I love words! Words are interesting, lyrical, descriptive, and personal. Words can be spoken, written, sung, chanted, yelled and implied. They can be used in many ways – good and bad, to communicate, engage, encourage, inform, explain and empower, or they can discourage, berate, undermine and distract.

I have been falling in love with words my entire life. In fact, the truth is, I have had a long standing love/hate relationship with them. In my tender, formative years, words were used to guide, discipline, teach, mould, and form me. They were often very restrictive and binding. Words held a captivating power over me that made me who I was.

In many of the environments I found myself in, words were a weapon, used like a sword. I was often curbed into submission by words, and I could honestly say that sometimes I hated hearing them. The way they were spoken over me, how they made me feel and the power they held.

As a young teenager, I learnt the love and romanticism of words. I discovered through reading and in conversation with friends that there were worlds beyond my own little space that were rich and full of more. Words could be beautiful and used in wondrous ways. Treasure was there in books, in communication, in the Bible, in song and music that I had never been exposed to before and it was glorious. These words made me feel good, these words were nice and enriching and I was fast becoming addicted.

I devoured books. I spent all of my spare time in quiet corners reading. I couldn’t get enough of listening to music that told stories and opened windows into the world around me. I read everything and everywhere. I had a yearning to learn more and understand more. I would challenge myself to find long, little used or complicated words and know them well, so I could use them in my schooling and even sometimes in my speech. Words were my shield, my safe place, my own weapon now and I began to wield this superpower whenever I had the opportunity.

It didn’t take long before words caused trouble for me again. In my later teenage years, I realised that I wasn’t so clever after all, and the anecdote that was so often used – sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me! – well, it didn’t really ring true, Because as much as I was using words to cover and protect myself, the weapon of words firing back at me was still penetrating and cutting deep, really deep,

For the heart on my sleeve type of girl that I was, this was fast becoming a very uncomfortable way to live, so my love affair with words slowly dwindled and faded and over time, I stopped reading and writing and loving words. I became a shadow of who I used to be, hiding behind a facade of “yes”. A people pleasing perfectionist that hid her own voice and got busy in the doing of life.

Marriage and children happened and life carried on, my relationship with words still pushed back to the shadows, intentionally forgotten and stubbornly ignored. And then child number four came along. In the space of five short years, I had birthed four children and was skipping along like a super-mum. I had all my ducks in a row and my perfectionist self was ticking all the boxes that I had created for me, I was doing a-okay.

Until I wasn’t. And depression hit me like a truck. Laid flat out and incapacitated. Suddenly, I wasn’t so super anything after all. When the counsellor asked me “who are you?” And “what makes you, you?”, I had no clue how to answer. Words escaped me and took a long, desolate, soul-searching time to come.

Three years in fact passed before I was able to find the words again. I had to go on a journey of discovery to find and rekindle my relationship with words in order to be able to answer those most vital and healing questions. But I found them. Those elusive words that I had hidden in the back-blocks of myself, and in the process, I found healing and wholeness. I found my love language again. I uncovered who I was and what made me me, and as that happened, words became so very dear and important to me again. And this time, I understood their power,

Words are used so loosely in today’s society but they are so very powerful. The Bible says that your tongue has the power of life and death (Proverbs 18:21) – which means the words we speak can bring hope and healing or cursing and misery. Life and death.

Jesus told us that we can simply tell a mountain to move and if we have faith and speak it out, then it will move (Matthew 17:20). He spoke to demons and they fled (Luke 8:27-33), He spoke to a fig tree and it shrivelled up and died (Matthew 21:19). He spoke to water and it turned into wine (John 2:6-9). He spoke to a blind man and he saw, He spoke to a lame man and he walked (Matthew 11:5, Luke 7:22), He spoke to a dead man and He lived (John 11.43).

He says “ask (speak) and it will be given to you” (Matthew 7:7, Luke 11:9). We can become saved (free from sin and accepted into the Kingdom of God) by simply praying – speaking, asking out loud (Romans 10:9). The Proverbs are full of words about words and speaking and the power there within (Proverbs 4:24, Proverbs 10-22). There is so much power in out tongue, in speech, in words. Do you believe it?

Now, I am in my 40’s, I am constantly working on leaving my perfectionist, people-pleasing self behind, while I am beginning to understand and am still learning every day, the art of words. The importance of careful speech, of welding this weapon well, with grace and love. Being gentle but intentional, Speaking truth in kindness. There is wisdom required with using words in all of its forms. There is a beautiful tension in the creation of words that are uttered verbally to impact positively.

Ephesians 4:29 – has become one of my life-forming verses. It says “And never let ugly or hateful words come from your mouth, but instead let your words become beautiful gifts that encourage others; do this by speaking words of grace to help them.” (The Passion Translation).

I have learnt to love words again. I have discovered and am discovering still that words are what I am called for. This gift that I have been given is a treasure to hold, cultivate, nurture and share when it is appropriate. Timing is essential when it comes to the sharing of words. Opportunities are constantly presenting themselves, but wisdom is required to know and understand when the words are best used.

As mentioned earlier, in this day and age, society has many loud and conflicting voices, all clamouring to be listened to and heard. I want to be a voice that uses words well. To bring light and love, healing and wholeness. To speak encouragement and positivity. To share and shine Jesus, His Word and His ways. To not just be another voice, but to reflect His Voice. To draw all men unto Him. To help make your load lighter, with grace and gentleness. I want my words to be treasures that carry people, that lift them up and lighten their load and that guide them and direct them to The One who created words: The Word Himself – God, our Father.

Let it be Lord, please let it be so. Let me use my words to glorify God alone. And let us use our words responsibly, carefully, filled with love and grace. Amen!