HAPPY ANNIVERSARY!

Happy Anniversary to my niece Marcie and her husband Nick! I love you both.

Words

God has really been speaking to me lately about the power of words in our lives. Anyone who knows me knows that I am fairly outspoken (to say the least). One person I have been very outspoken to in my life is my husband. Chris and I both have used words in our marriage to hurt each other. We know each other well enough to know that words are the weapon that wound each other the most. I have been very convicted over the past few months and especially in the past few days over taking responsibility for the words that I speak. Words are VERY powerful. They have long lasting effect in our lives and in the lives of others. I am making a conscious decision to try with God's help to speak nothing but words of blessing on others (including my husband - especially my husband and children). God calls us to speak encouragement to others. Never are we to speak critical words or words of discouragement to others. Never. It is not scriptural. Words have a long-lasting effect on others and I pray Lord that you will help me to speak only kind words to not only those that I love, but all those around me.

Proverbs 16:24

Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.

Psalm 19:14

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, O LORD, my Rock and my Redeemer.

James 3:9-12

With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. Can both fresh water and saltwater flow from the same spring? My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.