Word Nerd

According to one source today is Word Nerd Day!

“This Day celebrates one’s expansive vocabulary skills and the nerdiness.”

I. LOVE. WORDS.

I think part of my passion for words was born out of my early childhood development. My father was adamant that no one speak "baby talk" to me. "Baba" and "binky" were simply not permitted. My own Nana confessed many times of biting her knuckles after being corrected by my father. My father was so dedicated to my education, he went and purchased an expensive set of encyclopedias that to this day adorn the media mantle of my grandparent's home.

I also attribute much of my love for words and reading to my Aunt Kerry who taught me how to say things like "Hair Accessory" and "Perishable Items" at a ripe old age of four.

As I wrote in "#FunFactFriday | How I Became a Writer", my family also encouraged creative writing from elementary years. I'm a firm believer in "Journaling the Journey" hence why I can't help myself, writing is just a part of who I am. It's how I process. It's a piece of my gift of communication.

Someone asked me recently if I'm writing a book. Truth is, I've known for years that books are inside of me, yet to be released. Until I get clearance from the Lord on what and when, my writing will be made available right here. I am SO blessed by so many of you that send me messages confirming an encouraging word. What you may not know is that I pray over every single post before I hit publish, believing that the right eyes will see and someone will be encouraged. Holy Spirit is in full control over this blog and I trust that He will do with it whatever He pleases.

I'm absolutely in love with a free program called Grammarly. I have it attached to all my computers and phone to help me with spellchecking, grammar, and with help when I can't seem to find the right words. Each week it sends me a report showing me my productivity, words checked and compares my work with all other Grammarly users. I'm always amazed when I see numbers like these:

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Get started and join more than 10 million happy Grammarly users today.

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But beyond my own passion for books and writing, my greater passion is in THE WORD of God! Because THAT is the ultimate source of encouragement, teaching, wisdom and truth. I'm utterly addicted!

In fact, some people even say I'm "too obsessed" with it. Some fear that I only see it as a black and white guide which may separate me from the world around me giving people the impression that I'm unrelatable or that they may not be able to be transparent with me for fear that I may knock them upside the head with cold, hard truth.

I took this feedback before the Lord and asked Him to reveal if there's any truth to this person's "concern". "God, am I unapproachable? Do I take Your Word out of context and do I misuse it to hurt the very people You want me to help?!"

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. -Matthew 7:7

The Lord answered me by way of people sending me "random" messages thanking me for walking them through the hardest times of their lives with love and grace. A friend who called me sobbing a few months ago after having an abortion. Another friend who had a baby out of wedlock who allowed me to love her through the most difficult time in her life. And another new friend who I recently met for coffee who confessed a deep wound from a church leader who essentially judged her for confessing her struggles and just handed her a bunch of books to "get right" and asked that she get back with her after she "cleaned up her act." {So sad}.

Some of you may be familiar with a popular bible verse, Joshua 1:9, right?

Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.

I don't know about you, but this is one of the very first Bible verses I ever committed to memory. It's powerfully encouraging, isn't it?!

But I want to shed light into something you may not have caught. Context. Let's take a peek at the verse just before this:

Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. -Joshua 1:8

Did you catch that?! Here, I'll magnify it for you:

Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips

But we're no longer under the law you say. Yes, AND because of the gift of grace (salvation from sin AND the empowerment to live righteously in that freedom) we are still held responsible for our actions. Grace is not the ticket into Heaven and an excuse to live outside His will.
How can we speak HIs truth consistently if we're not dedicated to our devotion to learning His Word?

meditate on it day and night

To me, this means BE obsessed with it. Think, stew, brew, chew on it all the time. With an insatiable hunger. Not just hearing it preached from a platform on Sunday mornings. Not just in your little daily devo in YouVersion. ALL-THE-TIME.
As I like to say, "Get in the Word so the Word will get in you."
Or as others say, "Don't just read the Bible, let the Bible read you."
In other words, get to know the heart of the Author (and Finisher of our faith) beyond the black (sometimes red) words on the page.

so that you may be careful to do everything written in it.

Oh how I love "SO THAT" statements. I always highlight or circle them in my Bible. ...they're always hinged to a promise. (We'll get there).
Being careful is showing concern. Are we concerned with the will of God found in the Word of God?
To Do - Do what? Act. Participate in the practice of it by understanding the purpose of it by understanding the Perfect God who inspired it.

Then you will be prosperous and successful.

This is the promise! Who doesn't want to be prosperous and successful? I do! God knows what He's doing. If the Old Testament were completely dead and irrelevant, why would it still be in circulation after all this time. Let's take caution not to just concern ourselves with the New Testatment Covenant that we disregard the history and the context. It is, in essence, the "why" behind the "Who". (Jesus).

So yeah, I'm a #WordNerd. Wholeheartedly. Unashamedly. And the more I go through it, the more I grow through it. (It's beautifully challenging and convicting!) And the more I grow through it, the more excited I am to sow it. I sow it by showing it, Sharing the revelation of it. Declaring the Good News...Why? Because it glorifies the heart of my Father.

The Word is known as the Sword of the Spirit (Ephesians 6:17), and is sharper than any two edged sword (Hebrews 4:12). It slices through the lies of the enemy. I know who the enemy is. It's not people (Ephesians 6:12). I hope to God I deliver His truth in love (Ephesians 4:15) and don't slice off the ears of the very people dying to hear it (John 18:10). I know I'm not the Holy Spirit, I'm the "Heather spirit", a conduit (not a container) of the Holy Spirit. I am commissioned (Mark 16:15) to preach, teach, edify and exhort (2 Timothy 4:2). I am called. I am chosen (Matthew 22:14). I am a child of God (Galatians 3:26). Coheirs with Christ (Romans 8:17). And with these words, my prayer, Dear Friend, is that you too will embrace your God-given mission to be a messenger speaking truth in love in a world that's seemingly comfortable with lies and hate.

Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. -2 Timothy 4:2-3