Karen and I were having lunch with our daughter-in-law Jen and our granddaughter Sophie last Sunday after church when Sophie took off with her G-ma scurrying behind her in hot pursuit. The restaurant had a very distracting store in its lobby with brightly colored things all over the place and right at a toddler’s eye level. And Sophie’s favorite word is “Please?” Hold on to your debit cards, ladies!

So Jen and I had a few minutes of perfect peace while the girls were off fingering trinkets. We talked about many little family things, and at one point this little dad ministry project of mine came up and Jen asked how it was going.

“Oh, from all outward appearances it’s a total flop. Nobody’s reading the book and there is very little traffic on the site. But I’m not even close to discouraged!” I said. And I meant that last bit because I just plain trust God and since He put the burden on my heart for this ministry over a decade ago and gave me the skills to do it, well then who am I to argue with Him about the results? And no, I’m not an “eternal optimist,” as a pastor friend of mine likes to call me, but simply a biblical realist; I just believe that Romans 8:28 is actually and completely true. And joy and expectancy is the natural outflow of that, so there I sat with Jenny, (apparently) failing and exuberant at the same time.

Nonetheless, my beloved daughter-in-law still felt compelled (as she so often does), to toss in some extra encouragement anyway, and so she leaned toward me and smiled and said.

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If it changes just one life….

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Just six words.

Six words that pushed me over the edge of utter joy. Six words of confirmation that exclaimed no matter what it looks like, success is out of this world. Six words that said, we’re talking about eternal value here, so look up!

My friends, words are the most powerful things in the world. We are brought to God by them (1 Peter 1:23, among many others), and our souls are lifted up with the words spoken by a friend (Prov. 27:9, among many others).

I Thessalonians 5:11 tells us to encourage and build up one another, and my precious daughter-in-law lives that, and so should we all.

Thank you, Jenny.