Linda Kulp Trout

Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Time to BELIEVE

My one little word this year is SIMPLIFY.  I usually take on too many responsibilities and have trouble squeezing in time for myself.  This year, I want to simplify my life and spend more time doing things that bring me joy. So,I made a list of activities I want to do more of this year. One activity is to blog more often. That’s why I am participating in Spiritual Journey Thursdays, coordinated by Holly at Reading, Teaching, Learning.   I am a very spiritual person, so this feels like a good fit for me.


Today we are all blogging about Carol’s OLW for 2016: BELIEVE.   I love that word. It’s so full of hope and possibility. 

Every Christmas, a restaurant in the town where I live, lights up the word BELIEVE in huge letters.  It’s glorious to see! 
I believe in many things: love, prayer, family, friendship, and the power of words. I’ve been thinking a lot about the power of words lately.  Words and the way we use them can give hope, repair a broken spirit, and heal a broken heart.  Sure, words can do harm too, but I want to believe that most of us would rather use our words to send goodness into the world.

One of the most powerful sentences we can say to someone is, “I believe in you.” 


Oh, the magic of that word!  Most of us have a hard time believing in ourselves, so hearing those words sincerely spoken by someone we trust can change the way we see ourselves.  Just imagine, if we all start believing in ourselves, we could achieve almost anything.   Together, we could change the world!

One of my favorite novels-in-verse is What I Believe by Norma Fox Mazer.  Norma uses a variety of poetry forms to tell the story of a young girl and how she is figuring out what and who she believes in.  I really connected with the main character and her struggles.




That's what I believe. How about you, what do you BELIEVE?




7 comments:

  1. Linda, welcome to SJT and thank you for your comments on my one little word, believe. The song I found (at my blog) for today fits perfectly with your comments. I am amazed by the storefront. What a great tribute to the belief in community. Thank you for the reminder that "Words and the way we use them can give hope, repair a broken spirit, and heal a broken heart". This particular word will guide me to believe more fully in all that I confront in life. Thank you for participating and giving me something to muse over today.

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  2. Hi Linda. Nice to meet you on this SJT path! I love your reflection on the power of words combined with the powerful words, "I believe in you." What an affirmation! I'm planning to pass it along to someone today.

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  3. We're so happy to have you at Spiritual Journey Thursday! You're right - having someone say he/she believes in you is so empowering. There is a lot of power in the word BELIEVE. I'm putting "What I Believe" in my To Be Read pile right now!

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  4. Thank you for all the ways that your post inspires and affirms, in practical ways, as conveyed by a teacher's/word lover's spiritually deep heart! God bless you! ...Based on your recommendation, I'm thinking that I'll make and take time to enjoy the book by Norma Fox! Thanks, again, for everything!

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  5. Linda, you are so right about the power in those words: "I believe in you." How many times have I despaired, and some angel in the flesh has said those words to me? Just recently I was feeling all sorts of anxiety about returning to school visits, after nearly a year break. A dear friend said, "it will all come back to you." I instantly felt calm and confidence and GRATEFUL. And I am grateful for you and this post and that picture and the owners of the restaurant who give those lights to the community every year. We humans NEED something to believe in. Any parent who has ever done the whole Elf on the shelf can attest to that. :) Thank you! xo

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  6. I believe that it is wonderful that you are joining this community of writing believers. It is quite an inspirational group who whole-heartedly believes in the power of words. "I believe in you" can make such a difference in someone's life. Thank you for sharing today.

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