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Tuesday, January 20, 2009

YES to GOD study~ch. 3: Choosing Wise Words

I am honored to be your host of YES to GOD Tuesday's where we are currently discussing the book Self Talk, Soul Talk by Jennifer Rothschild.

Join in anytime and know that the level of participation is up to you. See the FAQ's on the sidebar if you are interested.


I have some things that have been on my heart to share with you and was going to do so today, but instead I will post about it later this week. I didn't want to make this post too long and I really want to get right to discussing this awesome chapter. I think so far Jennifer's 3 for 3 in writing chapters that make you think, desire to change and are just plain awesome. Thank you Ms. Rothschild!

Okay...let's get to it.


CHAPTER 3: CHOOSING WISE WORDS

Remember, anything in blue is a quote from the book.

We live by our assumptions, our beliefs about the way things are.

Our thoughts and our actions flow from our assumptions. Simply put, our assumptions are the root, and our thoughts are the fruit.

Oh, let's read that last part again. Out loud.

...our assumptions are the root, and our thoughts are the fruit.

Jennifer goes on to tell us that wrong thinking comes from from faulty assumptions and right thinking is birthed from truth.


My poor honey...he would be the victim of being hit by my bad fruit when I've thrown it at him due to my faulty assumptions. I loved how she said changing the fruit is impossible without changing the root.

If I had a orange tree in my yard, but I wanted an apple tree and all I did was wish the difference, would anything change during harvest time? No, I'd still have oranges growing off the branches. I'd have to actually uproot the orange tree and replant the apple tree to produce different fruit, or like Jennifer said, cut them off at the root.

You begin to experience freedom when you discover your own root. You learn to choose your own fruit more wisely.


Jennifer is one that has walked this path in front of us. She shares with us the battles that have gone on in her own self talk/soul talk and teaches us how to change our direction and let God speak to us. She tells us to:

1. ) Ask God for wisdom.

2. ) Revere God. To fear the Lord means we reverence Him.

3.) Receive counsel-when we walk with wisdom, it will wear off on us.

4.) Be patient with yourself. Roots are strong, but with wisdom, you are stronger.

Jennifer also shared a conversation she had with Patsy Clairmont from Women of Faith who gave us this wise advice:

Refuse things that are inaccurate, unkind, or unedifying

Replace them with what is good, pure and just

Repeat that process for as long as it takes to bring my thoughts under control.


Now we need to apply what we are learning. This summer I wrote a post called Down to the Roots on this very subject, just click here if you want to read it. God is up to something in each one of us...don't think for a moment you are unusable to your King. He just needs your cooperation.

Have a blessed week my dear friends. I will do my best to come by and visit each of you for the blessings you are to me are more than you know.

Next week...chapter 4: Speaking Truth to Your Issues.

Oh boy...all in favor of skipping this chapter say "I". God never said change would be easy.

Refuse...Replace...Repeat...Refuse...Replace...Repeat...

~Many Blessings~



17 comments:

Heather said...

I liked the imagery of fruit, but I was also thinking about faulty assumptions as a foundation for all of our thinking and acting. When we assume wrong things about ourselves, we build up the wrong kind of house. Good chapter!

KelliGirl said...

Lelia,
I'm happy to jump into this week's conversation. This book has gotten me thinking about a lot of the tattered rags of untruth hanging in my thought closet. Oh, how I need a good cleaning...or pruning...or uprooting. (I'm getting my analogies mixed up! :-)

Blessings,
Kelli

Paula V said...

Oh my word, Lelia. I think I'm still in shock and side tracked here a little. 1) I want to know what is on your heart but 2) the part that shocks me...you mentioned an orange and apple tree. I didn't phrase it quite like you but I can't believe we both use orange/apple tree as an example. I hope you can read my post. I know you had mentioned once that you can read but not comment via your cell phone.

I hope you can do both.

Hey, I think I'll text you assuming the number I have is your cell. I'm going to try out more texting and see if it's worth paying the $10 for unlimited. With my per text charge of 20 cents I can get 50 texts out of that. I'll see how it goes but will probably get unlimited.

Now, how did I get so side tracked...

