Words

We throw them around. We just say things because we can't think of anything else to say, we verbally injure because we know we can, we speak out of what we feel in the moment. And we take down and disarm and disfigure individuality and gifts and the created-in-the-image-of-God-uniqueness that makes every person a loved person of the King.

I am constantly reminded of this. It is a constant conviction, a constant intention. I fall into the deadly trap of thinking words don't matter, they're just words. But if there's something that matters, it's what we say. Because what we say can build or tear down, plant seeds or tear up roots, save or condemn.

I've always aspired to be someone of few words, someone who doesn't waste them. I've lived the life of wasting words - frivolously combining adjectives and nouns and subjects and verbs to create a jumble that doesn't bring any kind of life. But what's true is that wasting words has little to do with the amount of words we say, but the quality of them. And the result is death or the result is life and there is great Gospel truth to be had when we share kindness and encouragement and truth and beauty and positivity.

I speak from a place of great grace and redemption. Christ has put the power of words on my radar and I am constantly in the practice of obedience in speech. And it's hard because pride and instinct and feelings and emotion and sin nature want to cloud out intentionality. It's easier to be reckless. But if we are conscious to the power of our words and if we are conscious to offering Jesus all of our words, truthful words will take over. And your truthful words will be grace, peace, and love.

Part of my sanctification with words has been in writing. Daily, disciplined writing has seasoned me and created in me a true, deep love for words. Only by His great grace, I have been molded through a process to believe that words are life, if we choose, and it is our call as Christians to choose life. Writing, journaling, this blog are my constant reminders and my daily help in choosing life.

So may this be a place where you receive life. I commit to a blog of grace. And if you don't hear it anywhere else, here it here and now :

you are loved.

you are cherished.

you are beautiful.

not because of what you've done, but because of who you are. A child of the King.

Your words matter. Oh, they truly truly matter. They matter when you're unkind and they matter when you're generous. They matter when you're sarcastic and they matter when you're thoughtful. They matter when you lash out and they matter when you encourage. They matter. Because they flow from the abundance of our hearts and they'll overflow with the goodness of Jesus or the evil of self. They matter because we've been on the receiving end and we know. Oh please choose. Choose healing words.

On the cross, Jesus spoke life. He spoke forgiveness and grace and He welcomed repentant sinners into Paradise. That is our charge and we take our verbal cues from the One who truly saves.

Speak the Gospel with every moment, in every breath, in every conversation, in every writing. It saves and it heals.