To Please Our Provider

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to You, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. – (Psalm 19:14, HCSB)

May my words and thoughts please You. Lord, you are my Rock – the One who rescues me. – (Psalm 19:14, ERV)

May the words that come out of my mouth and the musings of my heart meet with Your gracious approval, O Eternal, my Rock, O Eternal, my Redeemer. – (Psalm 19:14, VOICE)

Yesterday was a sort of Sabbath for me. I thought about excusing myself to sit down and write, but realized that time with my mom was to be my focus, as our visit was less than twenty-four hours. She is an early riser like me, or rather I am, like her, and time together is something that I never take for granted, as I know each opportunity we have to be together is a gift. The gratitude that fills my heart each time is a reminder of how good God is, and how much I want my words and thoughts to please Him. In order for our words and thoughts to be pleasing unto the Lord, we must know God and depend on Him to lead us. The more that we know God, the deeper our understanding is of what is pleasing unto Him. May we ever seek the Lord and trust in Him, for He is faithful to lead us in love as we fix our eyes and hearts on Him.

O Lord, please lead us,

In thought, word and deed;

Let all be pleasing,

As Your ways we heed.

Please show us Your heart,

In each circumstance;

Through Your eyes of love,

Let grace lead our stance.

Your heart’s for people,

With arms open wide;

Help us with Your grace,

To trust You to guide.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are our Rock and Redeemer, and that You are loving and kind. Thank You for the countless reasons that we have to praise You. Forgive us for the times that our words or actions have not been pleasing unto You. Teach us to trust and rely on You to lead us to love as You intended. Show us how to care for those around us in ways that radiate Your loving kindness and grace. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we trust You to lead us and seek You to guide what we say and what we fix our minds upon. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

Summon Your power, God; show us Your strength, our God, as You have done before. – Psalm 68:28

Purposeful Words

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, NIV)

When you talk, don’t say anything bad. But say the good things that people need – whatever will help them grow stronger. Then what you say will be a blessing to those who hear you. – (Ephesians 4:29, ERV)

Watch the way you talk. Let nothing foul or dirty come out of your mouth. Say only what helps, each word a gift. – (Ephesians 4:29, MSG)

What we say matters. When we are negative or use ugly words, we are not building anyone up, and in reality, we are bringing ourselves and those around us down. It is better to say nothing than to be toxic with our words. We are called to build each other up and help strengthen them. Our words matter, and it is an intentional decision to be kind and encouraging or to remain quiet. May we ever seek the Lord to lead us so that our words are a gift that build others up and are beneficial to the hearers.

O Lord, let my words,

Bring encouragement;

Help me be silent,

When that’s not what’s meant.

Let each word be kind,

Purposeful, build up;

May goodness and grace,

Free what’s been bound up.

For strength can be found,

Through words of others;

When used to lift up,

And love each other.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for the gift of Your words. Thank You that You, lead, encourage, guide, and reside within us, and use Your words to fill our hearts with Your goodness and grace. Forgive us for the times that we have used words to hurt, cut down, or complain, rather than to build up. Teach us to speak with grace and kindness, and to be silent when we cannot. Show us how to love those around us with our words in ways that encourage, strengthen and build up. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we use our words as You intended, to encourage and build others up. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, Lord, my Rock and Redeemer. – Psalm 19:14

Pleasing Words and Thoughts

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to You, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. – (Psalm 19:14, HCSB)

May my words and thoughts please You. Lord, You are my Rock – the One who rescues me. – (Psalm 19:14, ERV)

May the words that come out of my mouth and the musings of my heart meet with Your gracious approval, O Eternal, my Rock, O Eternal, my Redeemer. – (Psalm 19:14, VOICE)

Our words and thoughts are influenced by what we take in, and by those with whom we spend our time. The most important influencer that we ought to seek at the start of our day is God. He is faithful to meet us as we seek Him, and will rescue us from our own thoughts that wander. His Spirit shows us what is good, and when we set our minds and hearts on these things, the words of our mouth are a reflection of such. May we ever seek the Lord to direct the musings of our heart and the words to which we give a voice.

O Lord, help my words,

To clearly show You;

All spoken in love,

That show Your heart true.

Father, keep my thoughts,

On that which is good;

Grant wisdom and grace,

To do as I should.

