2017 Phrase Of Encouragement: Finding True Friendships

I am going to share a piece of my heart with you through this post. This is one area that has for many years been a struggle for me. I often find myself trusting people and then being deeply hurt by them within several years of forming the friendship...or what I thought was a friendship.

This past Monday was Martin Luther King Jr. Day. This man knew so much about creating peace in the world. He knew about love and strength, oh, and so much more. This quote gives me a chill every time I read it:

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."

Imagine that. Light and Love can conquer all. Then, why don't we live that way? Why do these so called, "friends" leave us? Aren't friends supposed to be there for us and support us through the difficult times?

I am far from perfect. I make relational mistakes too. But, I can tell you this, if I have an issue with someone I consider a friend, I go to them. We talk about things and move forward. I do not ditch friends when I make new friends. 

I understand that sometimes friendships are for a season, I am not speaking about those. I am referring to those solid friends, who stick with you through some storms of life...then, simply forget you. That. Hurts.

Am I going to hate those people who turned on me when life got tough? No. 

Am I going to speak badly about those who forgot me? No.

Am I going to avoid "organizational" friendships in the future? No.

Am I going to harbor unforgiveness towards those who used me as a friend because it was convenient? No.

I will choose carefully.

Dr. King instructs us to love those who hate. To be the light in a place of darkness. And that is what I choose to do.

My goal is to figure out which friendships are true and nourish and grow them. My goal is to weed out and cut off hurtful, fake friendships. My goal is to continue to trust (although difficult) and make new, lifelong friendships that will stand the test of time in 2017.

Who is with me?

31 Word substitutions for the word, "Very"

The word, “very” does not belong in the vocabulary of a writer. There are other creative words that can be used in the place of this “lazy” word.

The word, “very” is an overused adjective. The word is used to emphasize the word it is describing. Often times, adjectives, such as the word, “very”, can be left out of the sentence. If you are trying to say that someone is “very hungry”, take out the word “very” and your point will still come across to the reader. Or, substitute it the word “very” and the word it is describing with another creative word (See, I could have said “more” creative word right there, but I left out the word “more” and my point still came across properly).

Let’s take a look at some substitutions:

1.Very angry / fuming

2. Very big / gigantic or huge

3. Very clean / spotless, immaculate or spick and span

4. Very cold / freezing or Very cold / icy or hard hearted

5. Very fast / immediate

6. Very fat / large

7. Very good / suitable

8. Very happy / joyful, delighted or ecstatic

9. Very hateful / repulsive

10. Very hot / broiling

11. Very hungry / famished

12. Very loving / affectionate

13. Very mean / nasty or cruel

14. Very nice / lovely

15. Very old / ancient or antiquated

16. Very pretty / beautiful or attractive

17. Very poor / underprivileged

18. Very quiet / silent or peaceful

19. Very rude / offensive

20. Very sad / miserable

21. Very silly / ridiculous

22. Very skinny / lean or malnourished

23. Very small / miniature

24. Very smart / clever

25. Very soft / spineless

26. Very sore/ excruciating, tender or painful

27. Very strong / muscular

28. Very stupid / senseless

29. Very tasty / scrumptious

30. Very tired / exhausted

31. Very ugly / horrid

Ready to start writing that book?

Are you dreaming about writing a book or maybe two? Let me help you make that dream a reality! I have written several articles about writing that I would like to share with you.


As you read these articles, keep in mind that I would not suggest you do something that I do not do myself. These are tips and tricks I have learned along the way. Let's take a look:

Create a special place to write your best seller!

What is a goal and how do I set one?

Set reasonable writing goals specifically for you...

6 easy steps to get you started. Write that book!!!!

Should you follow your heart when writing your book (or ignore it completely)?

These 5 articles will hopefully inspire you and get you going in the right direction...in the direction of writing your book!

Be patient, I'm sure I will have more articles coming soon! Happy writing!