DISTRACTIONS USUALLY COME IN beautifully WRAPPED PACKAGES -

undeniably appealing, pleasurable and desirable. They always, always, always contain a

little, or even a lot of things that we truly desire. Distractions have to have something to catch your eyes and keep your attention, otherwise, that would defeat it's purpose: to distract. However, once ripping off the beautiful wrapping, sparkling bows and ribbons -- we then beginning digging deeper into the package only to discover that beneath the surface, there is much of what we do NOT want and things that we surely did not expect to find contained within. Unfortunately, by the time that we're that deep into the package, it's far too late to back out without there being some type of consequence or effect on our lives.

Do not be deceived from the beginning. Everything that looks good, feels good, smells good, etc is not always what's best for us. Just as God places amazing opportunities and blessing before us, Satan is waiting to place seemingly amazing opportunities in your path as well. His job is to deceive you and get you distracted from the things that God has for you. Jesus referred to Holy Spirit as our "guide", our "helper" and our "friend" for a reason yet we often underestimate this (or maybe we just don't know!). The great thing about it is that the bible says that Holy Spirit will guide us into all truth (John 16:13) if we give him the liberty to and the even more amazing thing is that before Jesus left Earth, he explained that Holy Spirit was sent to Earth by God himself with this sole purpose to help US. Yes, you and I. Whenever we are unsure about anything, as in a new, beautifully wrapped package placed before us, we can consult him and he will guide us in our decision-making if we allow him to.

"When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you what is yet to come."
John 16:13

He will speak what he has heard. Where does he "hear" from? From God himself. The God who promises many times over in the Word that he will take care of us. The God who said, "For I know the plans I have for you. Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (Jeremiah 29:11) If Holy Spirit is hearing from the God that holds our future in our hands, it is important that we trust God enough to put ourselves in the position to hear from him, consult him and acknowledge him in all of our endeavors. There is nothing wrong with asking for guidance and God is more than willing to provide you with it.

LET’S LEARN TO CONSULT HOLY SPIRIT BEFORE OPENING ANY UNFAMILIAR PACKAGES.

growth.

Consider it pure joy, my brothers, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance. Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.

James 1:2-4

If God said it...

SOMETIMES WHEN THINGS HAPPEN IN OUR LIVES – WE JUST know THAT IT WAS GOD.

Certain things that happen in life are just far too perfect to be labeled an every day coincidence. We've all encountered those situations, opportunities, or maybe even those run-ins with people who make you smile up to heaven & thank God for being so doggone awesome. You begin thanking him for blessing you with the opportunity. You thank him for always being on time -- always knowing what's best for you. Thank you Lord, thank you, thank you.

Right? Undoubtedly, everyone has experienced something like this in their lifetime. I know I have. Many times. In light of this, I've just been pondering lately: if I am blessed with an opportunity in which I was positive that God placed before me... then what exactly does it mean if nothing actually comes of it? Serious question. The Bible says that God cannot lie, right?

"God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a son of man, that he should change his mind. Does he speak and then not act? Does he promise and not fulfill?"

Numbers 23:19

Right.

"The Lord giveth & he taketh like an Indian-giver" - J. Cole

Catchy line J. Cole, but I refuse to believe that.

So, what exactly does it mean? Does it mean that I was maybe prematurely giving thanks to God for something that he never intended for me? Like, did I just miss God completely? Or maybe did I do something to potentially "mess up" the opportunity or situation? Or maybe, if the opportunity I was grateful for was actually another human being, did they possibly something mess up something that God intended? Who really knows?

I hear so many people say, "Why care? If something is meant to happen then it will happen!" or "Girl please, if it doesn't work out then it was never meant to be." I've said these things plenty of times myself but I'm not sure if I actually can agree 100%. Well, I know that I can't agree 100%. Why? Because we are not puppets. God is not in control of our every move and decision.

*gasp* What did she just say?

