August 11, 2014

When Words Bridge the Gap...


They say a picture is worth a thousand words.  



Sometimes, though, it's the words that are most valued... most necessary... most longed for. 

It's the words, whether spoken, typed, or written out old-school style, that bridge the gap of the lost and the broken, bringing hope to stand on and faith to walk right on through!



This week - globally speaking - has been a rough one.  

So much sadness and horror and heartbreak... so much negative and bad news and it is so heavy and so much that we either turn the other way in order to cope or we shut down all together under the weight of it all. It's too easy to lose the battle and too hard to look for gifts. But oh how right now is when we must win... when we must count... we must do it anyway, because we have overcome - even when we forget that truth!

On our own, we forget... we get side-swiped and feel woozy.  We are off-center and free-falling and it's hard to stop staring at all the Bad News.  But here's the thing... can I encourage you to look away.  No, not to bury your head in the sand, but to turn your attention back to good... back to what God is doing both around the world and in your own neighborhood -in your own heart. And then shout it from the rooftops, that our God is good!

Pray for the persecuted...yes!  Let me encourage you to give and serve and do what you can... but don't allow your focus to stay on the darkness. 

Instead, use your Light (and your words!) to shine brighter still.



You see, we can forget how just a little Light can change the world.  Just a little hope can restore a soul.

Misery loves company, or so they say... but what is needed is not so much company in the dark, but more encouragement to walk toward the Light! - Encouragement to Be the Light!  

They say, "It's always darkest before the dawn..." and oh how I pray they are right.  

It's pretty dark here lately... 

but God says, 
"Arise, shine; for your light has come, 
And the glory of the Lord has risen upon you. 
For behold, darkness will cover the earth 
And deep darkness the peoples; 
But the Lord will rise upon you 
And His glory will appear upon you. 
Nations will come to your light, 
And kings to the brightness of your rising."
Isaiah 60:1-3 NASB                               


We need to hear your words... and we need to be reminded of His

Speak up... Rise up... for even when you don't know what to say, God will give you the words. It's His desire to work with us to be a blessing and to shed some Light... to let Him love others through us.

Use your Words, my friends!

Use them to build bridges and to build Hope... use them to encourage and to pray... use them to bless and to bring healing...

Most of all, use them to glorify our God!

Let's all use our words to:



P.S.  I'm linking up with these lovely writers:

Kaitlyn Bouchillon (Encouragement)

Jennifer Peterson for #NoWordsAreNeeded


Holly Barrett for #TestimonyTuesday


Jennifer Dukes Lee for #TellHisStory

Holley Gerth for #CoffeeforYourHeart

How do you intend to use your words today, friend? I'd love to hear!







26 comments :

  1. Yes!! Use your words and your encouragement-- thank you for the reminder to not be silent but to speak out even when it can be hard! Love you and thank you for sharing!

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    1. Love you friend! You use our words so beautifully! So thankful for you!

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  2. And you my friend use your words beautifully.

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  3. You have a beautiful way of showing us the world and His love through your words.

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    1. Thanks so much for stopping by Barbie! I love you, friend!

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  4. I love how you are always speaking life and living this out. I need both company in the dark and encouragement to move into the light. Love you friend.

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    1. Oh yes... so true! We DO need the company in the dark... of course we do! But what we need even more is for the company to move with us into the Light! I love you right back. my friend!

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  5. Thank you, Karrilee, for speaking light!

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    1. Thanks so much Laurie!!! The more we speak it, the more we see it, right?

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  6. Anonymous5:12 PM

    Oh my girl! Praying our words are the light for one person and the bridge for the lost and the broken. Thank you for the empowerment I felt when reading these words. Blessings!

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    1. Mary - yes and amen! Let our words be the light and the bridge for the lost and the broken! So glad this encouraged you as you read it! (I tend to preach to myself around these parts so it's always nice to know someone else needed the word too!) ;)

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  7. Thank you for this! I've been having a hard time finding the Light with the horrors we've been hearing about in Iraq. You are so right: Focusing on what God is doing really helps. This terror has helped me see new heights of God's authority and majesty, too. Ultimately, He does triumph over evil. I wrote about it on my church's women's blog: http://women.2701.us/2014/08/12/the-third-day/

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    1. Thanks so much Lisa... yes, ultimately He really does triumph over evil! Focusing on the Light helps me to remember this when it feels oh so dark! (Off to read your post now! Thanks for sharing!)

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  8. Amen, my friend. My heart has been so grieved the last week, but you encourage me so. Very thankful I stopped by from Holley's place today!

    PS: Isaiah 60:1 is the key verse for our ministry. Thanks for making my day :-)

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    1. Sharita... how much do you love Isaiah 60? I am finding I need the reminder to be Light when it's so easy to see all the darkness all around us! May we shine on... ever more brightly for Him! So glad you stopped by!

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  9. Blessings friend. Thank you for the encouragement to stay focused in the light and to spread the light with our words. Yes and yes!

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  10. Yes and Amen!! so much pain and so much heartache in this world of ours-and how much difference we can make with our words. Love this, sweet friend!

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    1. I love you, friend! Yes - I think we all need the reminder that our words matter... and they have power to bring healing and hope and ...well, HIM! So thankful that you use your words with purpose, on purpose!

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  11. Anonymous4:40 AM

    If we're not using our words to glorify God, to tell of Jesus, to encourage others, then I'm not sure what we are doing with them! :-) Your words and photos always encourage and inspire, friend. Thanks for linking up and reminding us to shine the Light!

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    1. Holly - Amen sister! We have a choice and oh my goodness it is so much easier to choose the right ways when we remember that our words matter!!! Love you so!

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  12. Anonymous2:50 PM

    Amen! No more focusing on the dark, but on being the light!

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    1. There is so much darkness it can pull you in and down and deep... but always, there is Light! Thanks so much for stopping by!

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  13. I feel like I failed at this today. I want to use my words to speak life, but I sometimes speak frustration and hurt, when I should be speaking life and love. I so needed this reminder. Thank you for the encouragement, and I am so thankful that His mercies are new every morning.

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    1. Oh Jo Rose... Grace to you, my friend! You are not alone! We all need this reminder to choose our words carefully and to speak them with purpose, on puprose! And yes... me too! I am so thankful for His nercies, new every morning as well!

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Thanks so much for stopping by! I always love to hear your thoughts! Remember to: Speak Life - Be Love - Shine On!
~Karrilee~

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