Blessings, not Curses ♦ Carol Kinsey ♦ Giveaway

Blessings, Not Curses

“But no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil and full of deadly poison. With it we bless our Lord and Father; and with it we curse men, who have been made in the likeness of God; from the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way. Does a fountain send out from the same opening both fresh and bitter water? Can a fig tree, my brethren, produce olives, or a vine produce figs? Neither can salt water produce fresh.” James 3:8-12 (NASB).

            “You’ll never amount to anything.”
            “You’re fat.”

            “You’ll never find a husband the way you are.”

            “You can’t keep your room clean.”

            “You’re a liar.”

            “You never listen.”

            “You’re stupid!”

They’re words. But they do much more than communicate frustration and anger from the sender to the receiver. They curse.

It’s easy in moments of anger to spew out words like those. They reflect the frustration of the sender of the message. The sender might not even mean them. But no matter how you look at them, the receiver of such a message feels those words deeply. Especially, when communicated by a parent, spouse, or sibling.

Think about this: If every time a person spewed a negative word (a curse) on you, a sign was suddenly hung on you saying that word, how would you feel? Stupid. Liar. Dumb. Fat. Messy…. Often times when curses, like the ones listed above, are thrown at a person, they wear that curse like a sign. Sometimes they believe it deep in their hearts. Long after the sender forgot they even sent it, the person is allowing the curse to sink into their hearts.

You’ve probably heard it many times. “My dad said I’m dumb.” - “My husband said I’m fat.” - “My wife said I never do anything nice for her like her friend’s husbands do.”  

The Bible tells us to bless and not curse. “From the same mouth come both blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be this way.”

We are encouraged in the word of God to be a blessing. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Romans 12:14 (NASB).            

As James 3 says, the tongue is not always easy to tame, but as followers of Christ, we can look to Him to help us guard it. He tells us in Galatians 5:22-23 “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.” As He develops those fruits in us, our tongue can be tamed. Not in the flesh, but in the Spirit.

We are to encourage one another and build one another up. “Therefore encourage one another and build up one another, just as you also are doing.” 1 Thess. 5:11 (NASB).

As a writer, I take my words seriously. I want my words to honor God—both what I write and what I speak. What are some ways we can bless others with our words?

·       Kind words: “You did a lovely job on this.” “You look very nice today.” 

·       Words of affirmation and encouragement: “I’m impressed!” “I’m proud of you!” “Great job!”

·    Words of thanks or a thank you card – even for the little things.

·     Praying for one another: Pray that they would be saved, pray for their families, pray for healing.

·     Forgiving those who have hurt you – and letting them know that you’ve forgiven them.

Ephesians 4:29 says, “Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear.” (NASB).

Let your words encourage. Let your words bring hope. Let your words edify. Let your words reflect the grace and love God has shown you. Let your words bless.

  

Carol Kinsey lives with her husband and their two daughters on a farm in rural Ohio. She and her husband have been involved in youth ministry for over twenty years and currently serve at a small country church, which inspired her first published novel, Under the Shadow of a Steeple in 2013. She has also published Witness Protection (2017), Greater Love (2015), and Until Proven Innocent (2014). Carol is also a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). Along with her fiction, Carol is published in several nonfiction venues. In 2016, she launched a homeschool writing curriculum, Creative Writing Through Literature. She is also a contributing author for Relationships Under Construction, an internationally used abstinence curriculum, and has written for Heartbeats. She has a passion for writing exciting, Christ-centered literature that uplifts, encourages, and gives glory to God. For more information, visit carolkinsey.net.

     Social Media Links

• ·       www.carolkinsey.net (Professional author website)
• ·       www.creativewritingthroughliterature.com curriculum website which is tied into my personal website.
• ·       https://www.facebook.com/carolkinsey.net/?fref=ts&ref=br_tf Facebook Author 
• ·       https://www.instagram.com/carolkinsey.author/ Instagram
• ·       Amazon Author Page https://www.amazon.com/Carol-Kinsey/e/B00O537WFO/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_2?qid=1477494871&sr=8-2
• ·       Goodreads Author Page https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7149066.Carol_Kinsey

Witness Protection back cover:
“There is nothing hidden that will not be disclosed.” Ty Westgate is an ex-lawyer living under witness protection. Brooke Dunbar is a young nurse, struggling to find hope and healing from her past. After four years in hiding, Ty puts his faith in Christ and realizes his moral duty to tell his unsaved parents about Jesus. While this step of faith holds eternal significance for Ty’s parents, it also puts Ty’s life in jeopardy. Together, in this fast paced novel, Ty and Brooke work to unravel the truth behind Ty’s adversaries. Will Ty’s decision to share his faith cost him his life? Will Brooke learn to trust the One Who can heal her past? The price of freedom may be too high.

Carol Kinsey

Buy Link for Witness Protection:

• ·       Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Witness-Protection-Carol-Kinsey/dp/1546907726 
• ·       Barnes and Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/witness-protection-carol-kinsey/1127005868?ean=9781546907725

About the Giveaway:
Carol is offering a free copy of Witness Protection to one of the readers of this blog post. To enter, just leave a comment below with your contact information. Easy-peasy. Giveaway ends: One in one week, on Thursday, November 30, 2017, at Midnight CST. 

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