I'll say it again, God is NOT in control. Anyone who knows me, knows that I cannot stand religious cliches and a popular one that we have all heard is: "God is in control." I understand what is meant here and I would never downplay God's might, ability, power, dominion & overall omnipotence. However, I will not be foolish in thinking that I can sit back in life and coast -- putting no effort in because "God has the steering wheel & I'm just in the passenger seat" (Another cliche that I hate). God is not some tyrant ruling from Heaven, dictating our every move and every decision that we make. He places people, opportunities and situations in our path & then gives us something to decide what we do with them. It's a little thing called: free will. WE choose what path we decide to go down. WE make our own decisions. Whether they line up with what God intended is another story. Making good decisions comes along with knowing God's voice & knowing how to listen to Holy Spirit. & not only listening but allowing yourself to trust & be guided by God. God will gladly be the HEAD of your life, helping to guide your steps...but only if you ALLOW him to. If you have faith in God, then you must ACT like it by giving him that control -- he will never just TAKE it.

Sorry, tangent -- but on that note, God can place an opportunity right in front of our faces -- but if we choose to ignore it & not take the initiative to explore it then we can very well be missing out on something that was "meant to be". So when I see something that I previously spent many days thanking God for just completely dissipate into seemingly nothing -- I can't help but to wonder what the cause was. Surely, it wasn't God's "fault", so what wen't wrong? Was it me? Was it outside influences? If it was another person, was it them? Was it never really meant to be to begin with? Sometimes its good to remember that just as God can place people, situations and opportunities in your life -- so can Satan. And we all know that he will do what he can to get you off course.

So, who knows? There is no real conclusion to this post. No scriptures backing up what I'm saying. No "answer" -- not sure if I was really seeking one or if I was just writing. But, it's my blog. I can do what I want ;-) This was just some food for thought...

Goodnight!

tears.

Nothing worthwhile is effortless.

point blank period.

Insecurities within the realm of relationships are the cause of many potentially good relationships going sour. Someone tweeted this week that women need to stop confusing their personal insecurities with infamous "woman's intuition". I do agree. There is a fine line between the two and you can only truly differentiate between them when you truly know yourself.

I'm not really here to write on the actual topic of insecurities in relationships but I just had some things on my mind regarding the topic. And on that note -- yes, many people come into relationships with baggage from their past which translate into debilitating insecurities that subsequently affect their current relationship's progression. But that does not mean that every suspicion or "gut feeling" is an insecurity. If your significant other is bothered by something and they express that concern to you, I think it would be wise to first evaluate yourself before you conclude in your mind that they are simply projecting their personal insecurities onto your relationship. It's simply human nature to attempt to deflect responsibility off of your own shoulders and onto someone else's. It's an easy thing to do. But still...don't be that girl or that guy.

A relationship has two parties involved. Both parties should be considered. If you can't respect that then you shouldn't be there. Simply put. There is a big difference in your significant other exhibiting a personal insecurity in your relationship and them actually having every reason to hold a suspicion about something. If they are drawing conclusions and making assumptions with nothing to back it up or trivial/insignficant things to back it up....it's probably a personal insecurity...something they need to work out. But if you're giving them every reason in the world to suspect something and they express that concern -- don't be blind and inconsiderate & accuse them of just being insecure.

♥ Need an example? Your boyfriend calls you while you are in class, you don't answer. You come home from class with every intention of calling him back -- but whoops...you fall asleep. You get in contact with him later & he accuses you sneaking around. Since you didn't answer his phone call & failed to call him back as soon as he would have liked, then you MUST be sneaking around with another guy right? Right!? -__- No. Personal insecurity. Red flag.

Ok, but say ...same scenario. But instead, you don't fall asleep after class -- you decide to go to lunch with your ex-boyfriend, who you say is just a good friend of yours. (Oh and you make sure that you write about it on your Facebook status for the world to see. Maybe even write a couple of happy-go-lucky tweets about it/him). You don't call your boyfriend back or even think to shoot him a text during this time. As your boyfriend is driving home from class, he spots you and your ex-boo drive past him. Alright now. You clearly may NOT have been up to anything. But if your boyfriend was to come to you express his concern with THAT situation ...would you really say HE was just being insecure? I mean you could, if you're the inconsiderate type. That's fine. (Sarcasm). But seriously though, don't be silly. You may know the truth but clearly he does not. That's not an insecurity...you gave him a REASON to be slightly suspicious.

Don't give a reason for your significant other to be suspicious and they won't be. Be considerate of other people's feelings. If you're not the considerate type, you feel like you can do no wrong, if you're not mature enough to view situations from someone else's perspective -- then why are you in a relationship to begin with? Don't be so quick to cast blame when you can't even get YOURSELF together when need be. There are two people involved which means that there are two perspectives involved. Don't be so blind to think that yours is the only one that matters.

