"One day [St. Francis de Sales] surprised his valet, Favre, sitting at his own writing-desk, composing a letter to a young widow, asking for her hand in marriage. The good man was highly confused, and hid the sheet of paper, but the saint had understood: 'Aren't I your friend?' he said. 'Why are you hiding something from me?' The valet blushed like a cherry, and handed him the letter. The Bishop of Geneva read it slowly and then said: 'You don't know how to do it; leave it to me.' He sat down and wrote out a fine letter: 'Now, copy this, seal it and send it off. You will see that everything will go well!' All went very well. They were married, were very happy, and are said to have had many children."

~ Fr. Albert Bessieres, SJ, Saint Bernadette Speaks, imprimatur 1956.

Maybe you wonder why I would post this as "Words of Encouragement", but I found this little story to be quite heartwarming. A busy and very holy bishop taking time to compose a proposal letter for his servant! Marriage is a vocation, and the bishop knew that this was Favre's calling, and that he wanted to marry a good woman. Therefore the saint used his God-given tact and charm to help the young suitor. 

St. Francis de Sales, pray for us in the sticky situations in our lives...ask Our Lord that we may know what to say or do, and how to say or do it successfully, that things may go "very well" for us, if it's God's Holy Will!

Public Statue of St. Francis de Sales in Annecy, France