a hospital patient heartened by good news, praise given to the young man heartened him to a new level.

• Embolden implies the giving of courage sufficient to overcome timidity or reluctance – emboldened by her first success, she tried an even more difficult climb, her mother emboldened her to sing for the guests.

We believe that stories touch and encourage.

Anyone can encourage no matter what age or background.