And another thing, just because you do not see something as an issue does not mean that issue is not real for the person that you claim to care about. Fix it. If you truly care about someone and how they feel then act like it. Don't play further into the issue simply because YOU don't see it as a problem. That is basically saying to them "I hear what you're saying. I see that this bothers you. But, I'll do what I want because quite frankly, this does not concern me. Get over it because I don't care."

Just a thought on this Sunday afternoon.

Good day.

♥♥♥

Romans 12 ♥

^1-2 So here's what I want you to do, God helping you: Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him. Don't become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking. Instead, fix your attention on God. You'll be changed from the inside out. Readily recognize what he wants from you, and quickly respond to it. Unlike the culture around you, always dragging you down to its level of immaturity, God brings the best out of you, develops well-formed maturity in you.

³I'm speaking to you out of deep gratitude for all that God has given me, and especially as I have responsibilities in relation to you. Living then, as every one of you does, in pure grace, it's important that you not misinterpret yourselves as people who are bringing this goodness to God. No, God brings it all to you. The only accurate way to understand ourselves is by what God is and by what he does for us, not by what we are and what we do for him.

^4-6In this way we are like the various parts of a human body. Each part gets its meaning from the body as a whole, not the other way around. The body we're talking about is Christ's body of chosen people. Each of us finds our meaning and function as a part of his body. But as a chopped-off finger or cut-off toe we wouldn't amount to much, would we? So since we find ourselves fashioned into all these excellently formed and marvelously functioning parts in Christ's body, let's just go ahead and be what we were made to be, without enviously or pridefully comparing ourselves with each other, or trying to be something we aren't.

^6-8If you preach, just preach God's Message, nothing else; if you help, just help, don't take over; if you teach, stick to your teaching; if you give encouraging guidance, be careful that you don't get bossy; if you're put in charge, don't manipulate; if you're called to give aid to people in distress, keep your eyes open and be quick to respond; if you work with the disadvantaged, don't let yourself get irritated with them or depressed by them. Keep a smile on your face.

^9-10Love from the center of who you are; don't fake it. Run for dear life from evil; hold on for dear life to good. Be good friends who love deeply; practice playing second fiddle.

^11-13Don't burn out; keep yourselves fueled and aflame. Be alert servants of the Master, cheerfully expectant. Don't quit in hard times; pray all the harder. Help needy Christians; be inventive in hospitality.

^14-16Bless your enemies; no cursing under your breath. Laugh with your happy friends when they're happy; share tears when they're down. Get along with each other; don't be stuck-up. Make friends with nobodies; don't be the great somebody.

^17-19Don't hit back; discover beauty in everyone. If you've got it in you, get along with everybody. Don't insist on getting even; that's not for you to do. "I'll do the judging," says God. "I'll take care of it."

^20-21Our Scriptures tell us that if you see your enemy hungry, go buy that person lunch, or if he's thirsty, get him a drink. Your generosity will surprise him with goodness. Don't let evil get the best of you; get the best of evil by doing good.

Dear brokenhearted.

Please tend to your wounds and please treat your pain,

Before you try to hand your heart off to the next.

No one wants to patch up a damaged heart that they did not break,

& quite frankly it's not their responsibility to fix what the last one mishandled.
No one wants a broken heart,
Fragmented, torn & bruised
Pieces missing...
Because pieces of it still remain in the possession of the last.
Don't try to wrap your heart in gauze & band-aids in attempt to cover the wounds...
Don't try to mask the pain with painkillers...
& please, please don't use someone new as your drug...
As your distraction...
God forbid.
If you are not yet willing or able to leave your past in the past...
Then kindly I ask -- please don't pretend that you are...
Deal with the past before trying to establish a future...

Choose not to & time will only undress & reopen your wounds...
Save yourself double the heartache then...
& spare the next person the trouble...
By not only addressing the heartache now but DEALING with it...
The next person deserves all of you - nothing missing, nothing broken...
& more importantly you deserve to be whole.
Take the time you need to feel whole again.
No one else deserves to be a victim of your past.
& no one else wants your baggage.
I promise.

face-value

I'm all for looking for the best in people.
Optimism. Forgiveness.
Second chances. All that.
Any of you who have been following my blog over the past year or so know how I feel about focusing on the positive, whether it be in people or in particular situations. But sometimes, we've got to be wise enough to determine when enough is enough.

