Could eight minutes change someone’s life? In a world where meaningful connections can be rare, author Jancee Dunn proposes the power of an eight-minute phone call. She believes such brief calls can help us connect with family and friends. Studies show that such calls a few times a week help reduce depression, loneliness, and anxiety. And Dunn cites the research of other experts who affirm that minor relationship adjustments can profoundly affect our well-being and that of others.

This insight aligns with Proverbs 12:25 , which states, “Anxiety weighs down the heart, but a kind word cheers it up.” In this verse, anxiety refers to a person’s emotional response to a threat to their well-being. Being anxious can also stem from fear and uncertainty about the future. For believers in Jesus, reassuring and encouraging words can help transform others’ anxiety into cheerfulness and lead to real life (v. 28). Those words can also provide signposts to help others “choose their friends carefully” (v. 26).

Let’s pray and ask God who might need an eight-minute call with encouraging words based in Scripture. Though brief, this simple act of connection might just be the spark He uses to lighten someone’s load, brighten their day, and offer them hope and healing.