#8 "Words Have Power"

Oregon, Oregon, Oregon, OH MY! I had a fantastic facetime call with Amy Wolff

who founded the “Don’t Give Up” signs movement. Her nonprofit is on a mission to

spread hope through products such as yard signs and wristbands. Sounds crazy

right? 

The English language contains about one hundred seventy-one thousand, four

hundred seventy-six words which can be put together to create an infinite number

of messages. Take a second to think about that! 

When Amy was fourteen, she lost her older brother. That life event forced her to

realize that every conversation could be the last. Amy became determined to

make her life and every conversation she had count. Years later, Amy was having

one of those conversations with a friend about the alarming number of suicides

among high school students in her small town. She saw a need and wanted to do

something about it. Amy was determined to figure out how she could help these

high school students.

Amy knew that words were powerful, so she decided to use them to help her

community. Amy wrote positive messages like “Don’t Give Up” and “You Matter”

on a few yard signs and scattered them around her town. Within a week, those

positive messages went viral on Facebook, but more importantly it created a

movement. Amy soon realized that people were not only seeing them, they were

feeling them. People began purchasing her signs for their small towns which has

now spread hope throughout fifty states and twenty-six countries. Everything is

sold at cost which means they do not make a dime when they sell their products.

At first, Amy directed those yard signs to teenagers, but she quickly realized that

they did not need a certain direction. The signs just needed a few positive words.

Women in abusive relationships have read that they are worthy of love. Cancer

patients have read that they should never give up. Struggling teenagers have read

that they are enough. 

So, what can we learn from Amy? We can learn that our words are powerful. We

have one hundred seventy-one thousand, four hundred seventy-six words to use.

Those words can make an infinite number of messages, no matter if you are four

years old or ninety-four years old. No matter who we are, we can be use words to

change the days of others. Start speaking life to others in every text you send,

every word you speak and every yard sign you place. (Bring some hope into your

community- https://www.dontgiveupsigns.com/). 

Amy created a few messages with those one hundred seventy-one thousand, four

hundred seventy-six words and it has changed the world. Which messages will

you create and how will you share them?