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The Power of Words · WholeHeart Conversations

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  Constance: Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me.
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  Constance: That's an old nursery rhyme that used to be repeated a lot when I was a child.
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  Constance: A comeback when someone says something hurtful to you or about you.
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  Constance: A way to say your words have no impact on me.
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  Constance: But is that true?
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  Constance: Because we know words do have an impact.
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  Constance: In fact, the Bible says the tongue has the power of life and death.
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  Constance: You're listening to Wholeheart Conversations, a podcast especially for women, to receive biblical encouragement that fosters resilience through the practical application of God's Word.
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  Constance: I'm your host, Constance Lavonice.
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  Constance: Proverbs chapter 18, verse 21 says, the tongue has the power of life and death, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
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  Constance: That's the New International Version.
• 1:14
  Constance: And I also like the New American Standard Bible, which states, Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.
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  Constance: This tells you that there's power in your words.
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  Constance: Your words can either bless someone or curse someone, encourage or discourage, beat down or build up, soothe a situation or inflame a situation, bring peace or chaos, injure or heal.
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  Constance: It can bring life or death.
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  Constance: Life is peace, encouragement, life promotes growth.
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  Constance: Life is helpful to your well-being.
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  Constance: On the other hand, words that speak death are destructive, unhelpful to someone's well-being.
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  Constance: There's a term called the negativity bias.
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  Constance: It basically means that negative experiences and words have a greater impact than positive experiences on a person's psychological being.
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  Constance: The negative experiences or words tend to stand out more and affect us more.
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  Constance: So how are we to respond as Christians with our words?
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  Constance: Ephesians chapter 4, verse 29 tells us to do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up.
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  Constance: And this reminds me of an experience that I had when I was sitting at a table with two other women, and one of the women, an elderly woman, or she was an elder to us, saw a teenage girl walking by.
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  Constance: Thank you so much.
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  Constance: I'm just starting to accept my hair as it is.
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  Constance: And she was so happy to have been complimented.
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  Constance: She walked away with a big smile on her face.
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  Constance: And that's what we should do as Christians.
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  Constance: Our words should promote life and growth and contribute to positive well-being.
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  Constance: So starting today, notice your choice of words and choose words that promote life with your inner self as well as when you're speaking to others.
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  Constance: So I want you to this week read Proverbs 18, verse 21, and Ephesians chapter 4, verse 29, and ask God to show you how to apply these verses to your life.
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  Constance: I also want to leave you with Colossians chapter 4 verse 6.
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  Constance: Let your conversations be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.
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  Constance: That's my prayer for you going forward.
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  Constance: And if you've heard anything helpful, please subscribe and share and send the show a text to let me know what's on your heart.