Just Words

The Lord has promised good to me.

His Word my hope secures.

He will my shield and portion be

As long as life endures!

~Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone), Chris Tomlin

Happy November!!  Here's hoping it begins to feel more wintery soon. :)  This month, I'm doing 30 PG Days (Praise & Gratitude), throwing in some of my favorite worship song lyrics and one thing I'm thankful for each day! :)

Today, I am thankful for words and for the power they carry. Our words reveal our hearts, and they can wound or heal, tear down or restore. They can bring blessings or curses. And God Himself says "the power of life and death is in the tongue."

I know this to be true from the prolonged effects of the 2007 letter, the 2013 email, and every critical or deliberately hurtful word that's been said about me vs. John Eldredge's books, powerful sermons and song lyrics, and every encouraging word from people who love me. This entire blog, every court transcript, business contracts, the pledge of allegiance, wedding vows, the Word of God itself -- it should go without saying that words matter deeply.

It does bother me to hear Christians defend poor character by saying that it was "just words." It seems clear to me that a person's words are only considered trivial when the person speaking them is easily dismissed as untrustworthy or of low character. I've not heard many make that remark about Martin Luther King's speech. Anyway, as a woman of God who loves to read and write, I want my words to mean something and to bring life and restoration and hope!  And I am so thankful for the words of life that God has used and will continue to use to strengthen and heal and transform me!!

"Let the words of my mouth and the meditations of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, Oh Lord, my strength and my Redeemer!"  ~Psalm 19:14

"We're living in uncertain times, and more and more, I find that I'm aware of just how fragile life can be. I want to tell the world I've found a love that turned my life around; they need to know that they can taste and see. Now every day, I'm praying just to give my heart away. I want to live for Jesus so that someone else might see that He is EVERYTHING -- He's more than a story, more than words on a page of history! He's the air that I breathe, the water I thirst for, and the ground beneath my feet. Oh, He's everything, everything to me."

~Everything to Me, Avalon