Advertisement
Welcome to "A Touch of Encouragement." Hope is here, perfection isn’t.
Read more 
Watch martha's WELCOME message
ENCOURAGING GIFTS
HOT TOPICSAnimals | Children | Education | Faith | Fear | Grief and Loss | Holidays | Hope | In the News | Parents | Prayer | Relationships | Sports
As many of us struggle to get it all right, Martha Williamson feels if we recognize we're a work in progress, that's when we can really start enjoying the journey.
As God prepares the road ahead, Martha Williamson believes there are things we must do now in order to be ready for God's blessings later.
Martha Williamson believes that sometimes the miracle we're looking for is not the miracle we need.
What are you still learning?
Martha Williamson reminds us that everyday is a chance to start over and imagine all of the colorful possibilities.
Sometimes the safe choice is the dangerous one.
The fear of change can paralyze us. In this inspirational video, Martha Williamson asks us to take a good look at what needs to change in our lives and encourages us to do it.
How has the economy forced you to change?
During these challenging economic times, Martha Williamson believes there have been positive changes in the way we live our lives.
Watch Another Greatest Generation to hear more inspirational thoughts on dealing with the economic change.
After losing her pet hamster, Martha Williamson's daughter went to the Humane Society to find the newest member of their family. It was during this trip that Martha thought of all the people who are imprisoned in some way and are just waiting for someone to believe in them.
Watch The Little Things and Present at the Moment of Death to hear about Scooter, the hamster.
In this inspirational video, Martha Williamson shares the advice her father gave her on "rising above" bad situations.
Watch An Angel in the Plane, the video that inspired Martha to write The High Road.
A book she didn't want to have to read.
Martha Williamson believes when life throws us a curve ball there is one book we can always turn to, and that book is The Bible.
How do you show it?
As our economy continues to struggle, Martha Williamson reminds us that love is the hidden gold in our lives.
A juicy hors d'oeuvre?
During the times we're tempted to judge, Martha Williamson reminds us that we never know what someone else is going through.
A little piece of heaven.
Martha Williamson believes we can find encouragement even in the midst of strangers.
What are you waiting for?
Martha Williamson reminds us that we shouldn't worry about who we used to be, instead, focus on who we want to become.
To see another video about starting fresh each new day, watch A Brand New Start.
Another midnight talk with God.
As the news on the economy worsens, Martha Williamson feels that not only can we learn from those who survived the Great Depression, but we can find hope and encouragement from them as well.
Hope and encouragement in the midst of burden.
Martha Williamson shares a story about childhood abuse and encourages you to heal -- no matter what burden your heart may be carrying.
An old childhood friend is back!
If you feel abandoned or uncared for, Martha Williamson believes if you put your life in God's caring hands, He will redeem your days and give you hope.
To see Jeannie before her visit to the New York Doll hospital, watch The Transformation of Jeannie.
Is there something you need to clean up?
In this funny story which started from a promise to her daughter, Martha Williamson turns a difficult subject into a life lesson about taking responsibility for our actions and cleaning up the messy situations in our lives.
Her dream is to become an angel.
From her interview with a courageous piano teacher, Martha Williamson reminds us that the most satisfying dreams are those born from the desire to make the world a better place.
For more information, please visit www.angelflightwest.org
Dear Friends,
It is five-thirty in the morning and I have been reading your comments to the most current video. In the early morning quiet your thoughts and concerns seem particularly powerful. I hear a distant truck. The clock in the kitchen is ticking. But mostly at this time of day, there is nothing to distract me from the unique voices from the computer screen that speak of pain and courage, joy and commitment, and thankfully, even victory.
Is there something you need to let go of?
Surviving the worst economic times through God and good people.
A courageous story of tea, sympathy, and never giving up.
For more information please visit www.rosetreecottage.com
Roma Downey's inspiring journey.
Please visit Operation Smile for more information.
The "matter" that really matters.
One act of kindness became the gift that kept on giving.
Read the article "Saving Lives, One Rent Check at a Time" to learn more about the man who helped inspire this video.
The doctor who proved the world hasn't changed so much after all.
Watch more "good people doing good things" in Return of the Ring.
A quirky love story that deserves another look.
The most encouraging words from one of our most beloved American women.
To hear more encouraging words check out The Simply Complex You and The Rock in the Woods.
A snap judgment almost turned courage into catastrophe.
How life got better because of an apple.
Finding beauty in all the right places.
Why does God allow good things to happen?
A test worth taking.
The word with a thousand meanings.
A wrong number that changed everything.
How the tough got going when the going got tough.
A miracle message from a mysterious stranger.
Paying it forward with a smile.
I wonder if any of you are like me, celebrating your own personal "new year" on another day besides January 1?
Of course, there are cultural new years on other days on the calendar, such as Chinese New Year. But I'm talking about the day that you might consciously or unconsciously choose as a sort of anniversary where you take stock of yourself to where you were a year ago.
"Where there's life, there's hope."
It isn't easy being us.
Who knew about the surprise inside?
I am finally emerging from the fog of antibiotics and cough syrup. Just about everyone I know has been fighting the flu or bronchitis or pneumonia this month. And they all say the same thing: "I just can't seem to get over it."
It's been awhile since I felt well enough to sit at the computer and try to write something with even a "touch" of encouragement. I had plenty of ideas but not enough energy to do much about them. And one by one, those great ideas would float away. But one thought has persisted, the idea that we just don't give ourselves time anymore to heal. We don't allow our bodies the time they need to rest and recover. We don't allow our hearts the time we need to mend and overcome loss and pain.
With God, all things are possible!
The letter sat in the mailbox nearly all day, because I was just feeling too crummy to go outside and check the mail
Yes, the flu season has finally caught up with me. If it's this bad after getting a flu shot, I can't imagine what it's like without having got one. At first I tried to ignore the symptoms and "work through" the flu. I took the vitamins and herbs. Then finally I broke down and took the serious meds from the doctor. And I'm still fighting this thing, like so many people seem to be this year.
I know we've been celebrating President's Day, but I want to talk about a soldier. I saw him the day before yesterday as my husband and I shared a cozy lunch in the cavernous dining room at the grand old Ahwahnee Hotel in Yosemite Park. 
It's hard to imagine being cozy in a room that probably seats a thousand, but that's the magic of the place; every corner is a wood and stone masterpiece, with soaring glass windows that look out to the massive granite cliffs of the valley. Its arts and crafts feel combined with Native American themes is timeless and I wouldn't have been surprised to see Teddy Roosevelt or Lady Astor or even Herbert Hoover walk in.
If you are joining us here for the first time, WELCOME!
Somewhere out there in cyberspace, I imagine someone sitting in front of a computer, typing the word "hope" into a search engine, seeking just a moment of encouragement, a reason to hang in there, a voice that says "don't give up today." My mother always had a way of saying it: "keep on keeping on."
And that's what we're doing here on this site every day. Just helping each other to carry on.
"I wish we could go back before 2000. That was "the last time I was truly happy." That was a post recently from Cheryl, who has been through some terribly hard times recently. Oh, Cheryl, what a difficult and honest thing to say. And I do understand, I think.
Email This
Add to
Add to Del.icio.us
Add to Technorati
Add to Digg
Add to Newsvine
Add to Facebook
Add to StumbleUpon