Search results for tag #writing
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I Choose to Encourage: The Power of Words
"In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God." — John 1:1 (NIV) Words are powerful. With a few carefully chosen words, we can inspire someone to keep going, mend a broken relationship, or offer hope in a difficult season. Yet words can also wound, discourage, and leave scars that last for years. Think about the words that have impacted your life. Perhaps someone spoke encouragement over you when you doubted yourself. Maybe a teacher, mentor, friend, or […] [SENSITIVE CONTENT]
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” — John 1:1 (NIV)
Words are powerful.
With a few carefully chosen words, we can inspire someone to keep going, mend a broken relationship, or offer hope in a difficult season. Yet words can also wound, discourage, and leave scars that last for years.
Think about the words that have impacted your life. Perhaps someone spoke encouragement over you when you doubted yourself. Maybe a teacher, mentor, friend, or family member saw something in you that you could not yet see in yourself. Their words helped shape who you became.
Unfortunately, many of us can also recall hurtful words that have lingered long after they were spoken. Words have a way of embedding themselves in our hearts and influencing how we see ourselves and the world around us.
That is why John 1:1 is so profound:
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”
John identifies Jesus as the Word. Before creation, before time itself, the Word existed. Through Him, God brought life, order, and purpose into the world.
God chose words to create.
Throughout Scripture, we see the power of God’s spoken Word. He spoke light into darkness. He spoke truth into confusion. He spoke life where there was nothing.
If words matter so much to God, they should matter to us.
As followers of Christ, we have an opportunity every day to reflect His character through the words we speak. Our conversations can bring healing instead of hurt. Our comments can build confidence instead of tearing people down. Our encouragement can help others see what God is doing in their lives.
Encouragement is more than simply saying something nice. It is intentionally speaking truth, hope, and life into someone else’s journey. Encouragement reminds people that they are seen, valued, and loved by God.
The world offers plenty of criticism, negativity, and division. Social media feeds, news headlines, and daily conversations can quickly become places where people feel attacked rather than uplifted.
What if Christians became known for encouragement?
What if our words reflected the heart of Christ?
What if we paused before speaking and asked ourselves, “Will these words build up or tear down?”
Every day presents opportunities to encourage:
- Thank someone for their faithfulness.
- Speak hope to someone who is struggling.
- Send a text of appreciation.
- Pray with a friend.
- Remind someone of God’s promises.
Small words can have a lasting impact.
Today, choose to encourage.
Let your words reflect the One who is called the Word. Let them bring light into someone’s darkness and hope into someone’s uncertainty.
Because words are never neutral. They shape how we see ourselves, others, and God. They can unite or divide, heal or harm, inspire or discourage.
May we use our words wisely and intentionally, choosing encouragement wherever we go.
Reflection Questions
- Who has encouraged you with their words recently?
- Is there someone in your life who needs encouragement today?
- How can your words better reflect the love and truth of Christ?
Sometimes the simplest choice—choosing words that give life—can make the biggest difference.
With love and joy,
Laura
This reflection connects with Day 13: “I Choose to Encourage” from the Today I Choose devotional. Each day offers practical encouragement and biblical truth to help you make intentional choices that strengthen your faith and impact those around you.
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I Choose to Encourage: The Power of Words
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I have just read the carrier bag theory of fiction by #LeGuin and now I have the need to read more of things like that. I need some guidepost to other #feminist writing theory, maybe stuff inspired by her that appeared in the span of the 40 years since she wrote it, that she certainly inspired?
#hivemind If you have some feminist philosophy to recommend, I'll appreciate it too.
I'm writing #solarpunk utopia right now, so if you know of relevant (preferably feminist) stuff, please drop it below :)
#writing
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"A new initiative is asking #Canadian #Jews to make history by #writing #essays about their childhoods that will be stored in Canada’s largest #Jewish archive.
The Canadian Jewish Life Writing Project is meant to empower Jews to #write first-person accounts about the diversity and undocumented realities of Jewish life in Canada. The Association for Canadian #JewishStudies (#ACJS), which runs conferences, lectures and an #academic journal for Canadian Jewish #scholars, launched a call for submissions at the end of April 2026.
