Words that Speak Life... a work in progress

I believe wholeheartedly that there are very few neutral words. The words we say either build someone up or tear them down. Sometimes we speak these words to other people. Many times we speak these words to ourselves. Words can have a very significant impact on the people around us (including us!)

Every summer I choose a Bible study for the kids and me to work on together. This summer I couldn't find what I was looking for and decided to create my own study. It's been very simple, but I hope and pray that it has been effective.

You guessed it... we are studying the WORDS we speak this summer. I moved a piece of furniture and added this art easel to our family room. I attached a blank poster board and we've been gradually adding to it each week.

We LOVE music around here. It is almost always playing. 

SO, we kicked off our summer study watching a video of Hawk Nelson's song "Words." 

I printed off the lyrics for the kids and we glued them to our summer bible 

study composition notebook. Here is an excerpt from the song:

Words can build you up
Words can break you down
Start a fire in your heart or
Put it out 

Let my words be life
Let my words be truth
I don't wanna say a word
Unless it points the world back to You

We ALL struggle with the words we say around here. I am not excluded from this. My tongue is certainly not tamed. My frustration can lead me to be less then encouraging several times a day. I am also notorious for speaking death to myself in my thoughts. ugh! I'm not sure if this summer study is more for me or for the kids, but I hope and pray we are all learning something. 

We've been memorizing Ephesians 4:29, 1 Thessalonians 5:11 and Proverbs 16:24. 

Each day we spend about 15-20 minutes reading, memorizing and discussing. It is short. Their attention span is short. I try to get them talking as much as possible so they stay engaged. We've had some great conversations and that makes me thankful. Do I see a noticeable difference in their name calling and unkind words? Not really... but I have to hold out hope they are hiding these truths away in their hearts. 

We watched Toby Mac's video for his song "Speak Life" and had lots of conversation about what it means. I printed out the lyrics and we read through it together. 

If we're going to speak life to one another, then we have to know what is true about us according to God in His word. We are not stupid, weird, ugly, a failure, or other names we call each other and ourselves. We are 

FORGIVEN, BELOVED, HIDDEN IN CHRIST, MADE IN THE IMAGE OF THE GIVER OF LIFE, RIGHTEOUS AND HOLY, REBORN AND REMADE, ACCEPTED AND WORTHY, GOD'S CHILD, CHOSEN, DEARLY LOVED. 

We watched Jason Gray's video to "I Am New."

We have a list of verses we've been looking up, memorizing 

and writing in our composition notebooks. 

Psalm 139:13-16

1 Peter 2:9

Jeremiah 29:11

Ephesians 1:4-5

Ephesians 1:20

Psalm 139:1-4

Colossians 2:13-14

John 1:12-13

Galatians 4:6-7

1 Samuel 16:7

John 15:15

Romans 5:1-2

Colossians 3:12

Galatians 3:26-27

Psalm 138:8

1 Thessalonians 1:4-6

Romans 8:14-15

Colossians 3:3-4

Ephesians 2:19

1 Thessalonians 5:5

Philippians 3:20

Hebrews 3:14

Matthew 5:13-14

2 Corinthians 1:21-22

1 John 3:1

1 Corinthians 3:16

Romans 6:18

1 John 5:18

2 Corinthians 5:17-21

If only we could see ourselves and each other the way the God of the universe sees us. Without a doubt we are sinners, but we were loved enough that Jesus died for our sins while we were still sinners. Oh, if only we could remember that as we condemn others and ourselves. 

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death." Romans 8:1-2

Let us love one another and speak life to one another and ourselves with our words!