Hey E4M friends, and family! Kellie’s heartfelt post this week is so on point! How often do we get caught up in the vanity side of weight loss, forgetting that God’s desire to transform us physically is so that we can be used for His Kingdom purpose! We are His dwelling place sweet friends. Read on, as Kellie shares how powerful words are, and gives us the encouragement we need to “use them wisely!” Once again, her humorous, and transparent way of sharing her journey is sure to inspire and encourage all!
Thanks Kellie!
Words have incredible power. They build up and they tear down. They encourage and they destroy. I’ve learned the power of words when they’ve been spoken through the lips of others. I’ve also seen their power when they’ve come out of my own mouth. I love words. The bigger the better as far as I’m concerned. I like them so much that I read the dictionary for fun. Yes, I know, you probably think I’m a weirdo. Ha! But God had to give me a love for words in order to do what I’m doing today. I’m incredibly thankful that He did!
I’d like to tell you that I’ve wielded words thoughtfully and kindly throughout my life, but by now, you know that’s not true. I hate to say it, but I’ve used my tongue like a sword more times than I care to admit. Whether against someone else or myself, I was quick to cut. When I became a Christian, one of the first things I learned about was the power of words. Proverbs 18:21 tells us that the tongue has the power of life and death and that those who love it will eat its fruit. I didn’t care about the things I said before I came to know Jesus, but once I understood the spiritual implications, I learned to let the Holy Spirit slap His hand over my mouth when needed. Now, don’t mistake that to mean that I have ALWAYS let Him shut my trap. Believe me, this old tongue gets to flapping and the Holy Spirit doesn’t have the chance to zip my lips. But, I’m much more aware of what I say and let Him shut me up more often than not.
Never have words been more important in my life than they are right now. I struggle with finding the right words to express my encouragement when it comes to weight loss. I want people to know that I see the change in them! We all want and need to hear that others notice our hard work! It keeps us motivated. But we have to be careful with the words we use.
Today’s culture teaches us that the outer woman is what is important. If you are beautiful and skinny, well then you are something to be admired and revered. Yes, we joined E4M because we want to lose weight. Maybe that was the initial reason that we joined. However, as we’ve seen, this journey is more than that. It’s about freedom – whether from food addiction, using food or people to meet our emotional needs or searching for our sense of significance or purpose in others – freedom in Jesus is the bottom line. It’s about finding our purpose and value in who we are in Christ. It’s not just about losing 10 sizes, half our weight or getting into old jeans we’ve always loved. It’s so much more than that! We are on a journey to good health, both physically and spiritually.
Whether we are trying to encourage others (or ourselves) about weight loss or in any other situation, we need to think before we speak. We need to choose words that don’t build up the ego and focus on the less important thing – outer beauty. Our words should build up the lifestyle of healthy living and spiritual freedom. Let’s use words that ignite spiritual change and encourage healthy choices. Let’s not just focus on the external, but build up the inner woman. In a world that is obsessed with outer beauty, let us focus on what God looks at – our hearts.
XOXO Kellie
“Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” Proverbs 31:30
If you are ready to experience the freedom Kellie and so many others have found; and the beautiful realization that God will step in and help you lose this weight for the last time, so that you too can enjoy the spiritual freedom He has designed for you, then it’s time you became part of our E4M family!