Born From Loss, Pain, and Prayer

The Story

How It Started

Fourteen years ago, Minister James T. Mosely III was walking through one of the hardest seasons of his life. A separation and eventual divorce led to the loss of his home, his vehicle, and his business, all in a short span of time. Though he remained faithful in church and in serving others, he carried little enthusiasm and had quietly placed himself in a self-imposed prison. He had to press hard just to maintain his relationship with God rather than isolating himself from those around him.

Feeling like he was about to lose it all, James turned to God in prayer with a simple request: "I just want to be happy." God's answer surprised him, "Be happy right now. Don't wait until tomorrow, don't wait until things get better, don't wait for a New Year's resolution, and don't wait until the weekend. Be happy right now." In that moment, God brought to mind a man from his former church, Donald Harrington, who greeted everyone with a firm handshake, a warm hug, and the words "Happy Sunday, my brother." James felt that same encouraging spirit rise up in him, and he began greeting people, in person and by phone, with "Happy Monday," "Happy Tuesday," "Happy Wednesday," in place of a simple hello.

It didn't take long to notice how much those greetings lifted the people around him. When James returned to God in prayer, half-joking, "I said I wanted to be happy, not make other people happy," he realized his prayer had been answered in a way he never expected - his own healing had become a source of encouragement for others. Over the years, God continued to give him encouraging words for each day, which grew into what he now calls The Daily Affirmations. The mission behind them was simple: "I'm going to tell my day what it's going to be, not let my day tell me." When a nine-year-old boy once asked what he'd say for the month, James didn't have an answer — until the boy shouted back, "Jumping Joyous January!" That spontaneous moment gave birth to the Monthly Affirmations.

This is how Encourage University was born - out of loss, pain, and prayer. As Pastor Matthew L. Brown once taught, "We can change the world with our words," and that truth continues to guide the mission today: Encouraging you, to encourage others, to encourage the world.