How to Make Encouragement Stones

Several years ago, I sat on a folding chair at a woman’s event at church, listening to the speaker. She shared about her life and the power of words, specifically words of truth. After she finished, each of us was given a stone and a pen and were encouraged to write a word onto it. I thought back to the summer my cousins and I took the train from San Diego to Santa Barbara with our grandparents. We got out at one point and collected rocks; I wrote “Grandchildren’s Weekend” with a Sharpie on one side of a flat gray stone. I still have that rock tucked in a box in my closet. Holding it brings back the smell of the salty air, my grandma’s smile, and the happiness of being together.

That afternoon at the women’s conference, I wrote the word, “Joy” on my stone. I’m not sure why that word popped into my head at that moment, but in the years since I wrote it, when I see that rock, I’m often reminded of the verse, “The joy of the Lord is my strength.” (Nehemiah 8:10) I think of how joy is something we all have access to even when life is a struggle.

Words are so incredibly powerful. We know this and say it to our kids, but do we really believe it?

There is one whose rash words are like sword thrusts, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. Proverbs 12:18, ESV

I think we all want to be like the wise person whose words bring healing and joy to others, rather than leaving them painfully wounded. Tammy Kling talks about the importance of words on her site and in much of what she writes. She says, “Words are the greatest currency we have to empower, create, build up a life, and generate love.” I look back on my life and remember clearly the times when powerful words were spoken to me; I’m sure we all can do that.

I’ve learned that even though we know that we need to be kind with our words to others, often the words we speak to ourselves are like sword thrusts. We whisper things to our hearts we would never to say to someone else. Do you do that too? I’ve heard from several readers and friends in the last few weeks who have talked about how their own inner critic is their worst enemy. When it comes to creating, we can tend to aim for a kind of perfectionism that we would never expect from someone else who was just learning a skill.

Since we need all the help we can get in being kind to ourselves, I thought I’d share this encouragement stone tutorial with you. This is a simple diy rock project that you could make for yourself or a friend. You can place these rocks in a bowl as a centerpiece for a dining room table, put them next to photos of the people you love, or dot them around your garden.

How to Make Encouragement Stones

You will need:

One or more flat stones
Paint (I used acrylics)
Paint brush
Gel pen (black or white)

Wash and dry the stone so the paint will adhere to it easily. Paint one side only or cover the entire stone with paint. When it is dry, write a word that you need to hear right now.

Do you need Courage? Joy? Peace? Write that word on the stone and put it in a place that you will see often throughout the day.

If you’re struggling to think of a word (or words) for your stones, consider one of these sources:

• A favorite song
• A poem that moves you
• A Bible verse that is meaningful to you

For each of these, read through the lyrics or verses. What is a word or short phrase that will trigger the song or verses in your heart when you see it written out? I now have several of these stones placed around my house. They’re just simple painted rocks but I love how the words on them remind me of things I want to remember–to slow down and enjoy the moment, to look for the humor in situations, and to take a deep breath when life gets rocky.

Have you ever painted a rock?

Oh, and p.s. this is a project that kids of all ages love to do. So pull out the paint and pens and have fun.

Hope you have a lovely {and creative} day!