Update #154 - Life or Death

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue…” Proverbs 18:21

Seacliff Beach, California

It is said that women speak 10,000 words or more a day – and men around 3000. I am not sure if this is myth or truth, but in my life it seems accurate. I have a shy friend who uses MUCH less than his 3000 word quota.

Conversations with him can go like this:

“How are you?”

“Fine thanks.”

“So what did you think of that sermon/experience/movie/TV program etc.?”

“Ah…I, well, um, it… um, yeah.”

Jokingly I used to infer the need for a microphone brain implant…so I could hear the conversation I was being left out of. But, in a way, he is smart. He chooses words carefully; very very carefully.

Words have power. Their potency can bring either life or death into situations (Proverbs 18:21). Words cause creation, like when God spoke the world into being (Genesis 1:3, 6, 9, 11, 14, 20, 24, and 26). They can also cause death – have you ever seen a child after an overly severe reprimand?

We have the same power inside of us - we can speak truth, righteousness, purity, loveliness, good reports, virtuous, praiseworthy things producing hope, encouragement and life or we can fill our mouths with hatred, arguments, jealousy, anger, rivalry, division, envy, gossip, slander and dishonoring talk resulting in disunity, dismay and ultimately death (Which would you rather hear?).

I didn’t fully grasp the impact and power of words until I travelled to South Africa in 2006. Past phrases, thoughts, comments, statements, remarks spoken over me, to me, or about me had a deep and lasting effect – one I didn’t even realize. I had ingested and processed them. I had taken the praise as truth concerning who I was - and defined my core identity based upon it. Sadly, what I believed and what God said about me didn’t exactly line up. I had chosen to rely on people’s observations of me vs. God’s opinion because of their prevalence, volume, and re-occurrence.

I needed word surgery.

I needed to excise all the wrongly consumed convictions and replace them with God’s perceptions; with truth. Not all I believed about myself was bad – being “a gifted administrator” isn’t evil, it just isn’t my core identity; being a daughter of God is.

Lots of relearning and ingesting of truth followed – and prayer (by me and with others) for God to make his opinion of me louder and more pronounced than the other words I was hearing.

I had to learn my real identity and choose to live from that perspective. It wasn’t an easy process. Death words don’t stop - and I don’t always immediately recognize them for what they truly were (especially when they come from trusted sources!).

What is your view of yourself? What is God’s view of you? Where do the two differ? Where does your identity stem from – God? Your parents? Your peers? Your boss? Your pastor? When you hear a “death” word what is your reaction? Devastation? Depression? Disheartenment? Or do you compare it to the truth God speaks about you? Finally, what words are you speaking – does the majority bring life or death to others?

Updates:

Travel – Just back from Lubbock, TX (pray for rain – they really, really need it).

Work – We made it through July! We had our last event of the month this morning – a brunch for 15… August will be a bit tamer, one to two events a week vs. three to five!

Training – Monday and Wednesday nights through the first of October.

Requests:

Travel - Off to Nigeria, most likely, right after Labor Day.

Work – Convergence Forum on Wednesday in Foster City / Convergence Webinar on Monday the 8th: http://inst.net/events/index.html to register or for more information; prayer for the upcoming trip to Nigeria, hopeful return to Texas, and our upcoming ventures to, most likely, Indonesia and India.

PS: Here are some of the things God says about you – this is your true identity:

You moved from:

• Darkness to Light

• Enmity to Friendship

• Save to Free

• Condemned to Forgiven

You are:

• Indwelt by the Father – Ephesians 4:6

• Indwelt by the Son – Colossians 1:27

• Indwelt by the Holy Spirit – 1 Corinthians 3:16

• Set free from sin – Romans 6:22

• The temple of God – 1 Corinthians 3:16

• Body of Christ – 1 Corinthians 12:27

• Victorious – 1 Corinthians 15:57

• Triumphant – 2 Corinthians 2:14

• A son / daughter of God – Romans 8:14

• Complete – Colossians 2:10-11

You have:

• The mind of Christ – 1 Corinthians 2:16

• All spiritual blessings – Ephesians 1:3

Update #153 - How to be Strong and Courageous

“Be strong and of good courage. Do not be afraid, neither be dismayed. For Jehovah your God is with you in all places where you go.” Joshua 1:9

Arabian Nights Party - Clockwise - Linda, Annie, Michelle (my gorgeous sister), and Princess 'Teju

I was listening to a business owner tell of an unexpected crisis which had hit her company. One of her trusted, senior, and very valuable employees essentially betrayed the values she and her partner espoused. He had been terminated early in the day and within hours a blackmail letter arrived. The former employee had no grounds – she and her partner were on the up and up with all their business practices – but if his letter were seen and the back-story not told it could be disastrous for her company’s reputation and market presence.

What did this business owner do? She called into her office trusted friends and we prayed, and prayed, and prayed some more; while her business partner was in the next room double checking facts, figures and making sure the previous employees claims were unsubstantiated.

While we were praying for her a verse from the first chapter of Joshua came to mind – “Be strong and of good courage. Do not be afraid, neither be dismayed…” In my usual way I mentally started to break down the verse into “to-do’s.”

• Be Strong

• Have Courage

• Do not Fear

• Do not Dismay

In light of this business owners situation this was a tall order. It would take a God sized dose of faith to be obedient and commit to one of the “to-do’s” – let alone all four!

As I continued praying (in the vent of “oh God, HELP”) more verses came to mind:

• Nehemiah 8:10 “for the joy of the Lord is your strength”

• 1 John 4:18 “perfect love casts out fear”

As thoughts tumbled through my brain I begin to piece together what God was trying to say. Essentially, “Grab hold of my joy, understand and own the love I have for you, and the strength you need is yours, the courage to face obstacles will be given, fear will be driven away and comfort will be administered.”

Wow. I get joy, love and resultant peace; and God takes care of fear, dismay and provides any strength and courage needed! I call that a great deal!

Where do you need to be strong and courageous? Do you have joy and love? How is your peace level? Where do you need to feel God’s presence and have his intervention in your life?

P.S. The business owner didn’t heed the demands, called the employees blackmail for what is was and they withdrew their ultimatum. She is understaffed and putting in long hours to cover the missing employee’s duties but feels God’s justice prevailed.

Updates:

Travel – Everyone is at the home office… today. Next week, August – December is a different story!

Work – Event craziness reigns at The Institute. I counted 10 events this month on the calendar! Between report backs, recruiting for the next cycle, bridal showers, weddings, and birthdays it has been a month of celebrating! Check out the rep facebook page for pictures.

Training - recruitment is underway! Want to learn what God thinks of business – and how to work every day from a kingdom perspective? Check out Repurposing Business Training.

Personally – I turn 40 this month. On the 9th the Johnson’s and several of my close friends threw a surprise Arabian Night Birthday Party for me… all I can say is WOW! I was so overwhelmed and deeply touched by not only the party itself but by those who caught a plane, drove a long way and / or put sweat and effort into making it happen. Thank you!

Requests:

Work – Recruiting, recruiting, recruiting! Trip to Texas next week with work.

Vacation – Short retreat with a few friends to Coronado, California for my birthday and hoping to get to Seattle at some point to visit my parents.

Life – Noodling the book concept, trying to get a greater understanding of what it means to “work from rest,” and trying to keep up with the Johnsons!