Ok, so I gotta interrupt this 31 day journey {again}. Sorry! 🙂 We’ll get back to our life through the lens series tomorrow.
But today, if you are visiting from the Proverbs 31 devotion today, I want to say a big hello.
Today’s devotion was about something pretty much all of us struggle through at some point… gossip.
And I know, sometimes we just don’t like people. But God has really been leading me to speaking life into people… no matter how I feel about them.
So here are 10 ways to speak life to someone today:
1. Tell them how much they mean to you.
2. Let them know the ways they bless you… maybe it’s their smile, a kind heart or a generous spirit.
3. See something great inside them and let them know.
4. Compliment their hair, their eyes or something you see beautiful about them.
5. Pray for them, and then let them know.
6. Invite them to do something special with you and tell them how much it means that they would take time away to spend time with you.
7. Read an encouraging Bible verse or quote and then send it to them, tell them it made you think of them.
8. Listen to that gentle Voice inside you leading you to text them, call them or stop by their house.
9. Validate their sad feelings or emotions but help them to see the bigger picture.
10. [blank]
I left #10 blank today because I want you to help with this. Leave a comment and share the tenth way we can speak life into someone today. I can’t wait to hear your ideas!
31 Comments
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I love all of these ways to ‘speak life’ to another! One thing to think about….we cannot possibly speak life to another….in a true sense, unless God has us first…all of us…our heart, soul & mind. What we ‘do’ or ‘say’ to another means nothing unless we can love the Lord will every part of ourselves. This renews our mind, allowing us to speak to & serve others before ourselves in a humble, REAL way. In a sense, it frees our minds and hearts to love as we have been called. It’s such a difficult truth to learn…just wanted to share! (Relationship Principles of Jesus ~ Rick Warren)
I really enjoyed your post on Proverbs 31 Ministries this morning. Thank you for this post as well. My #10 is to give someone a hug. Sometimes we just need a hug.
I have much the same story to tell about gossip!! When we engage in it, we hurt our testimony and our friendship.
Thank you, thank you for not only speaking Truth into our lives with your devo but also teaching us how to CHANGE…how to take very thought captive…how to think on whatever is lovely, excellent, admirable, praiseworthy…how to ensure our words are edifying and build others up. I love your heart.
Blessings to you today,
Wendy
love your simple but heartfelt list nicki. i agree with kelley. hug as much and as often as you can. for two reasons: there are so many people who receive barely if any positive, healthy physical affection each day–children AND adults. and you never know if that’s the last time with this person. after losing a friend suddenly, knowing we’d shared a big hug in our last moment together was hugely comforting. i personally consider hugging part of loving each other fervently. 🙂
#10 Just allow the person to be themselves, don’t be judgemental, allow God to do that! I struggle with being judgemental so maybe others do too.
Thank you for your message this morning and your list. Love them both! My #10 is to not just see the beauty and the good things about someone, and share with them your view of them, but also encourage them to see themselves through your eyes. Especially effective if they’re feeling negative or discouraged about themselves, or their future.
#10 Sometimes you can easily recogonize one’s spiritual gift. Tell them that you see their gift and compliment them when you see it working in their live.
It has been pointed out to me that I have been known to be judgemental and critical and gossipy. I have been prompted after study and prayer to encourage others by letting them know the strength I see in them. It keeps me positive and helps cover any negatives.
My #10 way to speak life is not to speak but listen. Listen to your friend, really listen to them. Many times we think we know someone but until we spend the time listening and learning about them we don’t. Then love them. Love them the way they are and where they are in their life. Listen and love.
Nicki, thanks for your list.
Blessings to you.
We need to practice to listen to others. Dear Lord please help us.
Jane.
#10 We should know our friends and the way they want to be shown that you care…one of my friends likes get togethers, another one simply a telephone call to ask how she is doing, yet another one prefers texting…we should know how our friends like us to show that we care…
You know the old saying…who will be at your funeral one day and remember you always,,,family and friends, certainly not companies and shareholders so it is a matter of having the right priorities for our life…as sadly we do not get a re-run or replay…
Very good article, thank you Nicki…
I hold a girls bible study in my home once a week. You would be shocked (or maybe not so shocked) to find out that parents of most teenage girls never tell them that they are beautiful. So…in addition to compliments…which seem to go in one ear and out the other, I make eye contact and tell them they are beautiful and then I ask them, “Do you know that??” I know there are tons of ministries for women but if you would invest your time telling a teenage girl she is beautiful. With media and worldly influences, most of them feel they don’t and won’t ever measure up.
