speak life

I propose a new thought for today.  We feed on obvious things like food and we hear the phrase all the time,  "We are what we eat."  While this is true, there are other sources of nourishment that we eventually will exhibit.

WORDS

Words that are spoken over us,  and words that we read are the obvious thought, but what I propose you to digest slowly, is  the words that we speak over ourselves!

"We are what we SPEAK."

If you have read any of my posts before,  you already know that I am a huge advocate of speaking life and love over others;  calling out gifts and beauty.  By doing this, they will rise up to that word.  What I am learning and trying to apply to my daily life is to speak out gifts and beauty and promise over MYSELF.

Proverbs 21:23 says, "He who guards his mouth and his tongue, guards his soul from troubles"

Taking this at face value, I have read this and thought to myself, "yeah yeah, I know;  I need to work on my tongue and what I speak to my kids, to my friends, and what I talk about with them."  I immediately apply this verse to the usual do not gossip, don't lose my temper, and let my words be laced in love kinda stuff.  But this morning I paused on this and thought about my day in that moment.  I reflected on my last few days and my thought life; about struggles, my desires, my hopes and dreams, and the areas in my heart where I felt lack.  Being a verbal gal, I speak out things and give attention to those thoughts,  and guess what? I give life to those words!

My words over myself  sometimes speak to my troubled soul.  Stresses of single mom life,  finances, and moments of having a spontaneous offensive spirit are battles to take captive and transform.  In some moments, fear tempts me  and threatens to plague my thought life.  What comes out of my mouth next (after these thoughts) is critical to the life I want to live and cause.

Honestly speaking, the power of my words can actually destroy my spirit and stir up hatred and violence inwardly.  These words are an overflow of my heart.  To live authentic with this heart of mine that wants to exude love and joy, I must use those words wisely!  Now this takes training!  My heart is not always congruent with my words and vice verse......  I have to practice.  Think about it!

Vulnerably, I share with you a text I sent to a friend this week as I was troubled over a few different situations coming at me in some areas of my life.  I wanted to guard my words.  I said this aloud as I wrote it, and I made a decision to proclaim this over my life daily.

"I declare contentment over every area of my life.  I no longer want to do things the way I did them in the past.  I love my life right NOW.  It is rich and full, and not lacking."

Jokingly my friend responded back, "Good!  Now go get that tatooed on your forehead so you don't forget!"

Well, maybe  not on my forehead, but I DO like this tattoo idea!

See, when I proclaim that, It becomes alive in my heart and I believe it!  It is true!  I have the courage to live this!  I have the courage to not take on a spirit of offense,  to become depressed or anxious, or jealous of anyone else.  I also don't wish for something I don't have, because I already know that I am not lacking!  Its incredible what this  phrase has done in my heart.

My witty friend Suezi   told me,  "When we discourage ourselves with our speech, we take our own courage away."  Woah!!!!!   I don't know about you, but I want to live my life full of courage, grace, humility, love, and joy.  It starts in my heart.  My heart doesn't always FEEL this way, and that is when I must train my speech to transform my heart.

In a different situation:

I have been working with a friend lately who is struggling to line up her heart and mind with her speech. She struggles in her marraige;  she complains about what she lacks.  She knows that to transform her heart, she must begin speaking outloud how thankful she is for her husband, how blessed she is in __________________ ways.  She knows to not focus on any lack.  She knows that she must look at her feelings from a different perspective!  I know breakthru is coming for her!  She is practicing!  She is courageously speaking goodness, love, joy, peace over this situation.

What does your heart need today?  What do you need to speak over yourself?  Encourage yourself today and just wait and see what happens?

Cheers!

Reach...

Furiously tapping my keyboard, emotions flow.  I implore all you who are hurting to reach up with your hands and stretch stretch them out!  Your life depends on it.  Reach!  God will pull you up.

There is always hope.

ALWAYS.

You who have left your spouse, because you thought the grass was greener. 

You who have given up on a dead marriage and want to leave.

You, who are about to sign the divorce papers..... DON'T GIVE UP!

You, who are looking too far ahead of your goal and feel the overwhelmed, doubt, fear, and guilt of never attaining it before, so why would this time be any different?  

YOU.... DON'T give up!

You, who grieve over the physical loss in your life of a child gone....... REACH UP!

You, who are staring down the bottle of pills right now wondering if taking them is the answer.  IT IS NOT!

You, filled with shame and guilt of your past..... let go.  THERE IS ALWAYS HOPE.

Friend, what is it you are facing today?  Take courage, I promise you that when you surrender your heart and will, and do the "hard thing" instead of the easy..... your reward will be great!

Proverbs 4 says this...."Let your eyes look directly ahead.  Let your gaze be fixed strait in front of you. Watch the path (path of your feet) and all your ways will be established.  Do NOT turn to the right or the left."  What I find fascinating  is the "path of your feet" part.  Don't look behind you anymore.  Stop it!  Wife, stop blaming your husband for your hurts.  That is your past and it is filled with guilt and shame.  Don't look to the sides... It is full of you comparing yourself to others.  You are you and wonderfully made.  Don't look too far ahead either, it will overwhelm you on your journey to wholeness and healing.  Press on.  Look right in front of you at the path of your feet... You can get through this, one stride at a time.

Friend, don't take the easy road.  Take the hard road.  Your life, your family, your dead marriage is worth it.  When you think the hope is gone, trust me when I tell you that there is still hope!  If you have taken the easy road, there is no shame, and no condemnation; just reach up..... ask for help.  Hope is always abundant.  The reward is great my friend.

There is redemption in all things!

I'm keeping it simple today.  You, who feel hopeless, listen to this song  You are redeemed.  Your life is ALREADY redeemed.  REACH UP AND TAKE AHOLD OF IT.  I pray blessings and reward abundant on each person who reads this today!