Coffee with a friend.This morning I had the opportunity to go get coffee with a friend of mine. Our schedules are complete opposite, so this is a rarity, but when we make the time, I am oh so happy it works out.
See, drinking coffee may be an everyday occurrence for most of the population, but for me, "going out for coffee" with a friend involves so much more than downing a liquid to keep me awake. (I don't even drink coffee).
Keeping up my relationships with my close friends is so important to me - no matter how busy life gets, or how it changes. During the hour we spent at the coffee shop this morning, we got to catch up on each others lives and talk about how life is changing: graduating college, applying to grad school, running a business, having new relationships, family updates, and the list goes on. But 2 things in particular stood out to me today.
We talked about how words have such a powerful affect on us - on everyone. And yes, you've heard it before - "life and death is in the power of the tongue." But how does that relate to your everyday life? How can words do so much?
I've been reading this dancer's blog for a couple months, and recently I read her book. She's very artsy, and I love everything artsy. I often times wish I was looked more artsy, spoke more artsy, dressed more artsy, etc, but that's besides the point. The point is I have been so into her blog, that I read it almost every day. And the thing is...she wrote about heartache and being sad and depressed. She also wrote about love, and your dreams, and pushing through in life. But, somehow, it all got to me. I found myself being sad, and going back to my past thoughts of heartache. Even though, I'm not in that season of my life anymore, it really affected how I carried myself, and what I thought about me.
I walked around for days wondering why I was so down. Then, I realized..I haven't confessed God's Word. I haven't prayed how I should be praying. My Bible reading hasn't been too much more than a routine. And where did the guard on my heart go?
You see...I allow myself to be influenced very easily if my guard isn't up. I have trusted people I shouldn't. I have one too many times mistaken being naive for innocence. I care too much about people. I carry their burdens, knowing it won't help them, but wishing it would. I cry when other people are hurting. And..I've just recently come across something that changes everything: "Your job isn't to be their Savior. It's to point them to Jesus" (marshill). God, how could I take on their cares along with mine, and not cast them on You?
Life is funny sometimes. The way our minds work is amazing. They way His Word transforms our lives astounds me. God created us in His image. Right? Well if we're to uphold that image, we need to do something about it. It just doesn't happen on it's own. We need to stay grounded in our faith by continually putting His Words in our heart, spirit, thoughts and mouth. (not a dancer from LA, a rapper from Missouri, your friends or the devil - who will constantly try to bring you down).
Moral of the store of my life? Watch what you say, what you read, what you listen to ((music)) and what you believe. Words can kill or nourish life.
PS. I'm doing a study on prayer. Hopefully a good blog will come from it in the near future.
<3 Kirsten
