Every one of us will encounter words that have the power to linger.

Some are spoken in anger.
Some are offered carelessly.
Some are intended to wound.
Some become identity and labels we never asked to carry.

Words like..."You're not good enough." Or, "You'll never succeed." Your mind may whisper, "You're a failure," or accuse, "You're weak."

The truth is, we cannot control what others choose to say. And sometimes it's even hard to control what words replay in our own mind, those negative things we say to ourselves. While we can't silence every critic or erase every hurtful comment, we can choose what we allow to shape us. We have the power to speak better things over ourselves and our lives. Repeating a constant truth, a million times a day if necessary, until it drowns out the negative noise around us.

Imagine a compass.

No matter how many voices argue around it, the needle continues pointing north. It doesn't chase opinions. It isn't distracted by criticism. It remains fixed on what is true. Always pointing north.

Our lives need that same kind of anchor.

Healthy feedback is valuable. And sometimes difficult words reveal blind spots we need to address. Wisdom listens carefully before responding. Not every opinion deserves equal weight, and not every label deserves a place in our identity.

When we allow someone else's words to redefine who we are or redirect where we're going, we've handed them authority over our lives, power they were never meant to have.

Instead, learn to pause. Evaluate what you've heard honestly.

Keep what is true.

Release what isn't.

Then continue moving toward the purpose, values, and convictions that guide your life.  Your direction is too important to surrender to the opinions of others. Because in the end, your future is shaped far more by the choices you make than by the labels others want to place on you.

Your direction in life is your choice. Don't let their words change your course or victory.

In life, the reality is not "whether" or not we will teach others, but "what" we will teach them.  We teach by the testimony of our lives through the decisions we make. Please realize today every action you make is being viewed by others.  You are either helping them travel more confidently the right path or encouraging them to walk the road of destruction.  You might not believe it, but others are learning through your words and actions today. 

This should give you pause for reflection, to examine your own lifestyle and choices.  However, it should also empower you to understand the influence you have on the world around you.  For better or for worse, you can make a difference.

Part of living a life with Christ is giving back to others in your community.  This weekend I had the wonderful opportunity to volunteer to teach Kindergarten through second grade students how to write a good story, the parts of a story, how to identify problems, and find solutions.  The Young Writer's Conference was held at Sherrod Elementary School in Palmer, Alaska.  Students from all over the Matanuska-Susitna Borough School District came to participate.  

I ended up teaching 54 students in three groups, who came with their parents and grandparents to the event.  I began by sharing the story Mimsy Mouse Searches for a New Home by Linda N. Walz and Stephan Linton.  Students learned about the three parts of a fiction book: the beginning, middle, and end.  Each section was later broken down to help students identify the problem, the turning point, and solution.  All the students fell in love with Mimsy's story and who wouldn't; it's a wonderful tale of friendship.

After explaining what makes a good story to the kids, I brought booklets for each student to create his/her own story.  Perimeters were given to help students focus on writing their stories in the given amount of time.  The stories had to be about a main character that was a moose.  The moose had to have some problem based on a desire or talent the moose had that was not "normal" for other moose.  I gave the examples of maybe the moose wanted to play the piano, ski down a mountain, or ride a bicycle.  Then the students began the creative writing process.

In the end, I loved all the different stories the children created.  There was a moose who lived on the sun and wanted to move because he was so hot.  He moved to Antarctica and was much happier.  There were two young ladies in the last group that really surprised me by working together.  None of the other children had thought about coauthoring.  These two girls attended the same school and were friends.  When the first little girl started her story about a moose, named Bilmy, that was scared of everything and lived in a cave to feel safe, the second little girl made her story about a friendly girl moose, named Emily, who befriended Bilmy to teach him the world isn't scary when you have a best friend.   Together the young ladies wrote a very touching story of friendship, which displayed their own good hearts as well.

Buy Mimsy Mouse Today!

It was wonderful to share with the kids and watch them learn.  I also laughed a lot at their imaginations: from moose going to the moon to driving trucks or ice skating, these kids had endless ideas for problems and solutions.  I also loved that every time I asked as question, they jumped right in to answer.  Every child thought he or she was a great artist.  They all tried their best to draw moose, even when their skills were not as well-honed as others.  Most children thought they were good writers too.  Every student believed he had something to share.  Saturday made me wish many adults would go back and capture their child-like hearts, when they believed in themselves so completely as these kids did.  Somehow adults lose sight of their abilities and imaginations.  Trials have made us stop believing in ourselves or start comparing our gifts to others, who have are "better" than us.  These kids didn't have that problem.  Each child worked diligently on his drawings and story, regardless of whether other students were better or worse in those talents. Spending time with children can help bring our own childlike qualities back to our lives.  We can learn to believe in ourselves again and use our gifts without comparison to others.  We can not only have childlike faith, but childlike confidence too.  Yes, you can write a book.  It might be as crazy as a moose on roller skates, but it would be fun and creative.  Judging from the 54 students I worked with on Saturday, we are all born with creativity.  Don't let the world steal your joy from you!

As I reflect on the paths we take in life and where to start narrating my journey, I realize each day nothing is conveniently in order... at least not a day I've ever had.  Sure, we like to think we plan our day: we set the alarm for when to get up; we organize our lunchtime, work schedules, & dinner dates.  We might even book medical appointments, play dates, time at the gym, or how we think we'll spend our "free time."  But, in the end, we really can't control any of it.  It's like the illusion of living on "solid ground."  Most days we believe we are standing firmly on solid ground.  So much so, we never even question the fact the ground beneath our feet might not be solid at all.  Then an unexpected earthquake reminds us the ground beneath our feet can move at any time.  The illusion of security is shattered.

Some days can be like that too.  No matter how much we plan, the unexpected is always waiting to throw a Divine monkey-wrench into our best laid plans.  Designed to take us on unwanted journey of growth, these life-shakers like earthquakes leave us feeling uncomfortable.  The reminder that we aren't in full control makes us uneasy.  For some, the thought of not being in control is a relief.  They relish the idea that they are not ultimately responsible for how their life turned out.  Others are undone by the fact, life is out of their control.   Me, I'm somewhere in the middle.

A man's heart plans his way,
But YAHWEH directs his steps.
Proverbs 16:9

When I was younger, I thought life was going the direction I wanted to go.  But circumstances kept altering the course I originally plotted.  At 18 years old, I was pursuing veterinary medicine in college and hoped to one day establish a nonprofit business that specialized in training service dogs.  I wasn't really worried about my relationship with God. I thought He and I were okay.  I knew He was God and I was not and would talk to Him from time to time when I needed help.  But I had no idea that God wanted so much more for our relationship. 

And so my first course correction happened...