The Power of Words

Language is one of the greatest gifts we have to impact the people around us. Words lodge themselves into the fabric of our souls. Their impact echoes in our souls long after our ears stop hearing and our minds stop remembering them. Words have the power to define us, to change the trajectory of our lives.

The Words that Change our Lives

I still remember the the two words one of my musical heroes, Steve Bell, said to me over 20 years ago. When I was a teenager, I was invited to a friends’ youth group. There were only about 8 of us there, and Steve Bell was the guest speaker. At the time, Steve had just recorded his first album, “Comfort my People’. We sat in a circle and listened as Steve shared the story of his musical journey. I was profoundly impacted by his story and music. After we spent some time singing together in the small group, Steve turned to me and said, “Keep singing.” At the time, I didn’t know I would go into music in university, or that one day I too would learn how to play guitar and write a song. Keep singing. Two simple words.  But I still feel their power to this day.

The Creative Power of Words

Words are like seeds – when planted in our hearts, they can grow into a dream, or heal to a broken place inside of us. They can give us the strength to persevere in hard times. They can breathe life into the ember of a dying dream. Words carry creative power. In the creation story of the Bible, God created the world by speaking.  Like Steve Bell’s words did for me, we  too can create ‘worlds’ with our words by inspiring and empowering the people in our lives. I consider it a privilege anytime I have the opportunity to speak into someone’s life! In a world that is quick to judge and criticize,  I want to call out the beauty and the gifts I see in the people I meet.

What words have shaped your life? What words are you speaking over yourself and those around you? Which words are weeds that need to be uprooted? Let’s remember to water the words that nurture us and use the power of words for good, both in our own lives and in the lives of the people around us.