As Writers We Must Never Forget the Power Behind the Words We Write & Speak

by Crystal Bowman
When I was in the 4th grade, my teacher, Mrs. Beckman, gave the assignment to write a poem about something we enjoyed. I knew right away my poem would be about our summer cottage. And so, I began writing my very first poem: At the cottage, warm and blue, we go swimming two-by-two. I continued writing a few more verses then turned it in at the end of the day.
The next day, I was pleasantly surprised when Mrs. Beckman passed out the poems. I had a big read A on the top of the page. Seeing the A made me smile, but the words Mrs. Beckman spoke planted a seed in my heart. “Crystal, someday you are going to be a poet.” 
Years later, after reading Great Expectations in my freshman English class, our teacher gave several options for an assignment based on the book. One of those options was to write a poem, so that was my first choice. My English teacher was a bit surprised when I turned in my Great Expectations poem. I wrote a lengthy summary of the story in rhythm and rhyme. Again, I received a big red A, and my teacher said it was very good.
Two years later in my junior-year literature class, I had another opportunity to write a poem about something I enjoyed. This time, I wrote a poem about being at the beach at Lake Michigan. Using an iambic meter and an a-b-a-b rhyming pattern, I described the sights, sounds, and warmth of a day at the beach. I was eager to get my poem back from my teacher. However, when she passed the poems to the students, she didn’t give one to me. Instead, she asked to see me after class.
“Where did this come from?” she asked. “Did you copy it from a magazine? You are an average student and could not have written this.”
I was in shock as I mumbled a few words to convince her that I wrote the poem, but doubted she believed me. I was thankful I had a study hall next and went to the library and cried. That was the end of my poetry writing for four years. 
I’m sharing this story as a reminder of how powerful our words are. The words we speak and the words we write can greatly impact a person’s life. 
6 ways our words can affect others:Our words can motivate: Sharing a personal story can motivate some to eat healthier, go back to school, read the Bible, pursue a new hobby, or mend a relationship.Our words can encourage: The right story at the right time can encourage someone who is discouraged. It can give them a positive attitude to keep trying and boost their confidence.Our words can heal and comfort: Articles and devotions with words of comfort and promises from God can bring hope and healing to those who are hurting or grieving.Our words can inspire: Sometimes people need a little inspiration to help them move forward as they begin their day. God can use your words to give that inspiration to those who need to look on the bright side of life. Our words can entertain: We all need an escape from reality now and then. Getting lost in a good novel is therapeutic on many levels, and it’s also entertaining. These stories can make people laugh, cry, get excited, or be scared to death. That’s a lot of word power! Our words can be a blessing: Our spiritual journeys have ups and downs with twists and turns along the way, and God can use our words to bless others. Giving a compliment, a word of praise, writing a thank you note, blog post, and even a Bible verse on Facebook, can be a blessing to someone who needs to hear or read those words. 
I’m thankful for the negative experience I had with my literature teacher because it’s a constant reminder to use my words carefully. Whether I write words or speak them, my prayer comes from Psalm 19:14 (NIV), May these words of my mouth and this meditation of my heart be pleasing in your sight, Lord, my Rock and my Redeemer.
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Crystal Bowman is an award-winning, bestselling author of more than 100 books for children and four nonfiction books for women. She also writes lyrics for children’s piano music and is a monthly contributor to Clubhouse Jr. Magazine. She loves going to schools to teach kids about poetry. She also speaks at MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) groups and teaches workshops at writers’ conferences. When she is not writing or speaking, she enjoys going for walks, working out at the gym, and eating ice cream. She and her husband live in Michigan and have seven huggable grandkids. 
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Featured Image: Photo by Markus Winkler on Unsplash