Words Matter

**Sit quietly, eyes closed, for one minute before reading.**

    What word are you holding onto? What word was spoken to you recently that you cannot let go of.

    Is it a true and good word? A word that is sustaining you and nourishing your soul?

    Is it a negative and untrue word? A word that is distracting you and draining your soul?

    I would love to offer you true words for today:

Beautiful. Redeemed. Beloved. Delighted in.
(And there are so many more God wants to speak to you!)

    May these words speak truth and encouragement to your weary soul today.

**Sit quietly again for as long as is available to you.**

Speak Blessing

**Before you begin reading, sit down, breathe normally and be quiet for 1 minute.**

Each day we have opportunity to speak blessing into another's life. A word that lifts up, that remembers, that affirms and gives courage. With our words we have great opportunity to bless.
The gift of words. How will you speak blessing to another today?
**Sit quietly again for as much time as is available to you.**

Have more than two minutes? Pray for the increased ability to hear opportunities to bless another with your words.

True Words

**Before you begin reading, sit down, breathe normally and be quiet for 1 minute.**

True Words. What a gift to have true, encouraging words spoken to us! What true words have been spoken to you? How might these lead you today?

**Sit quietly again for as much time as is available to you.**

Flattery

**Before you begin reading, sit down, breathe normally and be quiet for 1 minute.**

Flattery. We all love a little bit of flattery! As we spend most of our days doing what we consider menial work, we crave (and need!) any encouragement we can get! I want to be encouraged when I take the time and energy for makeup, hair and clothing other than workout clothes! I will take false or true encouragement because it makes me feel good, important and valued. The danger in false encouragement is that it builds up something that is not truly who I am. False encouragement paints a picture of who I am not rather than who I am. Sure we would rather have all forms of encouragement but at the end of the day I would rather have fewer true encouragements that many false encouragements. We all want to feel good, important and valued, especially when it does not seem that our work as moms is making any significant impact. Flattery comes and goes – smile and move on. Take true encouragement to heart and let it take root.

**Sit quietly again for as much time as is available to you.**

False Words

**Before you begin reading, sit down, breathe normally and be quiet for 1 minute.**

Do not let false words lead you today. Too often we let false words spoken to us lead us. I’m not talking about healthy criticism that we can grow from, but those things that have been spoken that are truly false. Some of us have experienced this more than others. However many times you have experienced it these words take root in our hearts and minds and they lead us. What false words have been spoken to you? How have they led you?

**Sit quietly again for as much time as is available to you.**