Watch Your Mouth!

Did your parents ever tell you to watch your mouth? As a young girl, whenever I complained, cried or criticized my mother’s voice rose a few octaves as she warned, “Christine, don’t give me any lip! You better watch your mouth!”

I knew it was time to shape up when she used my full name.

My mom wasn’t a Bible student, but if she was, she would’ve realized she was quoting scripture.

God warns us over and over to watch our mouth. He knows our words are important because he gave us the authority to use our words to create our world.

Let that sink in a moment.

Our words create our world.

That’s what God did. He created the world with the power of his words. And God said….and it was done.

Likewise, we are created in his image and have the same power and authority. Proverbs 18:21 says, “The tongue can bring death or life; those who love to talk will reap the consequences.”

I experienced the gravity of this truth when I was pregnant with Garrett.

During my forth month of pregnancy my Obgyn had alarming concerns. As she measured my fundal height, a look of concern spread across her face. “I think you may have intrauterine growth delay,” she announced. “I need to you come back in two weeks for further testing.”

I was shocked. I felt fine. What could be wrong with my baby?

Two weeks seemed like two years. When I went back, her suspicions were confirmed.

“Your baby isn’t growing. He isn’t receiving nutrition from the placenta,” she advised. “There’s also something wrong with his heart and I’m concerned about the possibility of Down syndrome.”

I left Dr. Huff’s office that day numb. Wandering into Hobby Lobby, I hoped that somehow decorating distractions would prove her wrong. After looking around for a bit, I left in a daze without making a purchase. Walking to my car, I heard a whistle from behind me.

Really? I thought to myself. What kind of weirdo tries to hit up on a pregnant lady?

I glanced over my shoulder. It was David Thomas, one of the pastors from my church. “How are you, Christy?” he said as he gave me a hug.

I fell apart in his arms. “I just left my doctor’s office,” I sobbed. “Among other things, she told me I had a condition called intrauterine growth delay.”

“Oh, my wife had that, too,” he said with an unconcerned shrug.” “It’s going to be alright. Doctors, you know…it’s probably just CYA.”

“CYA?” I asked. “What’s that?”

“Cover Your…ahem, you know,” he said.

My eyebrows nearly touched my hairline.

“They told my wife and I the same thing, but we refused to get into agreement with the diagnosis. Doctors only have the facts, but God has the truth.”

Pastor David said a short prayer over me right there in the Hobby Lobby parking lot. As he said goodbye, he paused. “Christy, just remember this. You gotta watch your mouth. When you speak about your baby, be careful what you declare. Don’t speak what you see. Speak what you want to see. Declare God’s truth over him. As a believer, you have that authority. You don’t have to beg God for what he’s already promised.”

I got in my car and drove home, marveling that God put my pastor in my path to immediately defuse a bad report.

On my next visit, Dr. Huff offered counseling for me to consider whether or not to abort my baby. When I refused she put me under the supervision of a perinatologist, an obstetrical subspecialist to supervise the potential complications of my high-risk pregnancy.

Throughout the rest of my term I saw other specialists including a fetal cardiologist who monitored Garrett’s heart. While I considered their wisdom and caution, instead of verbally agreeing with their report, I resolved to align my words with God’s truth. It wasn’t easy, but I was encouraged by Pastor David’s story. I decided that if his wife had a healthy baby, so would I.

When fear gripped me, I fought the enemy by using my mouth as a sword against him.

No weapon formed against Garrett will prosper.

By Jesus’ stripes, Garrett is healed and made whole.

Garrett will prosper and walk in health!

God will command His angels concerning Garrett to guard him in all of his ways.

Despite the fact that Garrett didn’t grow in utero, a confident peace consumed me.

“I’m still concerned about heart defects,” said Dr. Huff. “I’ll have a pediatric cardiologist with me in the delivery room ready to perform any necessary heart surgery. If you can make it to 37 weeks, however, at least your baby’s lungs will be fully developed. That’s one less thing we’ll have to worry about. We can induce then.”

Thirty seven weeks came and I was ready to have my baby. On Nov 5, 1992 Dr. Huff started my drip, but after several hours of labor, Garrett wasn’t tolerating the contractions. “We’ll have to do an emergency C-section,” she said.

Like a sudden tsunami my room flooded with doctors and nurses and machines as they wheeled me to the operating room. My mind fixed on truth as the anesthesia took effect.

No weapon formed will prosper.

Garrett weighed in at a hefty three-and-a half pounds but when the cardiologist examined him, he found no heart defects. “Other than a functional heart murmur that he should eventually outgrow, your baby boy is healthy,” he said.

Garrett spent two-and-a half weeks in the neonatal unit to gain weight.

When I brought him home, however, new prayers were in order. He was no bigger than Brittany’s Cabbage Patch doll.

That’s when I found some new verses:

Garrett is strong in the Lord and the power of His might.

Garrett is mighty in the land.

Garrett will grow in stature and favor with God and man.

Next week Garrett turns 25. My six-foot-tall musician is proof that God’s word does not return void.

Today I know the importance of watching my mouth. My mom would be proud. My pregnancy with Garrett taught me a powerful lesson: My words order my future. They create my world.

You, too, my friend, have the same power. Never forget. Your tongue is a weapon.

Use it to create your world.

Prayer: Lord, help me to understand the power of my words. Help me to use my mouth to agree with your truth instead of my circumstances. In Jesus’ name I pray. Amen.

Questions to Ponder:

1. It’s a hard thing to control our tongue. It’s so much easier to say what we see. When is it hardest for you to zip your lip?
2. What kind of world do you want to create with your words?
3. How can you change your words to create that world?