One year and a few months ago, I decided to take the little family blog I updated now and then (like every three months) and kick-it-up-a-notch by creating a platform in which I could write my everyday random musings.  One of the first bloggers I stumbled upon was Christy from Critty Joy.  I knew as soon as I read her words and consumed her style that the two of us, well, we were two of the same.  We both are voracious readers (I often steal titles from her Goodreads list) and we absolutely love and adore words.  Both of us have tried to NOT write but neither of us can ever succeed…This writing thing is as integral to our survival as our right arms.  Not only does Christy post amazing content but she is also a very talented graphic artist and creates beautiful images with inspirational quotes and Bible verses that can be used as desktop wallpaper as well.

Christy is the host of “As of Late” held on one Thursday each month.  May you be blessed as much as she blesses me…

Words of life. (Encouragement)

Words of death. (Discouragement)

We speak them every day.  I think God even shows us the power of the word in His Word.  In what He left for us…The Word.  I have always been a words of life person.  For someone to come to me and say you encouraged me?  It makes my heart happy.

I love words.

Their power is undeniable.

And while I did a great job with words of life to others…I constantly spoke words of death to my own self.

While the words coming out of my mouth were of life, the words that I spoke to myself…to my heart….were often discouraging…and even attacking.

It was in 2002 that I was finally confronted on the issue.  By a woman I barely knew in a country I had been in for only a few days on a trip I never thought I would go on.

She took the opportunity while I was thousands of miles away from my comfort zone to confront me.

As the woman tried to reach my heart with one word I kept thinking it could just not be true.

He chose you.

You are chosen.

Chosen.

The word resonated so deeply in my heart yet I could not reach out and grasp it and bring it in and proclaim it as truth.

She said chosen means “to want”.

He wanted me.

She challenged me to write the word down in my journal and then over the next few days fill the page with things that reminded me of being chosen.  She shared a verse and told me to work on memorizing it….I told her I was horrible at that….she said just get over it…. Chain it to the word that was resonating within my heart. Ephesians 1:3-8

Over the next few days it seemed everything I heard reminded me I was chosen.

Conversation after conversation.

Time spent in the Word.

Songs shared and listened to.

We met a few days later and I shared all that I had heard and learned.

As we talked and prayed something happened.

The word of Truth slipped and took grip of my heart.

I knew.

I believed.

I was chosen.

The pivotal moment that even years later brings tears to my eyes.  It was the first time I used the truth to combat the lies.

I love words.  I love the power in them.

The power of life.

I still stink at memorizing but any time I hear the word chosen I remember snippets of the verses, words from the songs…. He uses those things to remind me and I don’t forget.  He chose me.

I took her words to heart and started doing the journaling thing with other words.

Now many words, every day words, speak life to my heart and soul.

I went from speaking words of death over myself to words of life.

And I was forever changed.

The beauty of Him working in me.

Just as it should be.