Gimme a G!

Gimme an O! Gimme a D! What's that spell?

Okay, I will admit, I get really excited about being God's Cheerleader as I wave my pom-poms high in the air wishing I could do basket tosses without seriously injuring myself. But, seriously, can you really be overly enthusiastic for God?

I think not!

That is why today at Be a Barnabas, we will focus on the good, the bad and the ugly of being an encourager for God. Being a Cheerleader isn't always back flips and cheers. Sometimes, you are trudging through mud getting your cute little skirt and matching tennis shoes all yucky. That's right, I said yucky.

Sometimes in life we say things we don't mean. We either phrase it incorrectly, use the wrong word alltogether, or let our words bypass our filter and send the sludge out for all to hear.

I recently had a friend make a comment about a turning point in my writing career. This short yet innocent remark did its best to send me plummeting in a tailspin diving under my covers to hide my head in writing shame. Did she mean it as such? No.

But one thing's for sure, it made me wonder how many times an innocent remark escaped my lips instead of staying on my tongue where it should have died in the first place.

OUCH! Makes me want to hide behind my pom-poms. I know I've done it, and I'm sorry for it and humbly repent.

Our words are power. They create life…or bring death. I choose life. And, through this, I am eternally grateful to my friend for helping me realize it so I may guard my tongue as Christ commanded. Remember when James said that both fresh water and salt water cannot flow from the same spring? (See below)

The wise Solomon once said, "The tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit." (Proverbs 15:4 NIV)

This week, I will consider all my words before they escape into the air with crushing potential. Once it's out there, it's out there never to be taken back, and now with e-mail, it can be forwarded. Scary thought isn't it? ;o)

Until next week, keep praising, keep encouraging, and keep those pom-poms flying high.

In His Service~

Dawn Michelle Michals
God's Cheerleader

James 3:9-12 (NIV)

9With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in God's likeness. 10Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers, this should not be. 11Can both fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12My brothers, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.