I've got something on my mind {with a challenge}...

First a little eye candy!

{Dessert first...}

OK, so usually my posts are pretty light, with a quick idea, tip or encouragement and a few pictures.  This post might be a little more heavy…a bit of “meat” to chew on per se! 

We’ve all heard it – the wife that reveals a small idiosyncrasy about her husband in public, the husband who jokes about a wife’s spending, cleaning habits, {fill in the blank}, the mother who outwardly criticizes her child in front of watching eyes…

Sometimes I’ve thought – “phew, glad I’m not the only one.” Other times I’ve thought – “ouch!”

 “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those wo love it will eat its fruits." Proverbs 18:21

God has really been convicting me of this lately! 

A few weeks ago I was sitting in church listening to a sermon when the Pastor said something that might be taken from a couple of different perspectives.  Out of the corner of my eye, I glanced at a woman that I know and saw her husband turn and smile at her.  Her response to him was a look of distaste…I could almost see his body shrink as he turned back to look at the Pastor.  My thought was, “If she only knew how much good she could do herself and family if she built him up a little more.”  And almost immediately God impressed upon me how much good I could do if only I built up my husband more!

Fast forward a couple of weeks, and I am standing in a crowd and talking with a few friends.  One of the wives begins {jokingly} complaining to her husband about how little he does to help her around the house and with the children. I watched him go from a talkative, smiling participant to a silent, downward looking “extra”.

I wondered, “Does she think that will inspire him to do more?”  And again, the conviction of the times that I have not protected my husband from airing my frustrations came flooding to mind.

We have the power to bring life or death to those whom we love! 

Think about it! People become who we say they are!  Tell someone what you love about them, and they are excited to continue to do or be that person.  Tell someone what annoys you about them, and they become defensive and bitter.

At times, our words are an overflow of the bitterness in our hearts over unresolved hurts.

"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

Often our speech is simply a matter of habit.  We have cultivated a habit of negative thinking and talking.

As I’ve been pondering this post, I’ve been thinking how to keep it as an encouragement to all of you.  So, I’m creating a challenge…

From now until Thanksgiving I’m challenging each of us to start a new habit {choose one or all}:

·         Speak a word of edification into someone daily.

·         Write down at least one thing you are thankful for in another person in your life (maybe the one you choose to criticize the most).  Better yet, tell that person!

·         Simply bite your tongue every time the temptation to speak negatively arises!

"Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen."  Ephesians 4:29

Finally!  Get an accountability partner!  Let someone close to you know you have accepted this challenge and have them hold you to it!  Think you don’t know someone who will truly hold you accountable?  Email me!  Seriously…even if I receive 100 emails…this is so important to me I want to keep all of you encouraged!

Or simply post a comment that you've accepted the challenge, and I commit to be praying for you!

Remember, 2 winners will be chosen tomorrow for the giveaway – there is still time for your comments!

Thanks for stopping by! Be Refreshed!