By Paula Williamson, guest writer One would have to be short-sighted to believe our thoughts don’t affect us or others. Our lives are the technicolor picture of our thought life. We live what we believe, and we also impact the world around us through our thoughts. The world around us is a canvas, and our paintstrokes affect everyone we come into contact with. It Is Written PHILIPPIANS 4:8 Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things. Destructive or Constructive If my thought life is negative, destructive, and self-defeating, I am hurting myself, and it is very difficult to love others if I can’t love myself. Scripture says we are to love our neighbor as ourselves. As someone who lived out my mother’s destructive words, I took years to value myself and become comfortable in my own skin. It also takes work to remove stinking thinking from our minds. We must make a conscious effort to control our thoughts because they control our actions. Prayer Lord, help us renew our minds with Your Word; help us think upon the things Your Word tells us to think upon. Help us meditate upon Your truths and reflect upon the kinds of marks we want to leave upon the world today. Takeaway My thought life matters.

By Paula Williamson, guest writer Who do you look up to? Who are your role models, your heroes, those you hope to become more like? We all look up to someone we admire or to those who have made a difference in our lives. It’s those who inspire us to imitate. It Is Written ROMANS 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God. The Mirror of the Word The Word of God has been an unchanging mirror for more than 3,000 years. So many of our earthly heroes fall off their pedestals at some point. It’s hard to find a role model who doesn’t. We are human. If I am a child of the King, I should renew my mind by the Word and seek God’s will and what glorifies Him. Prayer Lord, in a world full of people and role models who are often imperfect, help me look to Your unchangeable, immutable Word, which teaches me Your heart and mind. Your Word shows me the perfect example of Jesus, a role model we can look up to and imitate. Thank You for Your Word. Help me be diligent in renewing my mind with it. Takeaway Jesus is the perfect role model.

By Paula Williamson, guest writer Just as physical characteristics are inherited from our biological parents, what comes out of our mouths reveals our spiritual inheritance. That’s a mouthful! According to scripture, what comes out of our mouths reveals our hearts. What do your words reveal about you? It Is Written MATTHEW 15:10 -11, 18 Jesus called the crowd to him and said, “Listen and understand. 11 What goes into someone’s mouth does not defile them, but what comes out of their mouth, that is what defiles them.” 18 But the things that come out of a person’s mouth come from the heart, and these defile them. Heirs of the King A child of the King represents the King and His kingdom. Our hearts, words, actions, and the way we dress should bring honor and glory to God and His kingdom. What do your heart, words, actions, and the way you dress reveal about you? Prayer Lord, we fall short in so many ways. we can easily take the driver's seat on the throne of our lives, planning where we go and what we do or say. We can easily react in the flesh and respond to others in the same way. I don’t want to. I take my rightful seat beneath the throne of my life and ask You to be the driver in my life. I want to go where You lead, speak what You say, and respond, submitted to the leading of the Holy Spirit. I want to walk in a manner worthy of You and Your kingdom. Help me. Takeaway My mouth reveals my heart.

By Paula Williamson, guest writer Do we really believe our words are powerful and that they affect the environment around us? Have you ever been in the presence of someone who walked in, vented, and left you feeling as if they had vomited on you? What comes out of our mouths? Are the words we speak doing good in the world around us, or tearing it down? Scripture tells us that God created the world with His words and that we were created in His image. JAMES 3:10 Out of the same mouth come blessings and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. There is a great movie starring George Clooney that drives this truth home, called Tomorrow Land. It’s about how our words and thoughts can change the world. What a powerful idea! It’s more than that. It’s the truth, supported by numerous scriptures in the Bible. It Is Written PROVERBS 13:3 The one who guards his mouth preserves his life; the one who opens wide his lips comes to ruin. Words Create Our words go forth and accomplish something. One day, while I was cleaning a fish aquarium and humming, my humming stopped, and I felt something ugly surrounding me. Minutes later, my neighbor came over, furious. She had been shopping at the neighborhood grocery and overheard two women spreading untrue gossip about me. She confronted them indignantly, saying they obviously did not know me. Although I was at home doing my household chores, I felt the impact of their words. Our words matter. If we want to live a good life and use our words to make a positive difference, we must guard what comes out of our mouths. Prayer Lord, set a guard upon my mouth. I do not want to stand before You at life's end and give an account for words that harmed others, slandered, tore down, or fostered pessimism and negativity in the world. Use my mouth to bless, encourage, build up, restore, motivate, and bring about life and beauty. Takeaway Our words have power.