Let love lead in all,

I think, do and say;

Show me what You’d do,

Please come light my way.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are faithful to lead and guide us in what is good, so that our thoughts and words may be a reflection of who You are and how You love. Forgive us for every word and thought that has not been led by Your love. Teach us to trust and depend on You to show us what is good and pleasing unto You. Show us how to love those around us well, so that Your heart is made known through all that we say and do. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we turn to You to direct our thoughts to things of You and seek You to grant us Your words of love. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – His good, pleasing and perfect will. – Romans 12:2

Pleasing Words and Thoughts

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to You, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. – (Psalm 19:14, HCSB)

May my words and thoughts please You. Lord, You are my Rock – the One who rescues me. – (Psalm 19:14, ERV)

May the words that come out of my mouth and the musings of my heart meet with Your gracious approval, O Eternal, my Rock, O Eternal, my Redeemer. – (Psalm 19:14, VOICE)

Our thoughts and words matter to God. The musings of the heart are directly linked to what we take in. For me, this means that in order to keep my thoughts from wandering down a road I need not travel, I have to be cautious about what I consume. If I set my heart on God to begin each day, I am in a better position to choose my words and direct my thoughts wisely. However, if I listen to or watch something violent or full of angst, even if my words do not reflect what I have taken in, my thoughts struggle to turn away from the unpleasant. I know some folks have a filter that simply sifts out such stuff, but as a very visual individual, it is too difficult to not keep reliving what I do not want to relive. Everyone is different, but it is important to know how we can best keep our words and thoughts turned toward God, so that what we say, think and do is a reflection of His love. May we ever seek the Lord to help set our hearts on Him so that our words and the musings of our hearts will be pleasing to God.

O Lord, let Your love,

Lead my thoughts and words;

So goodness is stored,

And grace is what’s heard.

Keep my heart upheld,

In Your loving light;

By grace filter out,

All that is not right.

Show me through Your lens,

That which needs to go;

Flood me with Your thoughts,

So Your love is shown.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that as we seek You, You show us what it is to meditate on Your love and share it with others through all that we do and say. Forgive us for every word and thought that has not been pleasing to You. Teach us how to clear our minds of that which does not build up, and to set our sights on You and Your love. Show us how to love those around us as You intended. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You to help keep our words and thoughts on that which is pleasing to You. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

May my meditation be pleasing to Him; I will rejoice in the Lord. – Psalm 104:34

Pleasing to You

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to You, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. – (Psalm 19:14, HCBS)

May my words and thoughts please You. Lord, You are my Rock, the one who rescues me. – (Psalm 19:14, ERV)

May the words that come out of my mouth and the musings of my heart meet with Your gracious approval, O Eternal, my Rock, O Eternal, my Redeemer. – (Psalm 19:14, VOICE)

This is an ongoing prayer, for above all else, I long for my words, thoughts and deeds to be pleasing to God. It is a lifelong process to pursue to live a life that pleases the Lord. Despite our best intentions, our own ugliness and sinfulness stand in our way. To think, act and speak in a way that is pleasing to God requires dependence on Him to lead and guide us in all things. Our most challenging places to focus on what pleases Him seem to come in the areas of our lives that we have not fully submitted to His hands. It is in our spaces of full surrender that we discover our words and our thoughts align with His, as He strengthens and supplies us with that which is good and pleasing to Him. May we ever seek the Lord in full surrender, allowing Him room to lead and guide us in word, thought and deed so that we may honor God in all things. 

O Lord let my life,

Photo by Lukas Rodriguez on Pexels.com

Be pleasing to You;

With every thought,

All I say and do.

Show me Your goodness,

Fill me with Your grace;

Lead me to love well,

Throughout all my days.

