Proverbs 18:21 states: Death and life are in the power of the tongue; and they that love it shall eat the fruit thereof. (KJV)

Simply put: Mind your mouth. Easier said than done. I know. Sarcasm was my best friend. It might feel good in the moment but you’ve probably cut deeper than any knife ever could. Watching your words starts from the inside out. From the head of the house to the smallest of the house and then radiates out into your community.

Seems simple enough but understand, I had a lot going on. I felt worthless. The world didn’t hesitate to tell me how ugly and undesirable I was. My brain could not be seen past my face. I was angry and bitter. Tired and depressed all the time. I hated my job with a passion and weighed north of 250 lbs. My family was falling apart. Correction, had fallen apart. I was fighting for the wrong reasons with the wrong weapons and gave up. So, they gave up and ran amok. I was not a Proverbs 31 woman and helped tear my house down. But God…

God cleared my house of everyone and everything and made me take a good look at myself. It wasn’t pretty. He said, “It’s okay,” He loved me anyway and it was going to change. He started with my mind. The women’s group at my church read a book that dealt with the conversations we have with ourselves about ourselves. How to see ourselves as God sees us and thus, speaking life into our minds and spirits. I have to say it was one of the best books I’ve read.

Isaiah 55:9 says: For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts. (KJV) I kept this verse in my head and began to internalize it. Eventually, I started to live it. Think higher thoughts. He showed me the lies that were told to me that I internalized and spoke over my family. Ephesians 4:29 states Let no corrupt communications proceed out of your mouth, but that which is good to the use of edifying, that it may minister grace unto the hearers. (KJV)

He showed me when to shut my mouth and when to speak. Well, we’re still working on that one. Ecclesiastes 3 speaks to that all powerful knowledge and timing of God. In fact, the first verse begins To everything there is a season… I believe verse 7 speaks specifically to a time to speak and a time to be quiet. He changed my thinking to the point that the dead things that I tried to keep in my house could no longer stay.

Who’s ever heard of a dead thing giving life? It can’t happen. Let those dead things go. I couldn’t hold a grudge now if I wanted to. I like the peace that I have more. He showed me contentment with my place in life and trust that I am not worthless and that he has a plan for me because by no means was I as unsuccessful as I thought. He said success is not only measured in dollars. My mother always quoted Jeremiah 29:11 – For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. (NIV)

I mentioned that job I hated. I said my next job would be something creative. It wasn’t even a prayer. God was just eavesdropping on me. I now have a job that I love. Not just a job but a career. A creative career. Only God. I’ve watched God work miracles not only in my life but in the lives of those in my orbit. My son is doing what he loves and thriving. My daughter is getting a top notch education for free. To think it started with the words – it’s going to change. To say I’m grateful is an understatement. Think of how powerful the word of God is. In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (John 1:1 KJV). Take a moment and let that sink in…

Moms, dads, husbands, wives, brothers and sisters, friends: everything you say matters. On the other hand, everything you don’t say also matters. Remember, God loves families. It’s so easy to fall into your day to day and begin to take each other for granted. To take yourselves for granted. We get down and that’s when the enemy tries to strike but, I dare you to choose life. Speak God’s Word of life over those dead things that are trying to sprout weeds to choke your garden and watch them wither away before they can take root.

Tell bitterness you are content because God has His own plan for you. Let those spiteful impulses know that they are no longer needed. Tell unforgiveness that God says you are forgiven and you’ve decided to pay it forward. The love you have for your family is worth more than what you won’t forgive. Tell those people that you are holding on to that remind you of past traumas that those things are where they belong, in the past.

Tell those people that you are holding on to that encourage you to indulge in life’s indiscretions that have proven time after time to tear your life down, no thank you. I bet they are alone with no prospects and have never had a long term anything. Misery loves company and every time you fall into it, I bet you regret you did. Don’t hold your loved ones hostage to generalizations – you always do…fill in the blank. Don’t say it or even think it because if you’re looking for it, you’re going to find it and 9 times out of 10 you’ve caused the circumstances that brought it to light. Look at them for who they are. God’s children that deserve all that He has to offer. They will never let you down.

I dare you to not only tell yourself but believe you are who and what God says you are. I dare you to find that one nagging area that sends you to the left and internalize just one word of encouragement over it that speaks life to your faith and watch God work. Hebrews 11:1 says Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. (KJV) ~Selah