By Paula Williamson, guest writer Often, we repeat the same issues we grew up with, but we don’t have to. My mom had a verbally abusive mouth. I spent years in counseling to overcome the damage her destructive words caused. That experience motivated me to use my mouth to encourage people. It Is Written PSALM 1 41:3 Set a guard over my mouth, Lord; keep watch over the door of my lips. Life or Death Scripture tells us our mouths can speak life or death, blessing or curses. One of my life verses is Ephesians 4:29, which says, "Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear." Words can cut like a sword or be a healing balm. Scripture says we will one day give an account for every idle word we speak. Prayer Lord, Your word says that no one can tame the tongue except You. Help us leave a lasting legacy of words that build up, bless, and bring life to others. Help us speak words filled with truth, encouragement, motivation, and power to make a difference. We yield our tongues to You. Takeaway Our words hold the power of life and death.

By Paula Williamson, guest writer One thing we can all agree on is that we are human and fallible. Even on our best day, we remain human. We have made more than our share of mistakes. Those who think they haven’t are simply blinded by pride. The good news is that we have someone smarter than we are, in whom we can place our confidence. It Is Written PSALM 119:98 -100 Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever mine. 99 I have more insight than all my teachers, for Your testimonies are my meditation. 100 I understand more than those who are old, because I have complied with Your precepts. Our Teacher Studying the Bible promises that we will be more insightful than our teachers and more understanding than those older than us. Who wouldn’t want that? God’s promises are sure, and we can count on them. Prayer Lord, help us hunger and thirst for Your word. It reveals the way of life, truth, light, hope, and promise. It holds hidden mysteries and lays bare the motives of our souls. It searches our hearts and shows us ways that are not pleasing to You. It is the path of life, leading us in ways that are higher. Pour out a hunger and thirst for Your word upon us. We need to know the truth. You are truth. Takeaway Your word is our teacher.

By Paula Williamson, guest writer One of life’s biggest challenges is not knowing what to do. Daily challenges open the door to countless uncertainties. Believing that God is the author and creator of the Universe, the one who knows everything from beginning to end and has inspired an instruction book for us to live by, gives me confidence. James 1:5 says, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him." Before I do anything, my first response is to ask for wisdom. It Is Written Psalm 119:98 Your commands are always with me and make me wiser than my enemies. Wisdom Has a Source If I want to be wiser than my enemies, I must study the Bible, know it, and spend time with the one who inspired it. Just think about it. If someone told you that you had access to the wisest person in the universe and could ask Him anything, what would you do? The truth is that we do. In John 14:6, Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Jesus tore the veil that separated us from God the Father, and we can walk right into the Holy of Holies and ask anything. Prayer Lord, thank You for providing a way into Your holy presence through Jesus Christ. Thank You that I am welcome in Your presence. Thank You that when I ask for wisdom, You will grant me a bountiful supply. Thank You for making me wiser than my enemies. Thank You that in You I lack nothing. Takeaway Wisdom comes from asking for it.

By Paula Williamson, guest writer Choosing friends is not a mystery, but choosing one wisely requires knowing what a friend really is. Facebook has done us a disservice with its term "friends." One is not a friend simply by acquaintance or association at sporting events. Friendship is earned. Not everyone who crosses our path is friend-worthy. It Is Written PROVERBS 13:20 Whoever walks with the wise becomes wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm. Choose Friends Wisely Choosing a good friend is like choosing a good watermelon. First, know the characteristics. A friend-worthy person is honest, dependable, and keeps their word. They help you be your best self, sharpen you, and hold you accountable. If we want to be wise, we need to spend time with wise people. If we want good friends, we need to be one. For more wisdom on who is friend-worthy, check out the free downloadable books on friendship at coadwordbooks.com. Prayer Lord, help us understand and be good friends. Help us become people of good character and integrity, and help others do the same. Remove from us any misconceptions about who a friend is and what it means to be one. Takeaway Friendship comes with conditions.

