“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me.”

Nothing could be less true.

We are navigating through various forces that help form your future.  And “words” are one of those forces!

Words are powerful.  They can encourage you or discourage you.  They can make someone feel accepted or rejected.  They can change the atmosphere, create memories, save a life.

“If you could find someone whose speech was perfectly true, you’d have a perfect person, in perfect control of life.  A bit in the mouth of a horse controls the whole horse.  A small rudder on a huge ship in the hands of a skilled captain sets a course in the face of the strongest winds.  A word out of your mouth may seem of no account, but it can accomplish nearly anything – or destroy it!  It only takes a spark, remember, to set off a forest fire.  A careless or wrongly placed word out of your mouth can do that.  By our speech, we can ruin the world, turn harmony to chaos, throw mud on a reputation, send the whole world up in smoke and go up in smoke with it.” –James 3:2-6

Words accomplish things.  They destroy things.  Like a bit in the horse’s mouth, or the rudder in the captain’s hand, words steer our lives.

So what words will you choose to steer yourself through this season of your life?  It’s your choice.  It’s my choice.  God lets us choose life or death, blessing or curse.  And he encourages us to choose life! (Deuteronomy 30)

You can choose words of doubt, words of anger, words of discouragement.  You can talk to yourself negatively, and use words of defeat.  Or you can use words of worship, words of faith, words of encouragement!  You can get the Word of God in you, in your heart, and in your mouth!

“This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.” –Joshua 1:8

When you start making your words line up with God’s words, you will steer your life into God’s will – into God’s best!

There are many powerful scriptures that can change your life by getting them into your heart and into your mouth.  But if you don’t know where to start, here are a few that could help you renew your mind:

• 2 Corinthians 9:8
• Philippians 4:19
• Psalm 84:11
• Psalm 5:12
• Psalm 35:27
• Matthew 17:20

Change the words you say to yourself, and you could bring change to the people around you!  Your family and friends need an encouraging word from you.  Say “I love you.”  Say it.  Say “I appreciate you.”  “You did a good job.”  “God has great things for you.”

What’s going on in your heart?  What’s going on in your mouth?  What words are steering your life?

Choose words of life!