ACJS executive director #JoshuaTapper says the project was inspired by a #Polish writing contest from the 1930s that collected more than 600 #autobiographical #stories from Polish Jewish youth. Members of #YIVO, an organization that has preserved Jewish cultural heritage since 1925, created what Tapper calls “an incredibly rich resource for scholars today” by “going to the people” for their #stories."
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The Quiet Rebellion of Deep Listening.
Why paying attention has become a radical act
https://theavsignal.substack.com/p/the-quiet-rebellion-of-deep-listening
#music #fedimusic #musodon #mastodon #electronicmusic #experimentalmusic #sound #listening #musiclover #press #article #blog #blogger #writing
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Unsplash’s Quietly Brilliant Stance on AI 🚫
"In an increasingly AI-dominated stock photography world, let’s take a moment to celebrate Unsplash.
Their strictly no AI policy demonstrates incredibly strong content values. They didn’t follow suit. Nor did they surrender to the bullshit. They stood by their vision and mission. There’s a lot to be said for that these days."
https://mikehindle.uk/words/unsplashs-quietly-brilliant-stance-on-ai/
#blog #writing #noai #photography #illustration
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The title of the blog (words) written in the centre of a plain white background.
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"Yehor stepped and knelt and spun and raised his arms into the emptiness where Masha should have been. In the footage playing behind him, she was still the star." —Siobhán O’Grady and Liubov Sholudko for The New York Times
https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/30/world/europe/russia-ukraine-prom.html/?src=longreads
"Someone once sent me a model of the Malaysia Airlines plane that disappeared into the ocean. But the best gift? What a terrifying question. My college education? If anyone ever gives me a human skull, that will be it." Elisa Gabbert answers the Longreads questionnaire https://longreads.com/2026/07/08/longreads-questionnaire-elisa-gabbert/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=social #authors #writing #interview #creativity #longreads
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Book Promotion: Huge selection of free-to-download stories in Science Fiction, Fantasy, Action and Adventure. Discover your next favourite author. #rogue #monsters #dystopia #thrills #dwarfs #aliens #fedibookfair #time #fae #reading #dragons #suspense #planets #military #writing #elves #boost #legendary #spaceship #goodbooks #space #witches #excitement #wizards #amreading #heroes #knights #futurism #adventure #dwarves #action #knaves #sorcery #magic #readers #ladies… https://books.bookfunnel.com/news_letters/6w7wc9ka7u?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon
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A writer should cultivate only what naturally absorbs his fancy, whether it be freedom or cinch bugs, and should write in the way that comes easy.
E. B. White (1899-1985) American author, critic, humorist [Elwyn Brooks White]
Essay (1939-01), “One Man’s Meat,” Harper’s Magazine, Vol. 178
More about this quote: wist.info/white-eb/84883/
#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #ebwhite #author #gowiththeflow #interest #literarystyle #subject #topic #writer #writing
A writer should cultivate only what naturally absorbs his fancy, whether it be freedom or cinch bugs, and should write in the way that comes easy.
E. B. White (1899-1985) American author, critic, humorist [Elwyn Brooks White]
Essay (1939-01), “One Man’s Meat,” Harper’s Magazine, Vol. 178
More about this quote: wist.info/white-eb/84883/
#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #ebwhite #author #gowiththeflow #interest #literarystyle #subject #topic #writer #writing
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I look at patterns in LLM output. The tell is more than simple orthographic tics.
https://philosophics.blog/2026/07/07/ai-language-patterns/?utm_source=masto&utm_medium=social
#philosophy #language #llms #ai #artificialintelligence #patterns #comprehension #writing #training #history #english #learning #blog #video #critique #commentary #spelling #pronunciation #content
"The extremely obvious truth (which is barely even veiled) is that at least most of these hustlebros are faking it." —Jason Koebler for 404 Media
SYDNEY: A lot of writers drink. Some drink before they write and some drink after they write. The ones that concern me are the ones who drink instead of writing. Even though a number of people have tried, no on has yet found a way to drink for a living.
Jean Kerr (1922-2003) American author and playwright [b. Bridget Jean Collins]
Poor Richard, Act 1 (1965)
More about this quote: wist.info/kerr-jean/30921/
#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #jeankerr #alcohol #alcoholism #creativework #drinking #intoxication #job #vocation #work #writers #writing
This morning I awoke thinking about sex – actually gender – of borrowed Latin words. Get your mind out of the gutter.
