Words

I love the rejuvenation that a new start can bring so I pray that the beginning of your new year has been encouraging. Yesterday, as I was still fine tuning my prayer for the new year, I realized something I think we all tend to do. We look at the past year and make this mental list of everything we need to do different or better. Goals are a great way to live forward and push ourselves. However, I realized that focus seems to accent the defeats of the past year instead of celebrating the victories. I needed to be reminded of that yesterday. So, I decided to delay my "raising of the bar" for 2011 for a little bit and began to focus on accomplishments, answered prayers and victories of 2010.

It was the start of 2010 when a friend encouraged me to start this blog. She challenged me to put my thoughts out there and felt that it would be a great way for me to encourage people on a wider scale. She was pushy about it because she told me I had a "way with words". So I admit, the initial start of this blog was about me encouraging and loving others. In turn, I have been so encouraged and blessed by so many of you. You have prayed for me. You have comforted me on difficult days. You have pushed me on days that I wanted to quit. You have been real with me which helped me to feel more normal. You have made me laugh and you have made me cry. I have also made new friends that I haven't even met face to face yet. You have stretched me. So God did what He always does best. He pushes us to an uncomfortable place to grow us and in the process we are changed and blessed by others along the way. Thank you!

In reflecting, I realized the power of words. I am a word wound survivor. I lived through a long season where another's words tore me down daily. Words and statements can go deep and leave scars. It is our job to forgive those who hurt us with their words, but it may take some time for the scars to heal. It is a process where they fade over time. May that be a reminder and a challenge to you to be very careful with your own words.

"The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing." (Proverbs 12:18)

I love this verse! In order to be wise about something, we are to study and practice. Therefore, we have to get into the Word to become much wiser about words that bring healing. "In the beginning was the Word." (John 1:1) If it was in the beginning, it must have been pretty important. How reckless of me to think that just because I am a Christ follower, I am always going to be a Christ imitator without continuing to study and practice.

So as you and I make our list, goals, and prayers for 2011, let us remember that Colossians 3:17 says, "Whatever you do, whether in WORD or in deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus."

I pray that the words chosen and prayed over for my blog in the new year, bring you encouragement, peace and healing!