In "Encouraging Words" you will find a compendium of articles and essays by award-winning author Dr. Dennis Merritt Jones. While the theme of each writing is uniquely different, touching on every area of life, you will also notice a common thread running through them all. The essence of this book is innately spiritual because that is what you are—a spiritual being on a brief sojourn—here to experience the exquisite richness of what it means to live in a human skin for a precious, limited amount of time. How you choose to utilize that time will define the quality of the life you call your own. Never doubt that while the journey which lies in front of you is supremely important, what lies within you is what really matters. You have come to share the gift of you with a world that would be otherwise incomplete. That is how much you matter.

As a writer, I know that words are important at the beginning of any creative process; they become the tools used to convey ideas—to paint a picture that holds relevance and meaning to the reader and hopefully finds a home in their heart. Between the covers of this book are many words which are intended to offer you encouragement, irrespective of who you are or where you are on this sometimes challenging, sometimes confusing, sometimes exhilarating journey we call life. My personal vision is "Guiding People to Purpose." It is my belief that we each have a purpose for being on this planet or we would not be here; we all matter. In this book you will find a compilation of articles I have been privileged to write for Science of Mind magazine, as well as a number of essays I have written as blogs over the years. As you read these articles and essays, may you be open to receiving the love and respect intended in each one. As mentioned above, the content of this book is innately spiritual, and meant to be so, because that is what you are—a spiritual being having a human experience. When it is time for you to return to the place of your spiritual origin you will be asked two questions: Did you learn to love well . . . and, is the planet a better place today than it was the day you arrived because you were there? As you read this book, may the answer to these questions become a litmus test for the balance of your life that encourages you to live an exquisite, fulfilling life. Know that who you are and—equally important—what you do with who you are, matter.