👉 https://brywillis634737.substack.com/p/we-still-bury-the-dead
I wrote a piece about it, but I was truly conflicted on my journey, especially as I compared English and French approaches, and a potential feminist rift.
#philosophy #language #sociolinguistics #etymology #english #french #latin #gender #writing #culture #feminism #linguistics #reform #administration
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An interesting aspect of translating #Lovecraft is that he used extremely rare words in the full expectation that his Weird Tales audience wouldn't understand them. He could have written scaly and wrinkled, but he chose squamous and rugose for horrific effect. His horrors were indescribable to such an extent that he didn't even want the reader to understand his descriptions. And this is part of the translator's task too.
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🐈🐈⬛*A cat has absolute emotional honesty: human beings, for one reason or another, may hide their feelings, but a cat doesn't🐈⬛🐈
~Hemingway
Novelicious on X: "A cat has absolute emotional honesty: human beings, for one reason or another, may hide their feelings, but a cat doesn't Hemingway #writing https://t.co/9jN66jCKpO" / X
https://x.com/noveliciouss/status/2072906686281441345
"What set of circumstances favored an animal that weighs up to 600 pounds, moves at four miles a day, and takes a quarter of a century to reach sexual maturity?" —Helen Lewis for The Atlantic
#longreads #darwin #evolution #originofspecies #reading #writing
The good news: Claude Fable 5 is back.
The bad: Claude suggests chatting in English.
I was chatting with Claude and suggested either French or English was fine, but it suggested I'd be better off sticking to English because of its training data.
#artificialintelligence #claudeai #llms #training #data #communication #bias #blog #substack #note #français #writing #brainstorming #workflow #analysis
"To call it a speck is generous. At first, I mistake it for a particle of dust. But then, it catches the sun and sparkles undeniably." —Eve Livingston for Dispatch
https://dispatch-media.com/the-brits-panning-for-gold/?src=longreads
Les Années Vécues
https://philosophics.blog/2026/07/01/les-annees-vecues/?utm_source=masto&utm_medium=social
I’ve shared a piece of fiction writing meta content and the rôle of LLMs in my writing workflow, in particular, a punch list to track idea instantiation. I don’t, however, discuss my fondness for diacritical marks, especially those with no phonetic function.
#philosophy #writing #fiction #timetravel #LLM #scifi #process #author #time #blof #podcast #language #workflow #frnech #english #shortstory #method #ai #matrix #spreadsheet #google #claude #chatgpt
A quotation from Salman Rushdie
The creative act requires not only freedom but also this assumption of freedom. If the creative artist worries if he will still be free tomorrow, then he will not be free today. If he is afraid of the consequences of his choice of subject or of his manner of treatment of it, then his choices will not be determined by his talent, but by fear. If we are not confident of our freedom, then we are not free.
Salman Rushdie (b. 1947) Indian novelist
Speech (2012-05-06), Arthur Miller Freedom to Write Lecture, PEN World Voices Festival, New York City
More about this quote: wist.info/rushdie-salman/84768…
#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #salmanrushdie #pen #art #artist #censorship #creation #creativity #fear #freedom #selfcensorship #subjectmatter #worry #writer #writing
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Salman Rushdie quotation
When Life Feels Like a Puzzle
Have you ever dumped a puzzle out onto a table and wondered how all those random pieces could possibly fit together? At first, the pieces seem disconnected. Some are upside down. Some appear insignificant. Others look like they belong somewhere else entirely. Yet the person assembling the puzzle trusts that every piece has a purpose because they have seen the picture on the box. Life often feels the same way. There are seasons when we can only see a handful of pieces. We see the […] [SENSITIVE CONTENT]
Have you ever dumped a puzzle out onto a table and wondered how all those random pieces could possibly fit together?
At first, the pieces seem disconnected. Some are upside down. Some appear insignificant. Others look like they belong somewhere else entirely. Yet the person assembling the puzzle trusts that every piece has a purpose because they have seen the picture on the box.
Life often feels the same way.
