Alphabet soup: God speaks to us in many different ways.

What a month! The Farmer is waist deep into the midst of apple harvest and it is glorious and exhausting and beautiful and ugly all in the same breath!

Isn’t that what life is-  Beautiful and ugly at the same time?  As I sit here writing this, my beautiful boys and our bundle of fluffy love are all piled on the couch in the classroom working through ‘Hooked on Spanish’ ! They are beautiful, energetic and FUNNY! (How can 3 boys learning to speak Spanish NOT be funny?) Yet, as my boys are bringing me such Joy and Happiness and Beauty…the World is a HOT MESS!

There is SO much UGLY out there.

BUT…I don’t want to talk about the UGLY…I don’t want to glorify the evil with words.  I want to SPEAK LIFE!

“It is the same with my word. I send it out, and it always produces fruit. It will accomplish all I want it to, and it will prosper everywhere I send it.” Isaiah 55:11

Just as Isaiah prophesied thousands of years ago, the Lord says that if we send out words of love and encouragement, these words will produce fruit and they will prosper us everywhere.

So, my question is; Why don’t we always Speak Life?  Why do I have to “challenge” myself to make it happen?  What was I doing wrong that needed to be changed? 

I prayed on this…this entire month. Daily, asking; “Lord, can you show me the reason why I get so nasty with some people?  Can you show me why I use my words to hurt others instead of glorifying Your name?” And, last night, He did. The following verse appeared on my instagram feed:

“If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging.  If it is giving, give generously, if God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously.  And, if you have a gift of showing kindness to others, do it gladly.”   Romans 12:8

I am blessed to have an overwhelming feeling of the Holy Spirit’s presence when He is speaking to me. I knew that I was to pay attention to what He was saying with this verse. I grabbed my bible and decided to read through Romans. Chapter 12 verse 2 says:

“Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think.  Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect.”

There it was. It wasn't as clear as Him spelling it out in a bowl of my favorite soup...but it was THERE.

I knew, deep down, I was more concerned with the ways of the world, versus the way of the Lord.  It is a daily struggle…and it is a HARD one.  But, Jesus died on the cross to redeem us from our worldly mishaps. From our mistakes.  From our choices. From our SINS.

All that He asked in return was to follow His one commandment. I don’t mean that Jesus doesn’t’ care if we break any of the “original” commandments…because He does, A LOT.  But, as my Pastor made clear a few weeks ago, Jesus threw us a “game changer”.   Of course He wants us to honor His Father, honor our earthly fathers and mothers, abstain from stealing and adultery and covetous behavior…BUT, He, simply, wants us to LOVE.  

“So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other.  Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.  Your love for one ANOTHER will PROVE to the world that you are MY disciples.” John 13:34-35 (NLT; with my personal emphasis added)

Love. It isn’t hard to do, yet it is REALLY hard to do. Jesus tells us that the world will KNOW that we are His disciples if we simply- LOVE.

So bringing it all together:

If I let God transform me, by changing the way in which I think. If I love everyone the way that my Savior commands me to, and if I Speak this Life and Truth and Love by encouraging and giving and leading others to the Lord…then I can, through Faith, bring Life into existence and raise up my armor to defeat the enemy.

What now?  Well, my monthly challenge to Speak Life is now a lifetime goal.  I hope and pray that I can truly use my words to bring life and love to all that they touch. In times of hurt and frustration, it will truly be hard to do. I am going to slip up.  I am going to get frustrated and use words to be nasty and make others feel badly.  I know that I will. But, that is why Jesus died for me. He died so that my sins could be forgiven.  And, if it happens, I know that I will ask for forgiveness and start over again.

 

Tomorrow, is October 1^st! (seriously, where has the year gone?) Be sure to check back here tomorrow for MY FAVORITE THINGS list!!! I have some super awesome finds for you!

I have also decided to declare the month of October, which happens to be my FAVORITE month of the year, the month to celebrate SEASONS. You can read more on this theme later in the week, as I will break it all down for you.

Enjoy the last day of September, enjoy this crazy heat and sunshine, enjoy the beauty of the earth, enjoy the beauty of our families, enjoy His word and don’t forget  to SPEAK LIFE!

{beBlessed} and have a GREAT day!