Help me Lord Jesus,

To rely on You;

Each word that I speak,

And in all I do.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are love and You are grace. Thank You that as we seek and depend on You, You show us what is good and pleasing unto You. Forgive us for our spaces of self-reliance, for it is in those spaces that we choose poorly. Teach us to completely surrender all to You, for it is in that space of surrender that we discover Your heart and help for all that lies before us. Show us how to love those around us completely, so that they may discover the light and life that You alone are offering. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we are intentional to seek You in all things to lead and guide us to love like You. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

Now may the God of peace… equip you with all that is good to do His will, working in us what is pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ. Glory belongs to Him forever and ever. Amen. – Hebrews 13:21

Speaking With Grace

Let your conversations be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone. – (Colossians 4:6, NIV)

When you talk, you should always be kind and wise. Then you will be able to answer everyone in the way you should. – (Colossians 4:6, ERV)

Let every word you speak be drenched with grace and tempered with truth and clarity. For then you will be prepared to give a respectful answer to anyone who asks about your faith. – (Colossians 4:6, TPT)

When the pressure feels great in every area of life, this is not the easiest thing to do. Grace is great, but there are moments and days that I have to refrain from speaking, as I know that what is churning in my heart and head is not gracious nor wise. This is a space where God’s grace is necessary to navigate well. On my own, I do not have the answers to much of anything. By His grace, words come when they are needed if I am tuned in and dependent on Him. This morning, I again turn in trust to the Lord to be the grace and truth and clarity that is a part of all that I say and do. May we ever seek Him to lead us and guide us with every word that leaves our lips.

Lord, grant me the words,

Of goodness and grace;

The words that bring life,

Throughout each new day.

When my heart’s heavy,

Please keep my mouth closed;

Let only kindness,

Words of love be told.

May Your heart be shown,

Through each word and deed;

As the light of grace,

And Your goodness lead.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You call us to extend light and life through speaking with kindness and wisdom. Thank You that You willingly supply the words to speak when we are dependent on You. Forgive us for every thought, word and deed that was not gracious, loving or kind. Teach us to depend on You to provide the words when we are uncertain of what to say, and grant us wisdom to know when to speak and when to stay silent. Show us how to love those around us well, as we extend kindness, goodness and grace through our every word. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek You to speak the way You call us to communicate. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in Your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. – Psalm 19:14

Speak With Care

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, NIV)

When you talk, don’t say anything bad. But say the good things that people need – whatever will help them grow stronger. Then what you say will be a blessing to those who hear you. – (Ephesians 4:29, ERV)

And never let ugly or hateful words come from your mouth, but instead let your words become beautiful gifts that encourage others; do this by speaking words of grace to help them. – (Ephesians 4:29, TPT)

 

Words matter. Words can build up or they can tear down. What we do with our words may have a lasting impact on the hearer, far beyond what we will ever know. This works with both encouragement and that which is destructive. One unkind, ugly or hateful word spoken carelessly, can haunt the hearer for years. If a child is already feeling discouraged and struggling, and someone comes along and tells them that they are stupid, that thoughtless word can become a barrier to them becoming their best self for an extended stretch of time. On the contrary, when a child is built up, encouraged, nurtured, loved and valued with words (and actions that prove them true), they soar as they are equipped to become the best version of themselves. Adults are no different. Marriages, friendships, work environments, etcetera – all grow stronger and become better when encouragement and grace are prevalent. I have experienced both, and the difference between the two is surviving and thriving. People surrounded by ugly and hateful words either join in and engage, attempt to bring change, or stay silent. Either way, it creates a survival sort of mentality. However, in an environment of encouragement and grace, people grow and become equipped to do likewise. May we watch our words with wisdom, knowing that what we say has the capacity to either build up or tear down.

 

May all of our words,

Photo by Dee Jones of Open Door Photography ❤

Be spoken with care;

For words have power,

Bring life or despair.

Our words can build up,

Bring out other’s best;

As we encourage,

Receivers are blessed.

Yet in the same way,

Words that are unkind;

Can wound and destroy,

The ears that they find.

So, let all we say,

Be seasoned with grace;

Spoken with kindness,

Throughout all our days.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that the words that You have for us are love and life and light and full of goodness and grace. Thank You that You call and equip us to do the same with the words that we extend to others. Forgive us for the words that we have spoken that have wounded others. Teach us to stop and think before we speak, seeking Your heart and help to extend words that encourage and build up, rather than destroy. Show us how to love those around us with encouraging words and use each word spoken to help others become a better version of themselves. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we seek Your wisdom for every word that leaves our lips. Amen.

 

© Shannon Elizabeth (Moreno) Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

 

May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to You, O Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer. – Psalm 19:14