The 8 Day Challenge Day 2

Thought of the Day
"I am responsible for the words I speak."

Welcome back to the challenge! How did you do with Day One?

Regardless of how well you did yesterday, congratulations on coming back for day two. Remember that today is a fresh start. You can't change yesterday any easier than you can change World War II. So make the very most of this day and push yourself a little further.

The words we use reflect our thinking. Listen more closely than ever on this second day, to the choice of words and phrases used by the people you are hanging around. Of course, I am referring to those who aren't committed to this 4:8 challenge. Don't comment on them. Just listen. The quality of the words they speak reveals the quality of the thoughts they are thinking.

You don't think excellent thoughts and then uncontrollably speak with gloom, doom, and disapproval. And you also don't think mediocre thoughts and then impulsively lift up others with positive, encouraging words. Remind yourself that the words you speak indicate the aggregate character of your thought life at the particular moment. Your words matter.

You can do it. Make the effort, just for today, to filter what you say to others and to yourself. After all, talking about what you do not want can never bring you what you do want. Instead, for today, speak about what is beautiful, valuable, praiseworthy and awesome. Search for the good stuff in every moment on this wonderful Wednesday. Your words matter.

Make it a game with yourself to find something virtuous in every experience and with every person you interact with...and then talk about it. Imagine that every word you speak today will be recorded and later expressed in your life in some way. Train your mind with your mouth. Start today. Start right now. Your words matter.

Question of the Day
In what ways have you tended to talk about your fears and worries more than your goals and dreams?

The Challenge of the Day (for extra credit...or for the extra mile)
Write a brief letter to God, thanking Him for all of your blessings of course, and then asking Him to reveal to you any areas of entrenched negativity so that you may become aware of it and begin to overrule it with joy-filled, 4:8 thinking. Date this letter for future reference.

Heavenly Father, today I am humbled to be entrusted to care for Isaac as his parents fly to Ireland for 8 days. What a joyful gift he is! I am constantly reminded of how much more You must love me than I love him when I spend time with him. It doesn't matter what he does, I never stop loving him. Is that how You feel about me?! I am so incredibly blessed. Thank You for letting me be a "mom" for 8 days. What a huge responsibility that I don't want to take for granted. Oh, how I love him. Thank You for a family who loves You and one another more than life itself! I can't imagine being in any other family. Thank You for Your provision for the last 6 months. I love all the free time I have had to enjoy my life more and to grow in grace and knowledge of You. Thank You for this gorgeous fall weather, my favorite time of the year!

Lord, will you please make me aware today of any area in my life that is entrenched with negativity and help me to overrule it with joy-filled thinking? Break me of my critical spirit and help me to find the good in others. Give me eyes to see and a heart to love others the way that You love them. Amen