The Power of the Tongue

1 My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment. 2 For we all stumble in many things. If anyone does not stumble in word, he is a perfect man, able also to bridle the whole body. 3 Indeed, we put bits in horses mouths that they may obey us, and we turn their whole body. 4 Look also at ships: although they are so large and are driven by fierce winds, they are turned by a very small rudder wherever the pilot desires. 5 Even so the tongue is a little member and boasts great things. See how great a forest a little fire kindles! 6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity. The tongue is so set among our members taht it defiles the whole body, and sets on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire by hell. 7 For every kind of beast and bird, of reptile and creature of the sea, is tamed and has been tamed by mankind. 8 But no man can tame the tongue. it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. 9 With it we bless our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. 10 Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so. 11 Does a spring send forth fresh water and bitter from the same opening? 12 Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Thus no spring yields both salt water and fresh.

James 3: 1-12

God brought these scriptures to my attention recently and I have constantly been thinking about the power of the tongue since this. Such a small part of our being holds so much power. We have the ability to build someone up or drag them down. We can encourage them or discourage them. We can speak life of them or death over them.

Our words hold so much power. An example is in Joshua 6. This is when Joshua and his army were preparing to march around the walls of Jericho.

Now Joshua had commanded the people, saying, "You shall not shout or make any noise with your voice, nor shall a word proceed out of your mouth, until the day I say to you, 'Shout!' Then you shall shout.

Joshua 6:10

Joshua understood the power of the tongue. He instructed his army to not make a noise until he told them to because he understood that the tongue could get in God's way. If Joshua did not instruct his army to not make a noise until he said what do you think they would have said? I believe they would have spoken out much disbelief. They would have said things like this is crazy, what are we doing here, this isn't going to work, and so on. When they finally were instructed to shout the walls fell and they were victorious.

I just want to encourage you to remember the power of your tongue and the words that you speak every time you open your mouth. Speak life into people! Speak out your faith! Guard your tongue and your words.

Lessons from Nicaragua

Over spring break I went to Nicaragua on a mission trip. The longer I was there the stronger my desire was to just come back home. I felt like my time was not being well used; I was not getting anything out of the trip and in a way I felt like it was a waste of time (this was obviously 100% incorrect). Over the course of the week over 10,500 students heard about the Lord through different presentations our team did. This is a testimony on it's own however that is not what I want to talk about.

One of the most often asked questions asked before leaving for a mission trip is what your expectations are (this is just from my personal experience). I thought long and hard about this question and realized I had no idea what I expected. The only thing I knew was that I did not want to come back unchanged. I wanted the Lord to change me for the better. I prayed long and hard about this desire during the time leading up to the trip.

God answered the cry of my heart more than I ever expected; what I now find absolutely hilarious is that I was not exactly pleased when my prayer began to be answered... I was actually pretty annoyed

God began working on my heart the minute we stepped into the airport to catch our first flight. What really blindsided me is that He did not let up one bit the entire week. God made me so aware of who I am as a person. He made me aware of my strengths and weaknesses. This was all awesome to learn, but it did not stop there... God wanted to do more in me...

I was not prepared for what I was about to be hit with. Early in the week God began to make me aware of the areas of my life that I needed to change. Initially when I was coming to the realization of all of this I was not to pumped. I'm human.. it is hard to be told that we are falling short; it is not a habit to think about our imperfections. It stinks to be called out when we are in the wrong. God did all of this to me.

The week in Nicaragua was long and hard for me, but it was well worth it. God made me aware of the areas that He would like to mold in my life. The first step was for me to simply be made aware of these areas; the next step was up to me. I had to humble myself at the feet of the Lord and allow Him to mold me.

This is not an overnight journey. Each day I wake up and humble myself before the Lord letting Him know that I'm choosing to allow Him to change me. I am choosing to give God the ability to make me into the woman He wants me to be.

I prayed that I would not come back unchanged and God made sure that I didn't. I definitely got exactly what I prayed for!

Ever have one of "those" weeks? I'm pretty sure we all have. It's the type of week that the main thing thought about during the duration is the end. It's the type of week you just want to be over... the type of week nobody wants to have because it's one of "those" weeks.

For me this is definitely classified as one of "those" weeks in my book. It's a week full of tests which require many hours of studying. It's a week with homework and projects. It's they type of week that seems like each professor thinks that their class is my only class.

