Words are powerful!!

My sons used to say, “Word!!”, when they agreed with me, (or agreed with anyone), and wanted me to know it.  They would do a fist bump and a little dance when they said “Word” as well.  I can still see them, thinking they were so hip, and it cracks me up.  However, I don’t think it was an accident that they used the word, “Word”.

 Words are powerful.

My Aunt wrote on the inside of the cover to a book she gave me when I was 9—”to the girl with the Miss America smile”—and I imagined myself the recipient of the Miss America Title.  I still have that book.  I still smile at the words my Aunt wrote.

My mother told me what a nice job I did scouring the kitchen sink, and I never failed to do it when it was my turn to do the dishes, hoping for that praise again.  (My mother did not disappoint – she frequently praised me for this and other things. 🙂 )

Words are powerful, life-giving things. 

God “spoke” the world into existence.  In John it says, The Word is God, The Word was God and the Word has come and dwelt among us.  What power!!  What life!!

Words have power.  Words are life-giving.

We take great care in naming our babies—finding names with beauty, with meaning, with quality, with character—to provide our children with the same things.  We want them to have lives with meaning, quality and character—and beauty.

On the flip side, Words have power in a negative way.  I can still remember some of the mean things’ others have said to me over the years.  I bet you can as well.  Words can tear at our souls.  Words can even tear out our souls.

Words are powerful things.

As a Mom, words have more power than we know.  Our words carry more weight than we know.  How do I know this?  I have a Mom.  Think of all the things your mom has said to you over the years, the encouraging things,  and the not so encouraging things—maybe even things that were said in passing – that hurt and stung—that she may not have known her words hurt you—but because she is your mom, and you want her approval—they did hurt, they may still hurt.

I have hurt my children with my words—times I know I hurt them, and probably many more times, I am unaware I hurt them.

A few years ago, one of my children brought up an incident that happened years before, when I had said something in frustration and anger.  I had apologized after the incident, but my words were still hurting my child.  I apologized again, and we hugged and cried and hopefully some healing took place.

Words are powerful, life-giving things or powerful, demolishing things.

I write this, realizing that I need to be active in using words to encourage my children.  I need to look for things to encourage them about with sincerity and honesty.

I also need to be mindful of what I am saying.  Because I am a parent, my words have weight.  I need to be careful when I speak.   Even years after, I have spoken, my words can cause damage, or they can bring life. 

Words are powerful, life-giving things!!

 You are a mom!!  Your words matter!!  You matter!!  Your children matter!!  Your husband matters!! 

The Giver of Life, The Giver of Words wants to empower us to speak life-giving words.  He wants to bring healing to our lives, and our children’s lives.  He wants to bring forgiveness.  All we need to do is say the word, “Yes”!!  Or in the case of my boys, that word would be, “Word”!!

 So Be Encouraged!!