Fanning the Flame of Encouragement with the Breath of Life

FANNING THE FLAME OF ENCOURAGEMENT WITH THE BREATH OF LIFE

You know, I think about the whole James 3 thing about the tongue.. and how it has power to bring life and death.

I'm reminded of the story of this guy who found himself in a refrigerated box car (no clue why, true story.) When he realized he was in the box car, he started freaking out when the door locked behind him. He was stuck. What would happen to him?

He painstakingly etched his last words on the bottom the car, hoping someone would find his last words of love to his family.

In the morning, when the box car was opened, he was dead. Everyone was confused because he had died from what looked like being frozen to death!

The refrigerated box car was broken and was there to be repaired.

The guy stuck in it told himself that he was going to freeze to death. So he did.


I know that's a crazy thing to think but seriously... that's a literal way that we can either choose to speak life or death in our situations and lives.


Anyway- I wanted to talk about the power of speaking life.


Pretty much all of middle school and high school, voices have told me that I'm just not a great friend. In short, I just ended up believing it, and that's partially what I became, because the words being spoken over me by myself and others were negative.
When I was 17 I got back into close contact with a family friend and we started to hang out a lot more and she started being very intentional in her words toward me. She started to speak words of life over me that I didn't believe at all. I wouldn't even accept them at first.
As the year or two progressed, I started to not only believe the the words of encouragement she was telling me, but I started speaking them over myself! In turn, I became those words. I became and believed that I was capable, beautiful, confident, secure, a friend- giving and receiving, etc. It was so powerful!

I'm still on this journey (aren't we all) but isn't it always great to have voices in our lives that speak words of life and encouragement over us?

We're not ever going to 'fully arrive' when we're on this earth, but while we are here, how about we start speaking life over the people in our lives. You can either fan the flame of encouragement, or the flame of discouragement.

Are you willing to be that for someone else? Are you bold enough to walk out of relationships or situations that you realize are just creating death in your life because of the words being spoken? Do you have people in your life that speak words of life over you?

The power that encouragement really has is immeasurable and most of the time, you won't be thanked and you won't see your fruit (the good that it causes in the person's life, basically.)... here on earth.

Don't become weary in doing good, you guys. There are people that you're encouraging right now that you feel like its useless and that they'll never really get it. They may just be a few more words of life away from a break through. Keep the oxygen (THE BREATH OF LIFE) fanning that flame for them!! Be your brother's/sister's keeper!

On the other end, if someone has been so encouraging to you- how about showing some appreciation? Or maybe you have.. but it's time you start believing what they're saying and applying it to your beautiful life!


If you need encouragement and you're not getting it from people, from people you really want it from, or just feeling so down and out- I want you to know that the number one encouragement that has the most power and lasting effect (eternal, actually.) on your life will be:

You reading what God has to say about you. Read the Bible. See what God says, not just other people.
If you wanna hear a voice of encouragement, that's where you need to go.


God's got you in His hand, and He's always speaking those words of life over you. So emulate Him when it comes to others and yourself.

Encouragement goes a longer way than you'll ever believe. If you want to make a difference in someone's life, start by a smile. The most simple form of encouragement. You don't even have to talk to them! haha


:)



Love you guys.


xo Kylie