On top of school I have a ton of preparation to do for the mission trip to Nicaragua that I leave for on Sunday. I'm in charge of a drama team which obviously requires practice... and the practice is definitely needed. I have to make a list of props and supplies that we need as a team for the trip... and then a few others and myself have to go out and purchase all of these supplies. Then there is the packing...oh the packing. There is also a girls night that my apartment is hosting on Friday... a night of food and other preparations for our mission trip. Saturday is a day of critiquing all of the dramas and last minute whatevers.... then Sunday we're catching a plane!

I'm extremely stressed and wiped out this week... This could make for a very miserable week if I let it. This is the thing though... I have a choice as to how I approach this week.

The way I see it there are a few choices:
1. Go through each day grumbling about how much I have to do. Think about how I can't wait for it to be over. This will no doubt cause a bad attitude and will make for a very very very long week.

2. Be passive about everything. I would miss out on a lot.. probably not do so well on any of my tests.

3. Face each day with a good attitude. Take one thing at a time... embrace the day.

I don't know about you, but I do my best to choose the third option. God has been gracious enough to give me another day and what is the point if I don't take hold of it with everything that I have? Don't get me wrong I still get frustrated. Through my frustration battles I remind myself that God has a reason for everything...

This verse always gives me encouragement...

And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.
Romans 8:28

God is teaching me a lesson in patience and holding my tongue lately. It takes a lot to actually make me angry. The other day I was extremely upset about something that took place. Some things were said in a setting that was completely inappropriate.

As angry as this situation made me I realized that it simply was not a battle that I needed to take upon myself; I chose not to say anything even though I did not agree with what took place. In one of the classes that I took last semester my professors said "learn to choose your battles". This is something that has stuck with me. It reminds me of my parents always telling me to "think before you speak". (that is also something that I am working on.. some pretty silly things come out of my mouth sometimes.)

I'm learning to ask myself a few questions before reacting to situations:

1. What are my motives?
2. Is it necessary to potentially cause conflict?
3. Will this be edifying to myself and/or to others?
4. Will anything be solved?

Remember

God has been placing the word "REMEMBER" on my heart lately. It isn't always easy to think about the past, but that is exactly what God has been calling me to do. God has been calling me to dig up the exact things that I have chosen to forget.

For the past few years I have been seeking God and His will for my life with all that I am. What God is showing me is that no matter how much I grow in the Lord I need to remember where I used to be. I need to remember the hurt, the emptiness, the hopelessness, the longing for something more. I need to remember times like being lukewarm and stagnant in my walk. God is showing me that I have nothing to be ashamed of. The person that God wants me to remember is who I was, not who I am.

There are people in the world today in the exact place or situation that I came out of. God loves those people too. He wants those people to take hold of eternity just like so many others have.

It is time to REMEMBER what we have chosen to forget.

So many people think that walking with the Lord is easy; that life should be perfect once you ask the Lord to come into your heart. Matthew 7:13-14 says in so many words that this is not necessarily true.

Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it. Matthew 7:13-14

Growing up my father was a pastor. When I would go to church people in the congregation would watch me just waiting for me to mess up. The minute I did something that didn't fit into their perfect picture of how the pastors daughter should act they would go running to tell one of my parents about my "screw up". This is how the world is in many ways too. When people find out you claim to be a christian they watch how you dress, conduct yourself, and what you say. They justify what they do by what you do.

Sometimes the world may seem more appealing, mainly because it seems like an easier path. It is also a lonely path with no purpose. I can say this because I have tried it. There are many different roads to the world. That is why the way of the world is so easy. It is easy to choose the road of alcohol, drugs, sex, etc. Sadly many people choose the roads of the world. This all represents the wide gate.

The narrow gate is the path that is less chosen. It is the path of the Lord. The reason this is called the narrow gate is because there is only one way to eternal life. Eternal life is offered to everyone, but few actually take hold of this free gift.

I have made the decision to take the narrow gate. I find my identity in the Lord. With the Lord I am made whole.

Which gate do you choose?

A Simple Hello

This is the start of my Blogging adventure. I have never understood exactly why people Blog, but lately I have wanted to try it out... so here it goes!

Just wanted to drop a simple hello at the beginning of this journey.