In the Handbook to Short Story Writing, Muriel Anderson says that four of the most important words in her life have been “Of course you can.”
Her father, she says, always knew how to say these words at exactly the right time.
She had begun to try her hand at writing articles, hoping maybe the local newspaper would publish them. She began thinking of all reasons why it most likely never happen: She was young and inexperienced; the local paper was on a tight budget; they rarely bought freelance material.
She told her father, “I doubt I can get this article published.”
He said, “Of course you can.”
And she did. This first article launched her career as a writer.
Four simple words from her father were enough to encourage her to keep trying.
Maybe there is someone in your life waiting to hear these words today: Of course you can.
Let’s never miss an opportunity to encourage one another.
Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as you are doing. (1 Thessalonians 5:11)