Repeatedly looking for the best in a person will eventually be more detrimental than advantageous. Sometimes you've just got to take things at face-value instead of trying to rationalize people's actions. If you find yourself constantly having to make an effort to find the best in a person, that should be a sign in itself. They're giving you what they have to offer, you can't always try to dig through it and find the good. If you've got to SEARCH, especially if it's a recurring trend, what you're looking for more than likely doesn't exist.

Accept that.

♥♥♥

'Crossing Paths' a short story by Krissy Smith ♥

As I walked down the steps

outside of my classroom building, December was quick to greet me with an unfriendly gust of wind -- violently rustling the few pages of notes that I carried in hand and blowing my hair every which-way. I shivered. The temperature was already near unbearable and the last thing it needed to be paired with was ice-cold wind causing it to feel much worse outside than it already was. Head down to avoid wind-induced watery eyes, I pulled my scarf tighter around my neck. Quickly, I folded up my notes and stuck them into the front pocket of my messenger bag before I slid my hands into the pockets of my coat. Why in the world did I leave the house this morning without my gloves?

The wind showed no signs of sparing me so I simply used it as an odd source of motivation. The harder the wind whipped, the more pep I put into my step as I walked speedily in the direction of my next class. I looked up briefly to see a mass of students congregated around the crosswalk, waiting to cross the busy intersection.

“Great.” I sighed as I grimaced at the digital orange hand on the light post for breaking my stride. Just my luck, that I would get stopped at the longest-holding light on campus on the coldest day of winter. I checked my phone. I had ten minutes to get to my next class, which by the way, was on the complete opposite side of campus. On the days when I’m not stopped at this intersection, I rarely ever make it to class on time. Which only meant that today, undoubtedly, I was going to be late. Very late.

I shifted my weight from leg-to-leg as I watched the cars zip through the intersection. Nervous habit. After glancing around at the people surrounding me, I noticed that I was the only person who looked to be in any kind of hurry. Curious, I then looked over to the congregation of students on the other side of the street, who also seemed quite patient while they waited. Hm, guess I'm the only one with a professor who is strict about tardies. Yeah, this is college but he doesn't treat us like it. Before I could look away from their calm faces, one in particular caught my eye. I couldn't look away -- not that I even had a desire to.

There he was. Cute as ever.
Bundled up in winter clothes – hat, peacoat & boots – shivering although his hands were deep inside his coat pockets.

There I was. Caught off guard.
My lips were curled inward – my weak attempt to hide the smile that was eager to spread across my face.

It had been a while since we crossed paths with each other. Months to be exact. Well, four months to be exact-exact...but who was keeping track? The familiar flutter of imaginary butterflies made my stomach quake with excitement and politely nudged my heart to wake from her slumber.

I kept telling myself to look away and wipe the silly smile off my face before he caught me looking so ridiculous. However, I was giddy just from getting a glimpse of the person who made my heart dance for such a significant time of my life…even if that glimpse did come from way across the street. Defiantly, my eyes remained locked on him. I couldn’t help it – I needed to catch his gaze. My grandma would always tell me that a person’s eyes were the gateway to their soul. And well, I was interested in what his eyes would tell me when they locked with mine.

Would a smile effortlessly spread across his face – reflecting his inner state of bliss that matched my own? Would his own set of imaginary butterflies flutter in his stomach when he gazed into my eyes for the first time in months? Four months. No closure. I needed to know. I was convinced that the answers I longed for would be answered if he would just look up and in my direction. Would his eyes say the same things to me that my own eyes were whispering to him? I wondered if his eyes would tell me that he missed my smile – that he missed having me around. Would they tell me that he too finds himself consumed with thoughts of us when he’s alone? Or that time has got him wondering how he ever could have left me. That…maybe he was insane, maybe just misguided – naïve.

