Proverbs 12:18 NIV, “The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.”
As a child we had a jingle we would sing, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Looking back, I now know that this was far from the truth. Words can hurt. They do have an impact, rather good or bad. We have the power of life and death in our tongues (Proverbs 18:21). They can inspire us to be all God purposed us to be, or they can hinder our progress and leave us stagnant. Words can destroy lives and keep people from seeing the beauty God sees in them, and instead cause them to focus on everything that seems wrong. God’s Word helps us to overcome negative, hurtful words that have been spoken to us. We can learn to see ourselves as He does.
Photo by: Vera Arsic
As Christians , we are privileged to be able to help bring healing to those who are hurting through the words we speak. God has promised to grant wisdom to us when we ask Him to (James 1:5). Through the wisdom He gives us, we can choose words that will empower and encourage ourselves and others.
God’s Spirit working in us, enables us to be sensitive to one another’s needs. Since our words can build up or tear down, it’s wise to speak words that are in agreement with what God says. His words are truth and bring life.
Thanks Tina at God’s Kid Speaksfor nominating me for Behind The Blogger 2.0. Tina’s blog overflows with hope and truth. She shares a variety of things on her blog to include poetry, theology, fun facts, and music to name a few, but in her own words…“My faith is my greatest passion, however, so I absolutely love to share it.”
Read more about Tina and her blog on her About Mepage!! 🤗
Nominate 5+ bloggers you’d like to know more about, to do this tag
Questions:
Why did you start blogging and why have you kept blogging? I started blogging as a way to encourage others in Christ by sharing the lessons God is teaching me. I think I’m still doing it because God has given me inspiration to continue. Also the encouragement and inspiration I receive from other bloggers encourages me to keep going.
What is your favorite type of blog post to write? My post are inspired by things related mostly to Christianity.
What are your Top Three favorite blog posts? This is tough because I never really thought about which posts are my favorites so I’ll just choose a few to share: Love and Truth/ Just Believe / Rest In God’s Love
What are some of your favorite things to do to relax? Watching movies on Netflix, going for walks, and reading.
What are your proudest blogging moments? I can’t think of one proudest moment. The whole journey thus far has been a blessing and a joy. I’m thankful others are reading my blog, and for the growth it has had.
What are your hobbies outside of blogging? I recently thought about getting back into cross stitching. I used to do it awhile back.
What are your top three pet peeves? Reckless drivers, people who belittle others to exalt themselves, and two pairs of jeans I have where the pockets keep turning inside out…hate this!
What’s something your followers don’t know about you? I just found this out via an online poll…I’ve been to 21 of the 50 states in the US, which is 42% of the country.
I nominate the following. If you choose to participate, enjoy! 🥰
Proverb 14:29 NASB, “He who is slow to anger has great understanding, But he who is quick-tempered exalts folly.
Being patient will take us much farther than having an angry attitude. Although we may at times be justified in our being angry, we still have a responsibility as Christians who follow Jesus, to make sure we are not allowing anger to control us. In Ephesians 4:26, we are reminded not to sin while we are angry.
Photo by: freestocks.org
While living in South Florida, I realized that driving in heavy traffic, was one way that you can see how angry people are. The honking of the horns, cutting people off, or even seeing people speed up, instead of slowing down and letting someone get in front of them. I’ve seen arguments at stop lights, and episodes of road rage that resulted because of the argument. These actions show the anger and aggression that people have. This day in time, people are much more stressed out, which usually means zero tolerance when they feel they have been violated in some little way.
God calls His children to be understanding, (even while driving 😊). We can rely on the Holy Spirit to teach us and empower us to be calm, even when confronted with issues that cause anger. Doing this will help show His loving nature to the world. There is usually someone or something waiting to irk us, but giving our angry feelings to the Lord in prayer and remembering the endless mercy He shows us will help us to extend mercy to others.
Psalm 1:1 KJV, “Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.”
There is a lot of information available to us nowadays. It’s simple to get advice because we have the internet right at our fingertips. I noticed there are also many people who have become life coaches who are ready and willing to advise people on what they need to do. These things are good, but we must be careful to make sure we are not following the advice of those who have no regard for the ways of the Lord. The actions we take should be in line with God’s Word. Obedience to His Word is what will lead us to success.
Photo by: Dương Nhân
Putting God first and acknowledging Him in all of our ways will keep us in His perfect will. Be careful not to fall prey to the evil one. He is a counterfeit who is skilled at leading people astray by making sin seem good and harmless. He is an expert at mixing lies with a little truth to entice people.
