Sharon Jaynes - The Power of a Womans Words

HARVEST HOUSE PUBLISHERS
EUGENE, OREGON

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION. NIV. Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by the International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

Verses marked TNIV are taken from the Holy Bible, Todays New International Version (TNIV) Copyright 2001 by International Bible Society. All rights reserved worldwide.

Verses marked NASB are taken from the New American Standard Bible, 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977, 1995 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)

Verses marked AMP are taken from The Amplified Bible, Copyright 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation. All rights reserved. Used by permission. (www.Lockman.org)

Verses marked NKJV are taken from the New King James Version. Copyright 1982 by Thomas Nelson, Inc. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

Verses marked KJV are taken from the King James Version of the Bible.

Verses marked NLT are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright 1996. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL 60189 USA. All rights reserved.

Verses marked TLB are taken from The Living Bible, Copyright 1971. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Wheaton, IL 60189 USA. All rights reserved.

Emphasis in Scripture references is added by the author.

Cover by Garborg Design Works, Savage, Minnesota

THE POWER OF A WOMANS WORDS

Copyright 2007 by Sharon Jaynes
Published by Harvest House Publishers
Eugene, Oregon 97402
www.harvesthousepublishers.com

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Jaynes, Sharon.

The power of a womans words / Sharon Jaynes.

p. cm.

ISBN-13: 978-0-7369-1869-5

ISBN-10: 0-7369-1869-8

1. Influence (Psychology)Religious aspectsChristianity. 2. Oral communicationReligious aspectsChristianity. 3. Christian womenConduct of life. I. Title.

BV4597.53.I52J39 2007

248.8'43dc22

2007007378

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, digital, photocopy, recording, or any otherexcept for brief quotations in printed reviews, without the prior permission of the publisher.

Printed in the United States of America

07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 / VP-SK / 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

To my precious friend Cynthia Price,
a woman who uses her words well.

Cynthia,
Many friends may come and go,
But rare the whole life through,
Are those who are forever friends,
Like the friend Ive found in you.

Just as a painting combines many colors on a canvas to create what the artist intended, this manuscript combines many lives to create a portrait of The Power of a Womans Words. I am so thankful for Jean Harper, Gayle Wentling, Catherine Grimes, Mary Marshal Young, Connie Roads, Gayle Roper, Glynnis Whitwer, Don and Jona Wright, Nancy Anderson, Mary Southerland, Bonnie Schulte, Mary Johnson, LeAnn Rice, Ginny Carlson, Larry Clark, and Kim Moore for sharing your stories of how you were impacted by a womans words. The examples you shared help us all to see the impact our words have on those around us.

I am forever grateful to the staff of Harvest House Publishers. It is such an honor to work with this incredible team of men and women who truly are bringing in a harvest for God. Thank you, Bob Hawkins Jr., Terry Glaspey, and LaRae Weikert, for believing in the project; and Kim Moore for her expertise in editing.

And to my Girlfriends in God, Mary Southerland and Gwen SmithI am so thankful that God has joined us together for such a time as this to share not only our words but our lives as well.

While this book is about the power of a womans words, it is the power of a mans words that has been the wind beneath my wings along this entire journey. Thank you, Steve, my wonderful husband, for giving me the encouragement Ive needed, for believing in me, and for praying for me each step of the way.

I am also so thankful for my son, Steven, an amazing young man whom God has used as a reflector of my words.

Finally, and most importantly, I am so thankful to my Savior, Jesus Christ. It is only by Gods grace that I am allowed to reach out to His children by the written word. To God be the glory!

Discretion of speech is more than eloquence.

F RANCIS B ACON

M Y FRIEND C ATHERINE AND I set out for a lazy summer stroll through the neighborhood just before the fireflies emerged to celebrate the setting of the sun. We chatted about raising boys, working husbands, and decorating dilemmas. When we arrived back at her house, she invited me to come in and look at some fabric swatches for a new sofa. Before I knew it, a few minutes had turned into a few hours.

Oh, my! I exclaimed. Its ten oclock. Ive been gone for over two hours! I bet Steves worried sick. He doesnt even know where I am. Id better give him a call before I start back home.

When I dialed our number, the answering machine picked up. After I listened to my sweet Southern greeting, I left a bitter message.

Steve, I was calling to let you know Im at Catherines. I thought youd be worried, but apparently you dont even care because you wont even pick up the phone! Click. I said my goodbyes to Catherine and left feeling dejected. Im wandering around in the dark all alone and he doesnt even care, I mumbled to no one in particular.

As my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I noticed someone coming toward me. It was Sir Galahad riding on his steedhis bicycle!

Where have you been? Steve desperately asked. Ive been riding all over the neighborhood looking for you! Do you know what time it is?

Oh, you do care, I said with a grin, giving him a big hug.

What are you talking about?

Oh, nothing. Lets go home.

When we arrived at the house, I quickly erased the message on the machine before Steve could hear my reprimanding words. Whew, I thought. That was close.

A few days later, Steve called me from work.

Sharon, have you listened to the answering machine lately?

No, why?

Well, I think theres something on there you need to hear.

We hung up and I reached for my cell phone to call my home phone. The message on the answering machine went something like this.

(The voice of a sweet Southern belle) Hello, youve reached the Jaynes residence. Were unable to answer the phone right now (enter the voice of Cruella De Vil) I was calling to let you know Im at Catherines. I thought youd be worried, but apparently you dont even care because you wont even pick up the phone! (Return of sweet Southern belle) At the sound of the beep, leave a message and well get back with you as soon as possible. Beep.

Oh, my goodness! I screamed. How did this happen! How many people have heard this over the past three days?