Maybe his eyes would tell me that breaking up had to have been a mistake, because clearly months have gone by – and yet he can’t seem to pry my hands from his heart nor can he pry his from mine. Does he too endure sleepless nights -- laying, wishing that he could hold me in his arms as we drift into oblivion as we used to? Thoughts of us. Do they plague his mind like the plague my own? Maybe his eyes would tell me that although he had supposedly you’ve moved on – he couldn’t stop thinking of me. Because -- I too had moved on but no one quite compares to him. No other guy gets me like he does – makes me laugh, comforts me, encourages me, appreciates me – like he does. Maybe his eyes would tell me that he was feeling the same way. His eyes wouldn’t lie because the soul doesn’t lie. I just needed to catch his gaze, even if just briefly.

A quick gust of ice-cold winter wind shook me back into reality, paralyzing me for about five seconds. I had almost forgotten how cold it was until then. The traffic still zoomed between us. The orange digital hand still glared at me – taunting me. I still hadn’t broken my gaze from him and still, he hadn't looked up in my direction.

I desperately needed his eyes to softly whisper to me, “I love you” so that mine could sweetly answer back, “& I miss you.” Then the fire in our eyes would then dance simultaneously. Just as the red light ceased the oncoming traffic for our reunion - our rekindled flame would temporarily freeze time and all that didn’t matter would stand still as we gaze into each others’ eyes. Into each others’ souls. And maybe then, I could replace the false smile that I’ve been wearing with the real one he stole when he walked out with my happiness months ago. I just needed to catch his eyes.

I stared anxiously at the digital orange hand that was prohibiting us from reuniting. I was still shifting my weight from leg-to-leg. Partially because I had convinced myself that it was helping me to stay warm and partially because it helped me calm my nervous jitters. I was practically leaping with anxiety. Excitement. I couldn’t stop thinking about how our encounter was going to play out. Repeat. Repeat. A million thoughts were flying through my head and a million more butterflies were making my stomach feel queasy. The moment I had been desperate to encounter for the past couple of months was about to become tangible -- couldn't believe it.

Repeat.
Repeat.
Repeat.

The brutal cold was the only thing stopping my legs from dancing to the sound of my own heartbeat at the moment. Instead, I anticipated dancing in my heart to the tango of our own intertwined heartbeats. That smile I’d been concealing spread rebelliously across my lips. Despite the cold, I was warm. Beaming.

Dang it, stupid orange digital hand. Hurry it up.

I couldn’t bare the anticipation much longer. I felt like screaming when I noticed the traffic beginning to slow. Yellow light.

Come on red light.

Ironically, the red light meant a green light for me. The traffic had come to a halt and yet the orange digital hand seemed to be lingering on the light post for longer than it usually would.

Ahh, how do I look?

I rubbed my lips together and was pleased that the cold hadn’t dried the caramel latte scented lip gloss off of my lips. Then quickly, I smoothed my hair which the wind had undoubtedly left looking disheveled. As soon as straightened out my coat and put my hands back into my pockets, the orange digital hand was replaced with a white digital man telling me that I was now free from the orange hand’s digital prison.

And without even thinking, my feet began to move as though they had a mind of their own --practically racing to meet him in the intersection. My eyes were locked on him despite the mass of people who were crossing the intersection in both directions, slightly blocking my view. My heart was nearly beating out of my chest with each step that I took. Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh. I was freaking out. Hands still in my pockets became clammy, fluttering butterflies in my stomach morphed into stinging wasps. I couldn’t contain myself much longer. There he was. Oh my gosh. I repeated in my head. He was still looking down at the ground as he walked towards me.

“Look up!” I scream at him in my head. He got closer, head still down.

“UGH! Oh my gosh, look up!” I demanded. Five feet away from me, he finally looked up – and just like that, our eyes met.

Smile plastered on my face, I practically handed my heart back into his hands. I was so excited to see him and any bystander could tell by the enthusiasm radiating through every inch of me. I glared into his eyes to see if he too was handing me his heart once more. To see if he was inviting me back in to his life with open arms and a warm smile on this unbearably cold Thursday morning. A warm invitation for a cold, fractured heart.

He did not. Instead, he may as well have smacked my already-fragile heart out of my hands, causing it to tumble onto the cold pavement to be trampled underneath the feet of the stampede that was speedily crossing through the intersection. The bright smile on my face and the hope in my eyes were doused as I was greeted by his dull, lifeless eyes which looked away from me quickly and effortlessly – no acknowledgement of my presence, let alone any sign of reciprocated feelings. He looked completely through me as though I was nothing more than a mere stranger to him.