You pointed out a lot of the same quotes I did. She sure has a way with words. I love the "our assumptions are the root and our thoughts are the fruit". I think I could make me a little ditty out of that...it has some a ring to it. Maybe I could sing it to myself when my fruit is sour because of the bad roots."

Love ya much,
Paula

Liz said...

Lovely and thoughtful post, Lelia. I, too, have thrown around bad fruit...as a result of my own faulty assumptions. It is somewhat overwhelming, to be truthful.
There is some re-rooting going on at my house, for sure!
Ok...like Paula...I am wondering what is on your heart. It is sort of like when someone near and dear says, "I would like to talk to you. May we talk...(then some future date and time follows)."
Faulty thinking causes me to worry it is bad news. LOL! An opportunity presented this day for me to trust in the Lord!

Corner Gardener Sue said...

Hi Lelia,
I read your root post. There was a lot of wisdom in it, and that is what we are to seek. God is at work in us, and I'm thankful for that.

I had to laugh, because I get sidetracked a lot, too. When I clean in the house, I will start in one room, and when I need to put something away in another room, I work on that room until I need to put something somewhere else. My husband doesn't understand my "methods" either.

I have trouble keeping track of socks, and spent over an hour yesterday, finding them in different places and then finding the mates so that I would have socks to wear.

I think the reason my link didn't work last week was because I posted from my iphone, and was putting my blog url in from memory, because I don't know if you can copy and paste on an iphone. I probably made a mistake in my typing.

Thanks for hosting this study,
Sue

Julie said...

I often say, "we live what we believe".... and it's so true.

Thanks for sharing your heart here, friend...

How in the world are you????

Hugs!!!

pam said...

I love that He is such a thorough gardener, knowing that the tiniest tips of the roots are just as strong as the rest---going for it all with Him.

Mel said...

...our assumptions are the root, and our thoughts are the fruit

I am so putting that on the bathroom mirror in RED Lipstick...

Chris & Brenda said...

You are totally awesome!

Paula said...

I've realised that, after looking at my published post, that Jennifer has some amazing quotes, and it seems that we all like to share them! What an amazing chapter, and what amazing truth about ourselves and how we think. Just nuts really, especially when you think of how simple it is to get the wisdom we need to bear good fruit. I can't wait to start on chapter four now! Love ya, Paula :-) xo

Jill Beran said...

Lelia, Each week I'm amazed at how timely these chapters. Last Friday I picked up the book and her words were just what I needed to hear. It was amazing. I knew I didn't always say the most positive things to myself, but she really has me more aware of all that goes on in my head and really thinking about where this comes from and what it leads to. Amazing really. I loved the root and fruit part as well.
Love ya,
jill

pam said...

Going back over everyone's posts has a new emphasis stirring in me. The whole fear of God thing....I haven't got it all figured out but it seems like if I have the holy fear of Him that my thinking on His Words will be different and thus my thinking will be better, more about Him, less about me.
Taking part in an online study has been different...not having the ability to throw thoughts back and forth as easily as in person BUT I'm really enjoying it. Thanks for hosting it.

Stonefox said...

Lelia, this morning the Lord showed me something profound about my thinking. My thinking is deeply rooted in my feelings and if I don't "feel" like I can do something, then I believe that I can't. This reaches far and wide and I'm telling you, it boils down to certain areas in which my fruitfulness has been incredibly cut back or even rotten because I've believed my feelings.

Thank you for doing this study; it is encouraging me to keep addressing these issues, no matter how hard they seem to overcome. I am believing God!

Carol said...

Lelia,

I loved your post. Espically the apples and the oranges, can't just wish change there has to be work in it.

This chapter for me I called an aha chapter. I learned so much, and started praying for God's wisdom. He's already answering our King is so magnifiecent.

Like Liz I'm thinking about what's on your heart, praying, and waiting for when your ready to share.

Hugs,
Carol

HisPrincess said...

Oh Lelia.

I have such loooong roots. Sometimes I think they are growing back.

The Dementia Nurse said...

I agree with you, Lelia. If I could just stick with Jennifer's and Patsy's waltz - one, two, three, one, two, three - my life would be a lot more joyful. Thank you for hosting this wonderful study!

Stacy said...

Thank you for sharing your thoughts, Lelia. This journey is amazing. Praying for you and yours.