Squad GoalsChikamu

Working at a larger church and speaking for a living, I get to meet some amazing people from all around the world. And I have to say, out of all the thousands of people I’ve met, I’ve never run into a person who said they needed no encouragement.

Most of the time when I’ve encouraged someone, they’re response is, “I needed that today.”

That’s why the second squad goal is really important. If you do this, I believe it will change the dynamics of your friendships.

Goal #2: Encourage one person every single day.

Hebrews 3:13 gives us some great insight about people. It highlights the fact that when people go through tough things in life, their HEART turns away from God. I believe more people have walked away from God because of discouragement than a temptation to sin. They walked away from a relationship with God due to great disappointment. This is why encouraging your friends daily is important.

The same things that nourish and keep great friendships are the same things that spark and begin new ones. Even if you're in search of a new community, encouragement is something you should do with whoever is in front of you right now to prepare your heart, your mind, and your spirit for new and divine connections. Make a decision today that you’re going to be a person who looks for daily opportunities to encourage your friends.

One of the greatest needs of the human heart is to be appreciated. There’s at least one friend you have right now that you’ve grown accustomed to. They’re good at something that has grown normal to you and others around them. They haven’t been appreciated in a long time. Take some time today and be intentional. Send them an encouraging text, email or card. Brag about them behind their back to someone else. Make them feel like a million bucks. It’s not just good for them, but it’s good for you.