As though I was nothing to him. Period.
His eyes were lifeless. Dead.
So were we. It was over.

How could you be so stupid? It's been over. I scolded myself. So, so stupid. The cold seemed to freeze my world in that moment. Repeat. Repeat. I couldn’t get the comatose look in his eyes to stop replaying in my head. Unbearable. I blamed the watering of my eyes on the bitter cold gusts of wind irritating my sensitive eyes – but it was much deeper than that. These tears were the product of rejection. Failed love. Undeniable heartbreak.

“Don’t you dare cry. You better not cry.” Reprimanding myself seemed to be the only thing I could do to stop the tears from falling like they desired. Despite my hearts’ protests, I needed to move on. No more hoping & thinking. Wishing & praying. As much as I hated it, I needed this. I asked for closure and I got it.

As we took each other’s places on the opposite sides of the intersection, I looked over my shoulder in hopes of catching one last glimpse of him before he re-entered my past – for good this time. Anxiously, I scanned the crowd in attempt to find him in the mass of college students, all dressed similarly. Not an easy task. That’s not him, nope that’s not him. Uh…nope. Definitely not him.

As soon as I decide to give up on spotting him, two eyes met with mine through the crowd. Effortless connection. Just as I was turning back around, he too turned -- glancing back over his shoulder at me. The two of us met eyes briefly. Just briefly. This time, my lifeless, watering eyes locked in with his resentful and troubled eyes and time, in our worlds, froze momentarily.

Softly, his eyes simply whispered to me, “I’m sorry,” before he turned and disappeared into the crowd. I restrained my tongue for screaming out, “WAIT!” and restricted my legs from changing directions and running to meet him before he disappeared on me once again. That was it? I needed more. I needed an explanation. I needed him. He was sorry. Sorry for what exactly? I hadn't noticed that my legs had stopped moving altogether. Feet glued in place, my eyes were still fixated on the intersection which we had just crossed. He was gone...but he was sorry. Sorry. For leaving me four months ago? For pretending that I meant nothing to him just now? For...?

The wind stung my face as it chilled the lone tear that slide down my left cheek. I wiped it away quickly. I checked my phone. 11:01. I was officially late for class. Didn’t care.

Repeat.
Repeat.
Repeat.

I replayed it all in my head. The look in his eyes was forever etched in my memory.

Repeat.

Repeat.

Repeat...

I continued to hold back the tears as I walked slowly, taking the longest way possible to my class.
Grandma always told me that the eyes were the gateway to the soul.
The eyes do not lie because the soul does not lie.
If only I knew what his was telling me...

life & death

I'm not sure what this post is going to turn into, like usual, I didn't do much planning or put much thought in to this prior to clicking 'new post'.

The power of positive thinking -- and subsequently speaking positively -- is one thing that I stand firm on. I have noticed over the years that a lot of people either grasp on to the concept as undeniable truth or they dismiss it completely, not much in between. This is one of those things that I feel as though I could talk about for hours simply because I've seen the fruit and evidence of it in my own life for years. I drop a lot of knowledge on this blog but never, ever do I claim to feel as though I have all of the answers but I do put my confidence in God, knowing that he indeed does. Having faith in God is having faith in the Word of God. If he said it, it is so. God cannot lie.

God is not a man, that he should lie,

nor a son of man, that he should change his mind.

Does he speak and then not act?

Does he promise and not fulfill?

Numbers 23:19 (NIV)

If you can believe that then how can you NOT believe in the Word? Not only is God a "man"( for lack of a better word) of his word but he is the Word. If you have no faith in the Bible, how can you adequately say you have faith in God? That literally is impossible to do considering that they are one in the same.

In the beginning was the Word,

and the Word was with God,

and the Word was God.

John 1:1 (NIV)

I wasn't expecting to go down that route but I just write as I feel led. So, with that being said: If the Word gives scripture upon scripture about the power that the words coming out of your mouth have I would think that it is safe to say that God puts emphasis on it for a reason. Simply put, there is life and death in the power of the tongue.

The tongue can bring death or life;

those who love to talk will reap the consequences.

