The Creation… Steven & Sheena Gabbard

Pucker Up!

What is a woman to do?  There are so many “lip” products on the market now days.  Lip gloss, lipstick, lip stain, lip plumper, lip lacquer.  The list can go on and on, and let’s not forget about the never ending palette of colors from, “cherries in the snow” to “bubblegum pink”!

As women our smiles can light up a room, our kisses can calm a crying baby, and our words can kill.  Yes, you read that last part right, our words can kill.  James 3:8 states that, “…no one can tame the tongue; it is a restless evil full of poison.”  We must pick and choose our words just as carefully as we pick and choose the lipstick color we select for the day before us!

Give these verses some thought:

“The north wind brings forth rain, And a backbiting tongue, an angry countenance.” Proverbs 25:23

“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit.”  Proverbs 18:21

“People who want to live a full life and enjoy good days must keep their tongues from saying evil things, and their lips from speaking deceitful things.”  1 Peter 3:10

“An evildoer pays attention to wicked lips. A liar opens his ears to a slanderous tongue.”  Proverbs 17:4

God’s Word has countless verses regarding the significance of words that pass by our lips.  We can build people up or create false notions; we can bring a smile to a face or bring burning anger to ones heart.  As women of God we must place high importance on picking out the words we choose to say!  Kind words should flow out of our mouths that paint lovely images, lift others up, and leave a smile on someone’s face!

I can guarantee that your choice to speak kind words can only enhance your ever important choice of lipstick color.  Give it a try, my guess is it may become your new favorite accessory.

All too often, I find myself asking, “What is the Lord’s plan for me.  What path does He want me on and how will I get there.”  I don’t know the answer to those questions as I feel His plan has not been revealed to me, but I do feel as though we are prepared in advance so that we are ready when His time is right – not ours.

During my early years of college, public speaking was something I enjoyed and looked forward to.  As time went on, it became something I feared.  I’m not sure when or how I made the change from one extreme to the other, but it happened.  Now, I’m too young and have too much in front of me to fear public speaking.  It’s something I do often and something I know I will do more and more as time goes on.  So how do I get over a fear that is holding me back and keeping me from being my all?  I face it head on and that’s exactly what I have done and what I plan to continue doing.

The other day I received a call from the National Association of Home Builders requesting me to speak at the International Builders Show in Orlando on February 14th.  At first, the fear of public speaking tried to drive my answer to a “No, I can’t do it”, but I recognized this internal attack early on and was able to accept the invitation.  I was nervous about the seminar the week leading up to it, but then something amazing happened.

The support and encouragement started with my wonderful wife, Sheena, but it didn’t end there.  After reading Exodus 4:10 that night, it was as though I was echoing the same words Moses did 3,400 years ago (give or take a few).  Moses was chosen to lead the people of Israel out of Egypt and in order to do so, he must get permission from Pharaoh.  Getting permission meant speaking.  When the Lord told Moses what He wanted him to do, Moses was anything but happy.  It was as though Moses was saying, “Lord, hold up!  You’ve got the wrong guy.”

Moses response to the Lord’s request was where I found myself earlier that day.  “O Lord, I’m not very good with words.  I never have been, and I’m not now, even though you have spoken to me.  I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled.”
This is the part that hit me like a sack of bricks and made me realize this opportunity was part of His plan and in order to perform His plan later, I must prepare today.

Then the Lord asked Moses,  “Who makes a person’s mouth?  Who decides whether people speak or do not speak, hear or do not hear, see or do not see?  Is it not I, the Lord?  Now go!  I will be with you as you speak, and I will instruct you in what to say.”

WOW!

Talk about a revelation.  For a moment I had almost forgot that the will of God will never take us where the grace of God will not protect us.  From that moment forward, all of my fears were washed away.  I put all of my trust in the Lord and know I was where I needed to be and most importantly, I was protected by His grace.

-Steven Gabbard (SSGabbard.com)

 Being like most humans…a creature of habit, I have always been comfortable in my distinct bare French Manicured fingernails.  Perfectly happy and content with the simplicity, cleanliness, and neatness of the white tip in all its glory until one day, I took a step outside the box, and went with RED. 

Red fingernails are a bit flashy, a bit foxy, and in a weird way a bit empowering.  As I dawned my newly painted red fingernails to the rest of the world I slowly began to grow quite fond of them.  I in some arbitrary line of thinking began to read deep into the brilliant rich red fingernails.  The red hue so illuminant, bright, strong, and bold….it reminded me of courage.  I then began to think about courage.  Where does my courage come from? 

This question brings a very pleasant thought to mind, my courage comes from the Lord.  The deep red color splashed across my fingernails now reminds me of the price Christ paid so I can have a relationship with him.  The crimson on my hands now demands my attention when I am nervous or unsure reminding me of Joshua 1:9.  “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.” 

Being a daughter of the King I have the power and majesty of Christ at the tips of my fingers!  Fingers turning through pages of the Bible, fingers clenched in Prayer, and fingers with fingernails now drenched in my new color of choice, courageous red.