Words
Elisabeth Klein Corcoran
"I am on a mission to elevate the beauty of Christian marriage by awakening wives, husbands, and church leaders to the plight of abuse, and to show them that there is a better way. And when the better way can’t be reached due to pride or unrepentance, I will hold out hope that grace is there to lead the way and cover over."
“You have brought Satan here.”
“I will take you down beyond all recognition.”
“Why do you care if I disapprove of you??”
These are words of death. These words were spoken to me and killed small pieces of my soul. I will never, ever forget these harsh, cruel words.
A harsh word stirs up anger; the mouth of the fool pours forth foolishness. -Proverbs 15: 1b, 2b-
You know what these words did to me? After some time went by and I stopped thinking about them every day, I was able to look into my heart and see that the damage they were meant to create had actually developed a softness in me, an awareness of the power of words, a desire to never be as cruel to someone as these people have been to me.
This surprised me. I thought if I looked within, I’d just find bitterness.
Now yes, there is still pain wrapped around those words.
Just the fact that they ring in my ears at random times, still, after all these months and years, tells me they’ve left their mark. And yes, when I think of the people who spoke them, I don’t smile with fondness. But it’s not just bitterness that I see in my heart; I see a compassion rising up for the speakers of those words, because they are without grace and I feel sorry for them.
“I am on your side.”
“You have nothing to be ashamed of.”
“You are the most godly woman I know.”
These are words of life. These words were spoken to me and filled up large spaces in my soul. I will never, ever forget these kind, gorgeous words.
Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones. –Proverbs 16:24-
You know what these words do for me? They change me. They help me see myself as Jesus does. They help to counter the effects of all of the harsh, cruel words ever spoken over me.
“I am on your side.”
“You have nothing to be ashamed of.”
“You are the most godly woman I know.”
These are words of life. These words were spoken to me and filled up large spaces in my soul. I will never, ever forget these kind, gorgeous words.
Pleasant words are like a honeycomb, sweetness to the soul and health to the bones. –Proverbs 16:24-
You know what these words do for me? They change me. They help me see myself as Jesus does. They help to counter the effects of all of the harsh, cruel words ever spoken over me.
They heal me.
Those kind, gorgeous words – those words of life – embolden me to want to choose the higher, sweeter road of better words. I want to be a woman who showers words of life on people. I want to be a woman who holds her tongue when words of death are all I can come up with.
The word discourage means to take courage out of someone.
The word encourage means to put courage into someone.
I want to be a woman who pours courage into others with my words. I want to be a woman who pours life into others with my words. I want to be a woman who points others to Jesus with my words.
“Wherever you are, there should be splashes of light and water.” Ellie Lofaro
The word discourage means to take courage out of someone.
The word encourage means to put courage into someone.
I want to be a woman who pours courage into others with my words. I want to be a woman who pours life into others with my words. I want to be a woman who points others to Jesus with my words.
“Wherever you are, there should be splashes of light and water.” Ellie Lofaro
