By: Amy Cummins
We often speak without considering the impact of our words. How often, for example, have we thought or said to ourselves, “I can’t do this,“ or “I’m not good enough,“ and ended up internalizing those words without realizing it? The words we speak are so, so powerful and create the frame of reference for which we live our lives. In the words of the Persian poet Hafiz, “The words we speak become the house we live in.”
As a result, our words can be used for good—for building up and encouraging—or for bad—for tearing down and discouraging. According to Proverbs 18:21, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.” It sounds simple enough, but if we’re accustomed to speaking negative words to ourselves, it can be difficult to rewire our thoughts to become more hopeful and life-giving. It takes intentional, consistent effort. The good news, though, is that it can be done, and there are some great resources to help.
Singer-songwriter, author, and WM podcast guest Ellie Holcomb just released a great journaling devotional on this topic called Fighting Words – 100 Days of Speaking Truth into the Darkness (B&H Publishing), and we can’t recommend it enough. In it, she shares 100 different Scripture passages and promises that have kept her grounded in God’s Truth. Alongside each one, she writes about how it has encouraged, transformed, or comforted her, and she includes reflection questions as well in order to invite readers to process the verses on their own.
“Fighting Words is more like an invitation than a book,” she said. “It’s an invitation to come as you are and lie down in the green pastures of God’s Word. It’s an invitation to bury some treasure in your heart as we memorize God’s Word together, and my hope is that this book will feel like a companion who will meet you where you are, come alongside you, and help you know that you’re not alone.”
In a time when the lies of the world can feel inescapable, this devotional provides a means of becoming more rooted in the precious truths of God’s Word. No matter what season of life you’re in—whether you’re struggling with depression, hurting from loneliness, reeling from the demands of life, or just feeling distant from God—this book is for you.