Proverbs 18:21 (NLV)

When people hear the word "consequence" the often equate it to something negative. However, consequence, by definition is "an action that logically or naturally follows from an action or condition". God has laid the two possible consequences on the table, plain and simple: life or death.

This day I call heaven and earth as witnesses against you,

that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses.

Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.

Deuteronomy 30:19 (NIV)

When the option is laid in front of you: life or death -- we should of course choose the most favorable of the two..that being life. For those naysayers that will argue that this is impossible, not true, silly to "monitor" your words, or the words coming out of your mouth don't have a real impact on your life the only thing that I can give them is scriptures to help guide them.

And I tell you this,

you must give an account on judgment day for every idle word you speak.

Matthew 12:36

I honestly am not much of a debater, if someone doesn't believe something I'm never the one to beat them over the head in attempt to GET them to understand. That can sometimes be a negative thing, this I know. Especially, if a person is not operating in faith or does not believe the Word of God then honestly, what can I really expect? But, like I said, for those of us who do believe in the Word but just don't have full revelation knowledge -- I gladly share what I understand.

The words of the godly are a life-giving fountain,

the words of the wicked conceal violent intentions.

Proverbs 10:11 (NLV)

Don’t use foul or abusive language.

Let everything you say be good and helpful,

so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them.

Ephesians 4:29 (NLV)

It's not what goes into your mouth that defiles you;

you are defiled by the words that come out of your mouth."

Matthew 15:11 (NLV)

For the Scriptures say,

"If you want to enjoy life and see many happy days,

keep your tongue from speaking evil,

and your lips from telling lies.

1 Peter 3:10 (NLV)

Please realize the power that you hold in your tongue. You have the power to speak life or to speak death to any situation that you encounter. So you may be wondering then, what should you be speaking exactly? Speak God's Word. Speak faith. If you have faith in God then what comes out of your mouth should reflect that. For example, If you get a negative report about your health from the doctor you can

1. speak death by claiming the sickness and disease, by stating that it is God's Will for you to be sick (it is never God's Will for anyone to die or be sick & it bothers me immensely when I hear people say this.), by saying/believing that you are going to die, etc, etc, etc

or

2.speak the Word -- speak life, "By Jesus' strips, I am healed (Isa. 53:5)-- because the Word of God says so." "I will live and not die & proclaim what the Lord has done for me (Ps. 118:17).

That is just one example but this literally can be applied to any area of your life. You have the ability to speak things in and out of existence in your life.

Call those things that be not as though they were...

(Romans 4:17)

I tell you the truth,you can say to this mountain,

‘May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,’and it will happen.

But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart.

I tell you, you can pray for anything,

and if you believe that you’ve received it,it will be yours.

Mark 11:23-24 (NLV)

Your words should line up with what is found in the Word. If the Bible calls you are blessed beyond measure, you are blessed beyond measure. If the Bible calls you the righteousness of God through Christ, you are righteous. If the Bible says God will protect you, he will. If the Bible says you can do ALL things through Christ who strengthens you, then you can. If the Bible says that God will bless you with an abundant life, that God will never leave nor foresake you, that....etc etc etc ...then believe it because the Word says so, which means God says so.

Like I stated earlier, God cannot lie. If he said it, it will come to past. We need to make sure that we speak LIFE to our situations, speak positively regardless of the natural circumstances. Anyone can look at the outward situation & make a logical judgement (i.e. this situation is horrible) but in all honesty, faith & logic do not go hand-in-hand.

We live by faith, not by sight.

2 Corinthians 5:7

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for,

the evidence of things not seen.

Hebrews 11:1

Faith causes you to disregard the natural circumstance, which may be indeed negative, and put your faith in God. Faith causes you to rise above life's circumstances by knowing that your help comes from God. If you have faith in God and his Word then the words coming from your mouth should reflect the words God has said. Choose to speak life, not death to your situations and watch your life change.

This post definitely ended up longer than I had intended it to be but eh *shrug*. I don't like to feel like I'm "preaching" at people on my blog but uh....yeah, it is what it is today lol. I don't like to throw things out there without scripture reference to back it up...like I said earlier, I never claim to have all of the answers so I will never try to pretend like I do -- I can only share with you guys what I have knowledge on and that's what I will continue to do.

"My people are destroyed from lack of knowledge..."
Hosea 4:6

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