August Memory Verse - Proverbs 16:24

This year I have had a hard time of making time for me to do the things that I want to do. I get caught up in other things and then don't focus on the things that I should or want to focus on. I'm trying to get better and to be diligent about posting our scripture verse for the month. I don't want to just coast through life,  I want to be able to live my  life the way that I feel God is calling me to do.  I want to be an encourager and someone who people know that if they are in a jam, they know that they can call on me for anything and I will drop everything and do it.  I want to get to the point where my life just kind of works and I am able to do the things I love and adore.  I want to pick up my camera and improve my photography.  I want to share the pictures that I have taken and feel confident that they are good.  I want to make time to make cards, so that I can give them to John or even just when I know that someone is going through a situation I can have cards available to send to people.  I also want to be better about sending cards and hand written letters out to people.  I want to be an encourager and someone who uplifts people with my words and actions.  Hence why this bible verse for this month is so near and dear to me.   

Proverbs 16:24 is our monthly verse for August and also it's N's scripture verse for 2016.  With all the kids, I always struggle with picking out a bible verse for what they should be memorizing or thinking about or even what I should be thinking about and dwell on for the year with them.  But for this year I really think that both N and I are going through a bunch where we just need constant reminders that our words affect other people and we don't want our words to hurt or bring down people but we want our words, our attitude and our actions to reflect God's character.  One thing that I have been thinking about is that Jesus in everything that he did throughout his time on earth, his character, and his behavior was always in love and grace.  I want my family to reflect Jesus and I want people around us to see that our family is different than the world's standards.  We treat people with love and kindness and speak extremely gracious words.   It's something that I think will always be a work in progress and I will always be growing in this but my prayer is that God will use me in my weakness and failure to point to Jesus who even though I mess up daily still died on the cross for me and my sins. 

I always struggle with my words, this bible verse is helping me remember that my tone and how I say things should always be helpful. My words can be an encouragement or they can tear down people and my goal is to change my attitude so that I can encourage others.