"You remind me of superman! Brave, strong and always wanting to help others."
"You are exactly the child I would have picked if I had a choice of all the children in the world."
"Yes, I do think you will be a wonderful writer. You are so clever with words."
"I just love spending time with you. You delight my heart."
Words have so much power in our lives, over the way we feel about life.
Not long ago, one of my sweet children surprised me with an email that brought thankful tears to my eyes.
"Dear Mama,
"God is doing amazing things in my life and opening doors I never imagined possible. But when I was thinking about my dreams coming true, I thought of you. Throughout all the years, you told me you believed in my impossible dreams. You listened and affirmed and encouraged and supported. I don't know if I would be where I am today, if you had not constantly invested in my life through your many words of love. Thank you, mama, for being my forever cheerleader."
I always believed that words invested forward into what my children could become, in spite of the limitations I could see every day as a mama. I prayed God would give me eyes to see the hidden gifts, the potential of what lay within their hearts, and hoped that I could invest in the future of what I believed they could become.
Words give hope, communicate ideas, inspire movements to fight for freedom, sharpen our minds to know how to think well, inspire heroism and give leadership to those longing for direction. These words are alive and shape life.
Consequently, it is significant that Jesus was called “The Word,” in John. He was the message sent from God’s heart of love, and even calling him that shows such the significance of words to God.
God is a message maker, and a lover who wants us to know His words of love. He is a Father who wants to give us words of wisdom so that we should understand how to live life well. He is the great teacher who would fill our minds with truth so that we could live free from the world’s false messages through our whole lives. God longs is a communicator and longs for our fellowship.
Your children are longing for your sweet words today. What can you tell your children that will fill their souls today?
Since words are our theme today, I am delighted to tell you about a book that shows so clearly the power of words and the danger of the tongue! My friend, Karen, Ehman, has published a book that reminds all of us that words have the power of life or death.
Many years ago, I was taking a day at Glen Eyrie Castle for planning my year. I was walking through the grounds and noticed an open room where a speaker was sharing with a crowd who was very engaged in her words. And then it hit me, that's Karen Ehman, the author of the books we have carried in our catalogue for years.
A lovely heart, a passion for God and all that is beautiful. I know you will love all of her books and especially her newest one.
Got words? Oh yeah, you do! The average women speaks over 20,000 a day—not to mention the ones she types online. Karen Ehman — a woman whose words have often landed her in a heap of trouble — shares from experience the how’s (and how-not-to’s) of dealing with the tongue in her new book Keep It Shut. Using biblical examples, as well as Karen’s own personal (and sometimes painful!) stories, Keep It Shut will equip you to know what to say, how best to say it, and when you’d better just keep your lips zipped!This book will teach you:
- The difference between gossip and properly processing with a trusted friend
- A helpful grid for using our digital tongues as we talk online or on social media
- How to pause before you pounce, attacking the problem but not the person
- How to avoid saying something permanently painful just because you are temporarily ticked off
- What the Bible teaches about making our speech laced with grace, as sweet as honey, and yet seasoned with salt.
- Also available is a six-week DVD Bible study designed for group or individual use
I would like to give away 2 of Karen's books because I know you will be inspired by her words.
a Rafflecopter giveaway So the message of today is, Own Your Words! :)