{w.o.r.d.s.}

{w.o.r.d.s.} have so much power . . . . 

{w.o.r.d.s.}

"Excellent!  Great job!  Well done!  You Rock!  I love you!  You're amazing!  You can do it!  Thank you!"

These words build up the hearer, and the speaker!  When you are the recipient of these words, a smile comes to your face.  Your step is just a little lighter!  Life feels good! Yesterday when I was doing my exercise challenge, the plank {all 3 minutes and 10 seconds of it} was killing me!  Rick was sitting nearby and encouraged me with "You can do it!  Focus!  The temptation to quit only lasts 7 seconds!  C'mon, you can do this!"  And I did!  His encouraging words helped me focus on the goal and I completed the plank!  By the same token, when I am able to deliver words like this to someone, I feel better too!  Knowing that I may have been an encouragement to someone brightens my day!

{w.o.r.d.s.}

"Shut Up!   That was dumb! What were you thinking?  Can't you do anything right?  I hate you!" 

These words tear down the hearer and the speaker!  When you are the recipient of these words, you question who you are, what you are, and if you really matter.  As a mom, I know that I've spoken some of these words, and caused some major hurt to the hearts of my girls.  "What were you thinking?"  You know what, they probably weren't "thinking"!  They are kids and sometimes kids {and adults} do things impulsively, without thought.  That does not diminish their worth, yet, my hastily spoken words does.  As the speaker of these words, I'm figuratively trying to grab them out of the air and shove them back into my mouth, which unfortunately is impossible.  If only I would have prayed Psalm 141:3 before speaking: "Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips!"

{w.o.r.d.s.}

"I wish I weighed 10 pounds less!   I'm not good at anything!  Nobody loves me!  I can't do anything right!  What's the difference if I live or die?"

These words, spoken to ourselves defy what God says we are!  When you "self talk" these words, you question who you are, what you are, and if you really matter.  Psalm 139:14 says: "for I am fearfully and wonderfully made"!  And our maker is the God of the universe!  If He has fearfully and wonderfully made us, and He says so, then it is truth!  These words cause hurt and doubt and cause us to question the awesomeness of God's creation!

Psalm 19:14 says:  "Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer."  As I strive to continually be filled with God's sweetness and to spill that out on others, I must pray {often} "Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips!"  How about you?

Reality check:

How have you spilled {or will you spill} out God's sweetness and sweet {w.o.r.d.s.} today?