A Busy Two Years

Has it really been two years since I uploaded a post? That's not good. So much has happened. So much swirls in my brain. Why am I not writing it down here? I've written some in my "Today is Going to Be a Great Day" journal but I want to do better posting here, when appropriate.

I came online to begin capturing thoughts from my new Disciple U Bible Study, "Speaking Wisely." We're using Poppy Smith's book of this title and are excited (and nervous) about working through this topic!

Week One (January 24 ... which we started a week late due to SNOW days!): Introduction

I set up a window on the stool as a prop to go with introductory statement in the book: "Words are like windows, giving others a glimpse into your heart. Words express who you really are, what you think, and what you cherish. They reveal your joys, heartaches, attitudes, and beliefs. Based on what you say and how you say it, others can sense whether you are a safe, loving, and supportive person, someone they can trust to speak wisely to them and about them. The opposite is also true" (p. 1).

WHY THIS STUDY?

1. Coming out of the Personal Holiness study

Last semester we worked through Rhonda Kelley's study on Personal Holiness. It was a tremendous overview of how God is calling us out to be holy just as He is holy. It seems that on the holiness journey, it's our words that trip us up more often than we expect. And according to Luke 6:43-45, "No good fruit bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit.... The good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart.... For out of the overflow of his heart his mouth speaks." If our words are reactionary, unnecessary, defensive, or offensive, what is this saying about our hearts?

2. Coming into a year of living out our Pastor's challenge to love God, love people, make disciples, and make a difference.

Love God: How are our words related to loving God? Is He changing our speech? Are we letting Him? Does our speech reflected our hearts for God?

Love people: What does this look like? How do we love people with our words? Jack Hudson posted a significant story on his Facebook page on January 15 that begins with the quote "A shut mouth gathers no foot."

A lady tells of a lesson her mother once taught her. One day, when this lady was about eight years old, she was playing outside next to an open window. Inside a neighbor was confiding a personal problem to her mother. After the neighbor had gone, the mother realized that her little girl had heard everything that had been said. She called her daughter in and said, "If our neighbor had left her purse here today, would we give it to anyone else?" "Of course not," the little girl said.

Her mother went on, "Our neighbor left something more precious than her pocketbook today. She left a story that could make many people unhappy. That story is not ours to give to anyone. It is still hers, even though she left it here. So we shall not give it to anyone. Do you understand?" The little girl did. And from that day on, whenever a friend would share a confidence or even engage in careless gossip, she considered what they said to be their personal property and not hers to give to anyone else.

This old saying bears great truth: "If you don't have something good to say about someone or something, don't say anything at all." Proverbs 13:3 "He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life: but he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction."

Make disciples: What does this look like? How can our words 'make disciples'? The most obvious answer is that we can use our words for God's good ... pointing others to the cross.

I was most impressed with a video my friend Lindsay Venters posted that shows a young girl sharing her faith using a three-circles strategy: https://www.facebook.com/23415837/videos/10108658727492725/. People, this is so impressive. Sure, she's memorized a witnessing plan but she's doing more than memorizing. She's sharing it. This video has over 2,000 views (probably half from her parents and/or church, but still!). Do you know how to share your faith as articulately as this child? If not, then join me in getting better at using words to make disciples!

Make a difference: The world is full of enough trash talk. It needs to hear words with a positive difference. I love this story about "being a Doris." (http://www.incourage.me/2018/01/be-a-doris.html) Synopsis of the story: Doris always answered the phone -- no matter who was calling because, well, she didn't know who was calling with no caller ID back in the 1980s -- "God loves you, This is Doris." Doris used her words to remind people they were treasured by God and who doesn't need that?

3. How are we going to do this?

In a recent reading of the first part of Psalm 119, I was reminded that the only way to get this "speaking wisely" is to be in the WORD. Living the Word. Obeying the Word. Speaking the Word. Not because it comes naturally but because I intentionally choose it. Best part is I don't have to make it up as I go along. I just need to follow what it says. That's the key to the "blessed" life.

Communication process is tricky. There's a sender encoding a message and receiver decoding a message. Best case scenario is that the message is heard as intended and feedback is given to confirm this. Of course, life is full of muddled scenarios instead of best case ones, so we've got to keep learning how to use our words carefully and purposefully. Thank the Lord for this study!

During the course of this semester, we'll attempt ...

• to be women whose words "build up" and "benefit" others (try to memorize Ephesians 4:29 in your favorite translation).
• to be women whose words "window" the heart of God, reflecting the good things stored in our hearts (Luke 6:23)
• to live "blessed" lives (as described in Psalm 119).

Finally, check out the song "Words" by Hawk Nelson ... he nails the dichotomy of words and the choices we have to make as we use them! https://youtu.be/anVweXDcxhA

"Words"

They've made me feel like a prisoner
They've made me feel set free
They've made me feel like a criminal
Made me feel like a king

They've lifted my heart
To places I'd never been
And they've dragged me down
Back to where I began

Words can build you up
Words can break you down
Start a fire in your heart or
Put it out

Let my words be life
Let my words be truth
I don't wanna say a word
Unless it points the world back to You

You can heal the heartache
Speak over the fear
(Speak over the fear)
God, Your voice is the only thing
We need to hear
(We need to hear)

Words can build us up
Words can break us down
Start a fire in our hearts or
Put it out

Let my words be life
Let my words be truth
I don't wanna say a word
Unless it points the world back to You
(Back to You)

Let the words I say
(Let the words I say)
Be the sound of Your grace
(Sound like Your grace)
I don't wanna say a word
Unless it points the world back to You

I wanna speak Your love
Not just another noise
Oh, I wanna be Your light
I wanna be Your voice

Let my words be life
Let my words be truth
I don't wanna say a word
Unless it points the world back to You
(Back to You)

Let the words I say
(Let the words I say)
Be the sound of Your grace
(Sound like Your grace)
I don't wanna say a word
Unless it points the world back to You
(Back to You)

Words can build us up
Words can break us down
Start a fire in our hearts
Or put it out

I don't wanna say a word
Unless it points the world back to You