There are seasons when we can only see a handful of pieces. We see the heartbreak, the disappointment, the unanswered prayer, the unexpected detour, or the dream that didn’t unfold the way we hoped. Looking at those individual moments, it is difficult to understand what God is doing.
But God sees the finished picture.
What feels random to us is not random to Him. What appears broken is not beyond His ability to restore. What seems out of place is often exactly where it belongs in His greater plan.
Romans 8:28 reminds us:
“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.”
Notice that Scripture does not say all things are good. It says God works through all things for good. Every piece matters.
Some puzzle pieces are beautiful. They represent blessings, victories, answered prayers, and joyful moments. We gladly place those pieces into the picture.
Other pieces are harder to accept. They represent grief, illness, loss, disappointment, and waiting. We may wish we could leave those pieces out altogether. Yet often those difficult pieces become the very places where God’s faithfulness shines brightest.
If you’ve ever worked on a puzzle, you know that the edge pieces usually come first. They create a framework that helps everything else come together. In the same way, God’s Word provides the framework for our lives. When circumstances confuse us, His promises help us understand where the pieces belong.
The truth is, we were never meant to assemble the puzzle alone.
God is the Master Designer. He knows exactly where each piece fits. He knows why certain pieces arrived when they did. He knows why some pieces seem delayed. He knows how today’s confusion will connect to tomorrow’s purpose.
Our responsibility is not to see the entire picture. Our responsibility is to trust the One who does.
Maybe today you’re holding a piece of the puzzle that makes no sense. Perhaps you’re facing a situation that feels unfinished or unresolved. Remember that one piece is not the whole picture.
Don’t judge God’s plan by the piece you’re holding today.
Trust that the Author of your story is still working. Trust that He is placing each piece exactly where it belongs. Trust that one day you will look back and see how His grace, wisdom, and faithfulness were present all along.
The puzzle isn’t finished yet.
And that’s okay.
God is still putting the pieces together.
What piece of your life are you struggling to understand right now, and how can you choose to trust God with the bigger picture?
Proverbs 3:5-6 — “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.”
With love and joy,
Laura
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When Life Feels Like a Puzzle
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So you can buy my paperbacks from #BarnesAndNoble ...
But they don't delivery to the UK.
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-ship-made-of-wood-lydia-conwell/1150343720?ean=9798235045910
I have two trifling ambitions in the theater: to make a lot of people laugh and to make a lot of money.
Jean Kerr (1922-2003) American author and playwright [b. Bridget Jean Collins]
Interview (1955-07), Theatre Arts magazine
More about this quote: wist.info/kerr-jean/84710/
#quote #quotes #quotation #qotd #jeankerr #ambition #amusement #dramatist #entertainment #humor #laughter #makingmoney #money #profit #stage #theater #writing #playwright
"The appeal of dog neuroscience is not limited to understanding their adolescence, indeed it kicks in as soon as you take a new puppy home." —William Davies for The Guardian
#longreads #dogs #dogtraining #sociology #control #reading #writing
Photographers of The Fediverse 001: @StevenLawsonPhotography 📷
The guy behind an incredibly popular Monochrome March event. Based in Glasgow, Stevens’ work and presence on Mastodon have been a huge inspiration in recent years.
We talk creative avenues, collections, gear and social media. Enjoy!
https://mikehindle.uk/words/photographers-of-the-fediverse-001-steven-lawson/
#photography #blog #writing #fediverse #mastodon
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The abbreviated title (POTF001) for Photographers of the Fediverse 001 blog post.
Behind the scenes 👀
Putting the finishing touches to the first Photographers of the Fediverse (POTF) interview 📷
Launching tomorrow with @StevenLawsonPhotography 🙌🏻
#photography #mastodon #fediverse #blog #writing #wordpress
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A screenshot of a WordPress blog post being composed and edited.
I wrote this book a while ago to inspect the nature of time travel.
#philosophy #time #phenomenology #epistemology #writing #reading #fiction #books #blog
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🇲🇽New #blogpost
Enough reviews, enough weeknotes, enough listicles, enough chores.
Here's a full on #ramble from yours truly that makes no sense and I'm happy with it, featuring Rocky (the movie), just #writing because I can
https://joelchrono.xyz/blog/uninspired-writing-ramble/
This is day 85 of #100DaysToOffload