Joyfull Living

Years ago, when our home was filled with 3 sons growing up, there were lots of harsh words being slung around. As a young Christian mom, my desire was to train them in godliness and this verse was used alot in that training: A soft answer turns away wrath, But a harsh word stirs up anger. Proverbs 15:1 It was a desperate attempt to keep the peace between the boys. I'm not sure they ever got the gist of learning to answer softly, but there was a lot of harsh words that stirred up anger! Today is Day 1 of The Power of Words - October Daily Bible Reading . This is the focus verse for today.  Years later, this verse is an important one to learn and allow its truth to settle into our conversations.  Did you know that your words can affect how others view Jesus?   It’s not just your relationship with that person you’re in contact with that’s at stake when you choose harsh words that cut and divide and cause pain. If you’re a daughter of Jesus, if your life is sur...

  Be careful with your words. Once they are said, they can be only forgiven, not forgotten.”  Unknown The words we use have tremendous power. We can choose words that speak life or words that speak death. When our words are infused with God's grace, the potency of godly words can revive, heal, and change our lives. Ungodly words have the power to bind, imprison, and destroy.   Countless times a day, when it comes to what you hear and say, you have choices to make. When you hear the words of others, you can choose to receive them as truth or reject them as lies. And every time you open your mouth to utter a word, you have the opportunity to speak life or the temptation to take it. The Bible is God's Word and has a lot to say about our words. Beginning October 1, will  you join me in a daily Bible reading focusing solely on the power of words?  Click HERE for a printable copy and let's dig into the power our words hold.  If you want to change anyth...

Hello September!!  Although is still feels like summer, autumn days are coming!  Today is Day 1 of the September Daily Word. I hope you will join me each day this month as we look into God's Word and let it wash and quench our soul.  Day 1 - Jeremiah 17:7-8   Blessed is the man who trusts in the  Lord , And whose hope is the  Lord . 8  For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river, And will not fear when heat comes; But its leaf will be green, And will not be anxious in the year of drought, Nor will cease from yielding fruit. Blessed describes the benefits to those devoted to God and His Word.  Planted - One who trusts in God will not be free from trials and adversity, but that God will bring fruit and blessing in and through these difficulties.  Our lives when planted and nourished by God's Word, can not only be fulfilled and fruitful, but we can be sustained in times of ...

 Today's word prompt for Five Minute Friday i s DESPERATE. This brought to mind an example from years ago. When our boys were younger, they were involved in 4H clubs and one of their projects was to raise a pig to show in the county fair. The purpose of this project was to learn responsibility in caring for the pig through meeting its daily needs such as food, water and shelter. One of our boys was doing some work on the pen which housed the pig and unhooked the automatic waterer. This water system was perfect, as the it connected to a source of continual flowing water and when thirsty, the pig went to the spigot and the pressure of its mouth opened the flow of water.  On this day, once the work was completed on the pen, my son forgot to reconnect the hose to the automatic waterer. Later in the day, my husband went to look at the pig. You could tell the signs of the pigs desire then desperation for water. It began to push much harder on the spigot, trying to get water, then ...