When we came across Bethany on social media, we instantly knew she was on to something BIG. Through connecting with her, we have found a friend and source of encouragement. She is the blogger behind Words of Hallelujah and one of the kindest souls you will ever meet. After reading her story, we hope you will be inspired to change the world from where you are or find comfort in knowing someone out there is ALWAYS on your side.

-The Women  of The Well

Kindness is the noblest weapon to conquer with.

-Thomas Fuller

Have you ever been in a season of waiting? Waiting to find your calling? Waiting to finally know your bigger purpose? Desperately waiting to know how to spend your precious time here on earth? Pleading with God to show you His will for your life, to point even to shove you in the right direction?

It’s a lonely season, one that I walked through for nearly a decade. Constantly wrestling with myself, not knowing what to do or how to release all of the love I had bottled up in my heart. I knew there had to be more than what I was doing at the time to pay my bills, yet I felt lost. Blind. Trying to sail my way through open waters with no destination in mind.

I read so many stories of people doing these grand things in life — Starting orphanages in developing countries, organizing weekly gatherings to feed the homeless, traveling the world with only the clothes on your back relying fully on the kindness of strangers for a place to rest your head at night, biking across America stopping in cities to volunteer at women’s crisis shelters.

And here I was, in Oklahoma, thirsting for more, trying to make my life seem more interesting by carefully selecting my Instagram filters. For 10 years I wandered through this desert, drawing inspiration from every well I could find, trying to find something that nobody had previously done. And it wasn’t enough to just find that thing, that sweet spot, a way to use my talents to better this world. No, I had to be KNOWN for it. I had to be famous because of it. I had to have the admirers and followers.

And then I heard these words from Bob Goff and my entire perspective changed.

Be secretly incredible.

Those 3 single words breathed freedom into my life. I could finally let myself do the things I had always wanted to do without the pressure of having to be the first, the biggest, the best. I could finally release all of that love I had bottled up and not worry about the rest.

I still struggled for some time to figure out what that could look like in my life. How I could use my creativity and my giftings to bring a glimmer of hope and inspiration to this often dark world? And while there were many days I felt a void from God, I look back now and see that He was always there, gently leading me, growing me and refining my passions.

Words of Hallelujah was birthed out of my desire to encourage others via written word. To inspire others that their lives have purpose and their stories matter and the importance of capturing that with scribbles on paper. Most often that takes form by writing letters. Sometimes to friends in far away places, other times to complete strangers.

In 2016, I became desperate to bring as much hope into our hurting world as I could, to let others know that they are worthy and that they are seen. But I lacked a platform and the means to do something grand. So I sat and cranked out a few dozen letters, picked up a few bouquets of flowers at Trader Joes, called up some girlfriends and hit the streets of Tulsa to pass out a little love. It was simple. It was scary. It was life breathing. Crowds never gathered and we even got told to leave a few places, but it felt like the right thing to do.

I can’t begin to describe the fire that was set in my heart that day from walking up to a stranger and offering them a flower and a little folded up piece of paper with a few words scribbled from my heart. To tell them that they are loved. And I can’t tell you how many people rejected my offerings. But Im fairly confident that I made a few hearts happy that day. It doesn’t take a brilliant mind to know that those simple little acts of kindness are the things that make the biggest ripples in the world and leave lasting imprints on people’s hearts.

So maybe I’ll never work for some edgy non-profit, least of all start one and I may never sell all of my belongings and move to foreign lands to work at an orphanage. Maybe those were never meant to be my callings. But there is something I could do right here in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Something that is within my means, something that aligns with my passions and something that I could invite others into.

I could start a Kindness Revolution.

I think our society is desperate for kindness right now. I think we are all a little worn thin of bickering on social media, of not being able to get along just because we see things a little differently than our neighbor, not being able to put our differences aside and just be. And I think it will take a revolution of love to bring us back together in unity.

My favorite thing about a kindness revolution? It can take a million different forms and anyone can do it.

It can be going out of your way to hold a door for a stranger and whipping out an extra big smile.

It can be leaving letters in the super market for unsuspecting strangers to find.

It can be baking cookies for a local nursing home.

It can be starting a lemonade stand to raise money for children in the foster system.

It can be cooking a meal for a single mother, better yet, offering to babysit her kids for free.

It can be volunteering for Big Brother/Big Sister.

Simply put, it can be using whatever your God given talents are to bless someone in need.

All it takes is for you to start where you are, use what you have and do what you can. A mantra I keep tucked away in my heart to remind me on gloomy days that there is nothing I need that I don’t already possess to love others and to make a difference in this world. And for me, that certainly takes the pressure off of having to find the biggest/ grandest adventure in life to embark on. For me, I can find contentment in living a secretly incredible life and spreading a little kindness wherever I go.

Currently, Im in the middle of a year long journey of writing a letter to someone every single day. Thus far, it’s been an incredible journey and has touched my life in more ways than I could have ever imagined. To read a little about my journey, be sure to check out my blog “The Power of a Letter.” And if you would like to join me on my journey, please please please send me your address via FB or IG messenger!

If you currently find yourself in a season of waiting, cheers to you. May you be ever persistent in chasing after your calling and may you keep the faith and never give up on your dreams. And in the meantime, may we spread a little kindness everywhere we go.

Rivers and Roads,
Bethany
Words of Hallelujah
www.wordsofhallelujah.com

Connect with Bethany on Facebook and Instagram @wordsofhallelujah