I must confess...

...I just posted on the words we speak and I have to say that although I work hard to watch what I say to others I am not so quick to think before I speak to my husband.  The one person I love the most in the world (well besides my kids).  I choose to love him and he chooses to love me.

Recently I have been struggling with stress which is not new to me but it has been at a higher level and affecting my life and my marriage.  I can be nice to everyone else but I tend to take out my frustrations on my husband.  This is not right nor is it fair to him.

My devotions recently have been exactly what I need at this time in my life--huh??  I am reminded that God knows my future, knows my schedule and knows my struggles.  He is already there so I don't need to keep stressing over these things.  Why can't I get that through my thick head.  I guess that is part of being a strong-willed, hard-headed, type A personality. 

Sometimes I wish God would just flash a neon sign in front of me telling me what to do instead of me having to WAIT.  I can be very impatient at times.  I know that at times He does answer so clearly and other times not so much.  Sometimes we have to walk through the muck and mire of trials, stressful situations & things we don't want to do to get to a better place.  NOT FUN!!

I know that God has plans for me.  I am blessed with so much and have nothing to complain about.  I just fine things to complain about--I am working on that also. 

So during this time of stress & struggling I keep praying, learning, growing and reminding myself to take care of myself and control my tongue. 

One day it will all be clear to me.  One day I won't have the stress and struggles of life.  One day life will be perfect and that day will be when I meet Jesus face-to-face.  Until then I will cont. to rely on the TRUTH of God's Word.  Trust Him to see me through these difficult times.  And wait patiently on my Lord.

"Be still in the presence of the Lord,and wait patiently for him to act."  Psalm 37:7 

"For in this hope we were saved. But hope that is seen is no hope at all. Who hopes for what he already has? But if we hope for what we do not yet have, we wait for it patiently. In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us with groans that words cannot express.  And he who searches our hearts knows the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints in accordance with God's will.  And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose."  Romans 8:24-26 

I place my hope in God!!



Let's Talk

I have been wanting to do this for a long time but have had other things come up or just didn't take the time to sit down and get it all out. 

I have been reminded over and over that the words we speak matter.  As I researched verses for this months ago I came up with so many that I am sure I would never be able to get to all of them.  So obviously if God thinks what we say is so important that it is clear in so much of the Bible then I think it is very important that WE take what we say to others very seriously.

"Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing."  Proverbs 12:18

I think that is pretty clear.  As I sit here I think of all the times I was "reckless" with my words.  OUCH!!  I don't want to be that way and I try not to but I am guilty of spitting out things that hurt others.

When I get angry I am not always careful about what I say--OUCH!!

"My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires." 

 James 1:19-20

"Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD; keep watch over the door of my lips."  Psalm 141:3

"He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin." Proverbs 13:3

This is just a start.  I challenge you to take some time and look up all the verses in your Bible that talk about the words we speak and how they matter.  Be prepared to spend some quality time in the Word.  I won't even go into all the verses on gossip, taming the tongue, and complaining.  Maybe some other time.

I do know that I want to be the woman that really works to make sure that what I say to others (and to myself because that matters also--that is another blog) is for building them up not tearing them down.

"When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness."  Proverbs 31:26 (NLT)

"Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them."  Ephesians 4:29 (NLT)

That is the woman I want to be!!

Also, remember what you think and what is in your heart comes out in your words.  We don't just speak words that have not at least crossed our minds at some point or live in our hearts.  Like angry, hurtful words towards someone that we have anger towards in our hearts.

"The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and the evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks."  Luke 6:45

So as I go about my day-to-day activities I will continue to think on positive things, keep my heart & mind pure and think about what I will say before I say it.  Will I always get it right--NOPE but I thank God that He forgives me when I mess up.  I hope and pray that when I mess up that the person I have hurt will also forgive me (and let me know if I have hurt them and didn't know I did).

That is the short version of what I had planned on (I bet you are happy about that--hehe).  To me these are powerful passages and speak volumes.  Words of Truth I NEED to hear!!

Just had to add this.  Gotta love Maxine!