By Paula Williamson, guest writer Relationship Messes My heart aches for everyone around me who has endured relationship struggles. Important lessons, such as healthy conflict resolution, managing big emotions, personal responsibility, and setting boundaries, including who is friend-worthy and who is not, are not taught in school or in most homes. Sadly, most of us learn them only after our relationships have been wrecked. Wouldn’t it be great if we knew these lessons and modeled them for our children? Much wisdom is found in scripture. It Is Written PSALM 119:9 How can a young man keep his way pure? By guarding it according to Your word. Breaking Cycles of Dysfunction I’ve had the privilege of working in education for forty-five years. I have seen and put into practice the plans that professionals created for implementation in the lives of struggling students and teachers experiencing unmanageable behaviors. Somewhere along the way, I felt obligated to pass that knowledge on in hopes of breaking the cycles that destroy lives. At coadwordbooks.com, there are three series of books written from a biblical perspective, especially concerning these issues, all of which are free downloads. Prayer Lord, help us spend as much time learning what to do as we do scrolling on Facebook or watching meaningless movies, and more time learning what matters. Forgive us for our lack of concern for future generations and for failing to recognize that we are all teachers to those whose paths cross ours. Help us take personal responsibility for breaking generational dysfunction in our family line so that our heritage is God-honoring. Takeaway Scripture is full of wisdom.

By Paula Williamson, guest writer It’s interesting that we feed ourselves three meals a day, yet many of us think feeding ourselves spiritually once a week is enough. This helps explain why many who call themselves Christians do not look or live much differently from the world. If we are followers of Christ, our lives should look very different. It Is Written JAMES 1:22 -25 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; 24 for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 25 But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. Follow Me In the days when Jesus began His public ministry, He approached ordinary men and said, “Follow Me.” They immediately left their professions and even their families to follow Him. As believers, we should follow Jesus even now. His example is recorded in the four gospels. Prayer Lord, forgive us for dishonoring Your name and kingdom by acting like the world rather than like You and Your ways. Help us take personal responsibility to read, study, and meditate on You and Your word. Show us how to follow You and walk in ways that bring You glory and honor. Takeaway Doing and keeping the word promises a blessing in what I do.

By Paula Williamson, guest writer We are not powerless victims. We were created for a purpose. The truth is that every thought we think, every choice we make, and every word we speak brings consequences, either blessings or curses. Our choices allow us to be a thermostat or a thermometer. We are either changing the environment, or it is changing us. It Is Written JAMES 3:10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. DEUTERONOMY 11:26-28 “Today I am giving you a choice. You may choose the blessing or the curse. 27 You will get the blessing if you listen and obey the commands of the Lord your God that I have told you today. 28 But you will get the curse if you refuse to listen and obey the commands of the Lord your God. So don’t stop living the way I command you today, and don’t follow other gods that you don’t know. DEUTERONOMY 21:3 His body is not to be left overnight on the tree, but you shall certainly bury him on the same day (for he who is hanged is cursed of God), so that you do not defile your land which the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance. GALATIANS 3:13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us; for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: The Curse Breaker Scripture tells us that Jesus Christ came to redeem us from the curse. When we step off the throne of our lives and invite Him to take that place, He breaks the curse. We become dead to self and alive to Him. We live, think, and speak by a different law, the law of the Spirit, which is alive in Christ Jesus. He sets us free! Prayer Lord, I know what life is like with self on the throne. Even on my best day, there is no comparison to life with You on the throne. I step out of that seat, surrender my heart to You, and take a knee. Let Your kingdom come and Your will be done in my life as it is in heaven. Takeaway Christ Jesus is the one who breaks the curse

By Paula Williamson, guest writer Mark 9:4 tells the story of a man who brought his son, who had seizures, to Jesus for healing. He said, “Lord, if You can do anything, take pity on us.” Jesus told him that all things are possible for him who believes. Where does one find this belief? It Is Written ROMANS 10:17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of God. The Bible Surveys indicate that only 30% of church attendees read their Bible daily. That’s less than half. The Bible is our instruction manual, yet fewer than half of those who profess to be Christians read and live by it. According to this scripture, if we want to have faith and live for God, we must make the effort to read and know His word. How about you? How’s your faith? Prayer Lord, forgive us for not doing our part to open Your Word and renew our minds to counteract the world's culture. Help us return to the faith and to Your Word. Takeaway Faith comes from hearing God’s Word.