Ask God for wisdom and understanding, and ask Him to send the right people and resources into your life. Don’t settle for the shortcut that will lead to destruction. Only accept God’s best for you.
Well, I made it safely back to Virginia. I arrived Monday afternoon. It was a nice trip across the miles (945 miles and 14 hours – but of course it took longer with the bathroom and food breaks lol). There was no rain, the weather was great. I kept my word to my family and coworkers in Florida that I wouldn’t drive at night, so I took my time and stopped when it got dark. It feels great to see my mom’s smiling face and to be close to family again.
Taken at Virginia welcome center
Upon leaving Florida, I passed through Georgia, South Carolina, and North Carolina before making it to Virginia. Thank you all for your support and prayers. Thanks for leaving encouraging comments to check on me and see how the move and my travels were going. Your love and kindness was a comfort and helped me to stay motivated through this process.
Georgia- the peach state 🍑 Taken at South Carolina welcome center. SC is where my parents were both born and raised. I have a lot of family in this state. Photo by: fitsnews.com
When I left Florida, it was about 90 degrees, now it’s about 60 degrees in Virginia. Quite the change in temperature. Although part of me will miss the “Miami Heat” another part of me is glad for the change. I believe the cooler weather will be refreshing and help clear my sinuses. The hot, muggy, tropical temps in Miami kept my allergies in an uproar.
My last photo taken in Florida
Originally I was scheduled to stop in North Carolina to see my Uncle Wilt (my Dad’s brother), before returning to Virginia. He had been ill and in the hospital for over a month. I spoke to my cousin LaTasha, (his daughter), on last Thursday morning to say I would be there on Monday. By Thursday afternoon things quickly changed and he passed away. So my mom and I will go to North Carolina on this weekend for the funeral. I have many fond memories of my Uncle Wilt. He came to Virginia from North Carolina to visit us every year when I was growing up.
Here is a picture of my Dad and his brothers. My Dad is on the right end (with the glasses), and Uncle Wilt is the first one on the left end. I’m thankful LaTasha called me a few weeks ago so I could FaceTime him and talk to him. Little did I know he’d be gone before I could make it to North Carolina to visit him. But God knew.
“Brothers”
Now that I’m back in Virginia, my state of birth, I feel like there is a lot to do. Especially since I have to find employment. But I will keep praying, and keep trusting God. If I focus on my to-do-list it gets overwhelming. However if I focus on Jesus, I feel at peace. I know He has an impeccable track record when it comes to moving me around, and getting me settled.
I’m thankful for what my little sister Deandra wrote in her post this week called, “God of TODAY”. She reminded us that, God is a faithful God. So we don’t have to worry about tomorrow…we can just enjoy today.
Matthew 6:34 NIV, “Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”
I’ll keep you posted on this continued journey. Thanks again for your continued prayers.
P. S.
While I was traveling through Jacksonville, Florida I was behind this truck. God used the dirt on the truck for good!
Matthew 5:10 NLT, “God blesses those who are persecuted for doing right, for the Kingdom of Heaven is theirs.”
When you are going through persecution you may not always “feel” blessed but God says you are. Standing firm in your faith in Jesus Christ, even when it’s not popular, shows your loyalty to the Savior. In order to go deeper with the Lord and know Him more, we must be willing to make Him a priority, and choose Him regardless of what other people are doing and saying. This often means going in a different direction from where the world is going. It can also mean detouring from our own plans to follow His.
One of the blessings I have personally experienced from following Jesus Christ when it’s not popular, is a deep peace and contentment that comes from knowing I am in His perfect will. It brings satisfaction to know that I am doing what is best for my life because I am obeying God’s Word.
We don’t have to compete with others or work to gain their acceptance and approval, because in Christ we already have been accepted and approved of. He also has a unique plan for our lives, and always has our best interest at heart.
Even though things are not always within our understanding right away, we can completely trust God to work out every single detail and bring the needed blessings into our lives. He rewards those who diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6).
We’re living in a time where it’s becoming more and more unpopular to follow Jesus, and easier and easier to not follow Jesus. Therefore we have to make a decision and stand firm. When we are persecuted for Him, we are blessed and great is our reward in heaven. However even now on Earth, God will show us His goodness and protect us when we choose Him above all else.
Psalm 27:13 NIV, ”I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living.”
Remain confident in your faith in Jesus, for in Him you are blessed. The persecution you are enduring, may very well be God’s training ground to shape you and mold you so that He can promote you to the next level. Keep your eyes on Him, and stand firm.
Drawing Closer to Christ 