My second child is Isabelle Rose.
Isabelle means "God-loving
" or "consecrated to God."
" or "consecrated to God."It is my prayer
for her, in faith
that God
placed this name
on her for a reason, that she be set apart from this world
to be His, and that she love Him
above all else.
for her, in faith that God placed this name on her for a reason, that she be set apart from this world to be His, and that she love Him above all else."They are not of the world
, just as I am not of the world." (Jn. 17:14)
, just as I am not of the world." (Jn. 17:14)"You shall love the LORD
your God
with all your heart
, with all your soul, and with all your strength
." (Deut
. 6:5)
your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength." (Deut. 6:5)Rose means "a rose" or "beauty
."
."
that her 
is true."Your beauty
should not come from outward adornment...Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty
of a gentle
and quiet spirit
, which is of great worth
in God's
sight." (1 Pet. 3:3-4)
should not come from outward adornment...Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight." (1 Pet. 3:3-4)I call her my God-loving
beauty
.
beauty.I would like to think, if I am intentional about it, every time I speak
the names
of my children I am speaking
a blessing
over them to be fulfilled.
the names of my children I am speaking a blessing over them to be fulfilled.James 3:1-12 describes the power of the tongue
. "The tongue
is a little member and boasts great things." (Jms. 3:5)
. "The tongue is a little member and boasts great things." (Jms. 3:5)
22. Yes, there are interesting stories in 
!Balak, king of the Moabites, heard the Israelites
were defeating the kingdoms around him. He was "sick with dread."
were defeating the kingdoms around him. He was "sick with dread."Back then, if you wanted the hook-ups you had to buddy up to the prophet
.
. Balak asks Balaam, the prophet of God
, in verse 6, "please come at once, curse this people for me, for they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land, for I know that he whom you bless
is blessed
, and he whom you curse
is cursed
."
, in verse 6, "please come at once, curse this people for me, for they are too mighty for me. Perhaps I shall be able to defeat them and drive them out of the land, for I know that he whom you bless is blessed, and he whom you curse is cursed."Balaam told the king he would only say
what God
wanted him to. Balak took him up to a high hill so Balaam could see how vast the Israelites
were and, hopefully, curse
them.
what God wanted him to. Balak took him up to a high hill so Balaam could see how vast the Israelites were and, hopefully, curse them.He didn't.
Instead, Balaam blessed
the Israelites.
the Israelites."Then Balak said to Balaam, 'What have you done to me? I took you to curse my enemies, and look you have blessed
them bountifully!'" (Num. 23:11)
them bountifully!'" (Num. 23:11)They did this three times.
King Balak was so mad after the third time, he struck his hands together and suggested that Balaam flee from him.
What could he have been so angry
about?
about?He understood the power of the spoken word
was as good as done. For better or for worse.
was as good as done. For better or for worse.MEDITATE ON IT
or 
?If you recognized your ability, daily, to speak
things into fruition, how would you speak differently to your kids? Husband
? Grocery store clerk?
things into fruition, how would you speak differently to your kids? Husband? Grocery store clerk?What blessings
or curses have been spoken over you, for better or worse?
or curses have been spoken over you, for better or worse?PRAY ABOUT IT
Father, what an incredible and awesome tool You have given us in our tongue. What awesome power we have that we refuse to acknowledge and yet most often use for the worse. Forgive
us Father for all the curses we have spoken over others
, especially those we love the most. Teach us
how to use our words for blessings
, to develop in ourselves and others the fruit
of Your Spirit. Open our eyes to these opportunities and give us the self-control
to reject fleshly reactions and instead speak blessings. Empower us
for Your good with our words.
us Father for all the curses we have spoken over others, especially those we love the most. Teach us how to use our words for blessings, to develop in ourselves and others the fruit of Your Spirit. Open our eyes to these opportunities and give us the self-control to reject fleshly reactions and instead speak blessings. Empower us for Your good with our words.LIVE IN IT
"A tongue that brings healing is a tree of life, but a deceitful tongue crushes the spirit." (Proverbs
15:4)
15:4) "With [our tongue] we bless
our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing
and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so." (James
3:9-10)
our God and Father, and with it we curse men, who have been made in the similitude of God. Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not to be so." (James 3:9-10)
1:26)