Taming the Tongue

Some of the most beautiful sounds
are hearing people praise our Lord with song, hear them preach the word of truth, and hear the body encourage one another.

Some of the most horrible things to hear are comments that hurt the greatest of feelings, snarls that stab someone in the back, and rude remarks to a family member or friend. 

The sad thing is...they both come through the same area of the body >>> the tongue.

Throughout my years I have always been known as the really LOUD girl who talks to much. It's okay if you just nodded and said yes to the previous sentence, because we all know it's true. However, as the years have gone by, God has shown me so much and has worked on my heart and mouth in order that I say more that glorifies Him and shows less of my nasty nature. Thank God, that's all Him and nothing of me. This is definitely an area of struggle for many of us, and especially for me. My personality is very open and I say what I think...Most of the times, I don't reciprocate that phrase and think about what I say. God has showed me so much about myself and my wicked heart, and through that, the things that come out of my mouth are far greater than they used to be. I used to spit nasty remarks to strangers and friends, say I was joking about it, then move on. Or remember that time when I snapped at my mom for waking me up too early? Oh wait, that was this morning!
See how easy it is to allow Satan to come in and use your tongue for the greatest works of evil? With my nasty remark I made to my mom this morning, I felt horrible after. As I read my Bible and prayed, God opened my eyes to some things. I am currently reading in James and Psalms and the scriptures went hand-in-hand with what I dealt with this morning. Don't you love how God does that? :)

James 3 talks about taming the tongue:
" 3 Behold, we put bits in the horses' mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body.

4 Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth.

5 Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth!

6 And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.

7 For every kind of beasts, and of birds, and of serpents, and of things in the sea, is tamed, and hath been tamed of mankind:

8 But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.

9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.

10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.

11 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?

12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.

When I read this, I was CUT to the heart. I asked my mother and father for forgiveness and God showed me so much. 

The devil wants to to use your tongue for the following: 
1. To hurt others

2. To lift yourself up- "bring on the pride"
3. To sing praises to him (this is will come if we follow this world)

God wants to use your tongue for these reasons:

1. To encourage & love others

2. To lift His name up

3. To sing praises to Him (when we are having a good day & a bad day)

4. To PREACH his great Name and
 make Him known throughout this earth!

The TONGUE was made by God and God desires that it is used for HIS glory! The tongue can be used for so much good but also for so much bad. I pray that today we would desire to keep our tongues and words to the utmost of God's glory. Through the Holy Spirit we are able to kill the inner man and let the mind of Christ rule in our bodies. With this, our tongues will always praise Jesus.

I want to be a Proverbs 31 woman and let this scripture be lived out in my life! Woman or man, Lord let this 

be our prayer:

"She opens her mouth with wisdom,
And on her tongue is the law of kindness."

Proverbs 31:26

I love yall very much!
God bless,

Beka

Today I Saw Him Walk

Today I saw him walk....
This morning I woke up at a really ungodly hour (4:20am) to drive to see my wonderful fiance graduate from college. It seems like yesterday I was running around in my high school basketball gym, looking over my shoulder to see if my new crush was looking at me...Surely enough he was. :) A few weeks later we started dating at the ages of 18 and 15, not knowing what we were doing or where this relationship would take us. This morning as I reminisced on these past times of mine, I saw the man that Felix has become over those 5 years. God has grown him in so many ways and it is amazing to know that God has completely planned out every single part of his life up to this point. I am so proud. 

Sadly I admit that it was REALLY hard to get up this morning, as I had to force myself off of our living room couch while my alarm buzzed in my ear. Because I had work until 1:30am last night I had gotten home late. Not to mention one of my great friends came over and we studied French for a while then caught up on life. Needless to say, we got about an hour of sleep (literally) then were on our way to Ruston to see Felix walk. 

We packed the car and headed off on our 4 hour journey, exhausted, and with loads of coffee. Hilariously enough, my mom's prediction of our car ride came true. We jammed to Christmas music & our future wedding playlist for about an hour and then...We were OUT COLD. I threw my body on top of my friend's in the back seat and we both fell asleep. It was a good ride up with some great laughs.

....

As we all know, graduation ceremonies are probably the most boring things ever (after horrible PowerPoint presentations). The whole ceremony I couldn't help but look down at my future husband, sitting in his chair, thinking of how proud I was. I zoned in an out of the ceremony, but I thought of how wonderful of a man the Lord has made him in to be and how much he has accomplished in his life thus far. 

The Lord has used him in so many ways around his campus, in the lives of his roommates and friends, and all throughout our church and friends in our hometown. This man has had such a wonderful influence on so many and I couldn't be more proud of him. When they called his name and he walked up to the platform to receive his diploma, we shouted and hollered his name with great pride, and from a far distance I could see a smile on his face. 

So, without further a due, I now introduce to you, my wonderful Fiance...The graduate.

(isn't he cute?)

Here is the most beautiful part of the story: on our way home from Tech, Felix and I were listening to some worship music when he said, "Bek, let's pray! I'll go and pray and thank God for something, then you pray, then i'll pray, and so on." We started to pray and went back & forth thanking God for so many wonderful things and people in our life...Funnily enough, my tired body gave out after a round or two, and I began to dose off while he continued the most beautiful, passionate prayer. Falling asleep to your future husband talking to God is seriously one of the most calming things ever. I cannot wait to marry this man.

He is already the best personal trainer and is going to be rockin' the business soon. He moves into our new home this week and starts his job next week! I am so happy for him and cannot wait to start our lives together. This brings us one step closer! 45 days until the wedding bells ring. I am so pumped!

I love you, Felix.
I am so proud of you!