Let’s put to rest the old lie that “sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me.” Real life teaches otherwise: The words we speak to ourselves and others have real power to hurt us. But the flipside is good news: Words also have tremendous power to heal, to restore hope, to make people feel important and valued. In this episode, Jory and Kim Crabill explore ways to ensure that the influence of our words builds others up rather than tears them down.
About Kim Crabill
Kim Crabill is founder and president of Roses and Rainbows Ministries, Inc., and Community COFFEEs (Conversations of Friends of Faith to Encourage and Equip). She has traveled nationally for more than 20 years, speaking at retreats, at conferences, and to Bible study groups, and has been interviewed on national TV and radio. Kim’s message and passion come from her personal experience of longing to be used by God yet feeling unusable because of past abuse, anorexia, diet pill addiction, and depression. Her mother’s deathbed challenge set Kim on the path of daring to be and do what God had purposed for her, a journey she wrote about in her book Burdens to Blessings. She is also author of Burdens to Blessings: Young Adult Edition, Infinitely More: Your 40-Day Ephesians 3:20 Adventure, A Cup of Christmas, A Cup of Hope, and A Cup of Freedom.
Kim is married to Lee Crabill, and together they have two adult sons. For more information about Kim Crabill and her ministries, visit www.rosesandrainbows.org.
Kim’s Success Tips
Hurtful words toward others often have their root in the way we talk to ourselves. If negative self-talk is your habit, try this exercise: For one week, write down the negative remarks about yourself that pop into your mind. Perhaps those words are based in a memory of what a parent, teacher, or coworker once said to you. Our self-talk often echoes the other-talk we’ve received through the years. Maybe your negative self-talk comes from deep within your own dissatisfaction with who you are and what your life is like. Whatever the source, write down each thought as it comes. It won’t be pretty, but recognizing how you are currently talking to yourself is the first step toward changing that conversation.
Kim’s Verse of the Day
“Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.” Ephesians 4:29
Jory’s Success Tips
1. ” Choose Life” by replacing negative “self-talk” with positive “soul-talk.”
2. Commit to yourself (and your friends and family!) that you won’t complain about anything for 30 days straight!!!
3. If you’re tempted to say something negative to somebody, give yourself a 24-hour cooling off period to pray and collect your thoughts. A lot of good can happen in 24 hours.
Jory’s Verse of the Day
“Kind words are like a honeycomb, sweet to the soul and healing to the bones.” Proverb 16:24
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Listen to Jory and Kim by clicking the audio player below.
Click to view and download transcript [PDF]
Piano music by David Nevue.
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