Life Giving Power...

This is my first post in a long time. Almost a year, actually. Once I left Prison Fellowship and went back to school, there was little to write about. Sitting in classes and writing papers is significantly less exciting for me to write about than ministering to men and women in prison. But that's just me.

Since then, I've graduated, gotten married, and started a new job. Im part administrative assistant, part creative technology...person for my home church. I dont really have a title, so I tell it different every time someone asks.

So now that life has settled down a bit and I am in an environment where things happen that make me want to write - Im writing again.

One of the big things I have realized while being on a church staff is that people have a tendency to criticize. Myself included for sure. The first time that someone came into my office to criticize me (though Im sure they wouldnt use that word to describe what they were doing), I didnt know how to handle it. I dont have the toughest skin around. So I called my dad, pretty upset. And he told me a truth that I have thought of a lot since then: 

95% of people will think what you are doing is great, but they wont ever say a thing. 5% of people will disagree with what you are doing, and they will say something every time.

As Ive thought over this principle, I see how true it is. When I disagree with how someone does something, Im the first one to criticize. I rarely say it out loud, and to them, but I will think it. And...in confession...Ill tell my husband much of the time. But when I think someone is doing a great job, its almost as if I think, Theyve got it covered. No need to comment. Pretty backwards. Especially for a body of believers.

People need encouragement. They need it. And we are responsible for building them up by the words we choose to speak. "Pleasant words are a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones." Words have life giving power. Life. Giving. Power. Get that?

Life.

Giving.

Power.

...

Lesson for Today: Delta Sonic deals with 4 million cars a year and spaghetti sauce bacteria can ruin a trunk. Or so I was told.