This is so very true! I have 2 teenage girls, and their friends love to come to our home. I tell them how beautiful and special they are, and my girls have shared that their friends think I’m “awesome.” This always surprises me, as I know I struggle with being inflexible about rules and nitpicky on occasion (or more often!), but all the girls see is that they feel loved and beautiful at our house! I’ve come to realize how important this is, and how they long to hear it, yet don’t very often. You made an excellent suggestion here.
Love this idea. Thank you.
Jane
Thank you for posting. It is so true. Some good things have already been mentioned. I would like to add time and attention. When we make ourselves available to be with a person we are communicating I’m not to busy to spend time with you. When this happens people feel important and special. Let’s face it we live in a fast pace society we all have lives with varying degrees of responsibility. When we take time out it is another way to encourage and honor one another. 🙂
i come from old school where church was community….never too busy to stop and share a story or work out an issue….christianity has substance and continual support for growth….not just a come on down get baptise and i am on to the next unbeliever….jesus said to feed his sheep…to be encouraging….to be kind….and paul admonished us to be a community where each can come and take what they need……
today i am among christians that are busy with their electronics and want to touch bases but have not time to play the game…..too busy has become a mantra….they do not seem to know how to make time to drink deeply of fellowship…..
of course our good GOD fills us with love and insight…but if we live lives in an exclusive cubical of just GOD and me…we forego the abundance that GOD gives when we open up and make time….this kind of giving …..flowing love….does not exhaust because you will be spiritualy fed and blessed by interacting….Christ walked among us….and we should too
You have no idea how the Holy Spirit has been speaking to me about this lately. I have laid prostrate on my closet floor and wept and just cried out for forgiveness and mercy and help. I am so ashamed, I never wanted THAT sin to be a sin that so easily entangled me, but when many words are spoken…transgression is unavoidable.
I, too, am eclectic and desire to be unlikely. I am a prayer warrior and believe ALL things are possible with God for everyone and then that stops short a lot of days right before He reaches me. Most people would say what an encourager I am and so positive, except those who know I believe mostly for everyone but myself. I struggle with some depression and some still of my Bipolar from time to time. But I guess my #10 would be pray for your friends that they may be healed and be blessed and job says so you may be healed. But I do it mainly because I can hear and see how much it means to them that we can be on the phone and I say well let’s just pray about that RIGHT NOW. It is God given. I love it so much. Thanks for all I have learned this morning.
This is #1 on the list for me. Thanks for sharing.
Jane
Thank you for sharing these encourgaging words–needed to read this devotional today–My number 10 would be a hug–sometimes a hug or human touch can breakdown some barriers we have put up.
Have a blessed day and thank you!
You never know when entangled with sin sometimes until Holy Spirit pointed your errors. I was blessed! My #10 would be to keep learning because knowledge is power. Thank you Nicki and all the people that has contributed.
I love the power and encouragement of a hand written note. I have a folder full of these kinds of notes from over the years. They brighten my day and I treasure them.
I would hug them 🙂
You could tell them how much God loves them!!
10. Tell them that God loves them!
#10 suggestions to speak life to someone:
~~Tell someone in writing or verbally, “I’m sorry,” or “I forgive you,” if it’s needed.
I tried to apologize to people I’d wronged and my letters were generally treated with silence. Ouch! My heart wanted to be reassured that I was forgiven, and it hurt so much not to get a response. “I’m sorry,” and “I forgive you,” both do so much to heal a person’s heart.
~~Use your body language to tell someone they are important.
Look at them. Smile at them and acknowledge what they are saying. Sometimes we get so caught up in “business mode” or want to be with someone else that our body language and facial expressions plainly speak death rather than life to a person and non-verbally tell them, “You’re not important,” or “You’re not worth my time or attention.” Our Heavenly Father doesn’t see us that way, and we must communicate his love with our face and body as well.
Really listen to them, sometimes we just need to pout out our hearts and have someone listen.
I was thinking wrong about myself when as I came thur a door there was this elderly women with this God loves you smile,that smile changed my whole outlook instintly. I say my #10 reason is give others you meet that same God loves you smile.
Give someone a hug and let them know that you care about them!
I would give them flowers with notes saying God loves you.
My #10 would be to BE TRULY SINCERE. Open your heart and love them and listen to them FOR REAL! A Real Sincere Moment can touch and last someone their whole life! God Bless and keep on sharing your heart Nicki!
I am involved in a church newsletter and would love to use this in an issue with appropriate credit given of course. Glad I stumbled upon your blog! Awesome!
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