The Power of Encouragement for Writers

By Lori Hatcher @LoriHatcher2
Theresa Silva had no idea how her words would impact me, an impressionable sixth grader. The substitute teacher had assigned the usual What I Did over Summer Vacation assignment, and I’d written about visiting my grandmother in South Carolina. I used words like tilled and harvested in my composition.
Mrs. Silva was the first person to recognize my fledgling writing ability and affirm it. Today, forty years later, I still remember the flush of pleasure I felt when I read her compliment.
As I penned the Acknowledgments section of my first book, I recalled her words. I need to thank her, I thought. I did a search on Facebook and Whitepages.com, but couldn’t find a profile or a listing. Maybe she’d moved away or lived in a nursing home by now.
Last summer I returned to my hometown of Bristol, Rhode Island. I brought copies of my second book, Hungry for God … Starving for Time to share with my family. I told them the story of my sixth grade substitute teacher’s empowering words and how I’d unsuccessfully tried to find her.
“What was her name?” asked my cousin, who had recently retired from teaching herself. When I told her, her eyes grew wide and her mouth popped open. “Theresa Silva? She’s one of my best friends!”
She pulled out her phone, and with a few clicks, had set up a time for me to visit Mrs. Silva the following day.
When she opened the door, I saw that the years had been kind to her. Her curly hair was lighter, but the same kind eyes smiled at me from behind her round glasses. 
I told her the story of my publishing journey and ended by quoting the words she’d written at the bottom of my paper.
“You probably don’t remember that,” I said, “but I’ve never forgotten it. God used your words to help me recognize the calling He’s placed on my life.”
I placed a copy of my book in her hands and gave her a hug. 
“Thank you.”
She ran a hand over the cover and flipped open the book to the table of contents. Then she raised her eyes. A tear leaked out of the corner of one, but she didn’t seem to notice.
“I retired four years ago,” she said softly. “I always wondered if anything I did made a difference.”
Last month I mailed her a copy of my latest book, Refresh Your Faith, Uncommon Devotions from Every Book of the Bible. I received a note back. Her handwriting is still lovely, and she again used her words to encourage and inspire me.
Please continue to let your special gift of spiritual discovery and writing unfold. I’m looking forward to your next work.
As I felt the familiar flush of pleasure, I realized anew the timeless power of encouragement. 
Perhaps my story has stirred up a memory or two. Who was the first person to recognize your writing potential? Who affirmed your gift? Was it a teacher? A parent? A mentor? A writing coach? Have you ever thanked them? If you did, what happened? I’d love to hear about it. Leave a comment below and share your story.
And if you haven’t reached out yet, perhaps the next piece of writing you should do is a good old-fashioned thank you note. 
Who knows how the Lord might use your words to encourage someone else?
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Lori Hatcher loves to teach, train, and encourage writers by sharing what others have generously shared with her. She’s the author of several devotional books including   Refresh Your Faith – Uncommon Devotions from Every Book of the Bible   and  Hungry for God … Starving for Time, Five-Minute Devotions for Busy Women  , the 2016 Christian Small Publisher Book of the Year. The editor of  Reach Out, Columbia  magazine, she’s also a blogger, writing instructor, and inspirational speaker. You’ll find her pondering the marvelous and the mundane on her blog, Hungry for God. . . Starving for Time . Connect with her on Facebook, Twitter (@LoriHatcher2), or Pinterest (Hungry for God).