I have written before my love for daily affirmations, gratitude affirmations, and Scripture affirmations. The words we speak to ourselves are some of the most important words we will ever hear–or not hear. So many of us speak so ugly to ourselves, we wouldn’t dare let anyone hear those words! Unfortunately, I was well into my 30’s before I started learning about daily affirmations and the power they have over every area of my life spiritually, physically, mentally, and emotionally. As any momma would, I don’t want my children to be well into adulthood before they recognize the power of gratitude affirmations.
How to Learn About Gratitude Affirmations
This year, with three teens in our homeschool and two younger ones listening in as well, I’m trying to intentionally teach them the power fo their words, not only on others but especially with themselves. The first means I’m using is the book, Think 4:8: 40 Days to a Joy-Filled Life for Teens. The author’s book, The 4:8 Principle: The Secret to a Joy-Filled Life sits in my Top 10 of favorite books in my entire life–maybe even Top 5. That book had so much impact on me and retraining my thoughts years ago when I was being crushed under the weight of anxiety, negative thinking, and obsessive thoughts.
There is always some type of writing/thinking activity at the end of the short chapter. I haven’t made them do any of the writing but sometimes we do answer the questions orally, like yesterday. Yesterday we read Day 10, The Secret Studio, the Joy of Creation. I loved this chapter and will share some of the quotes from it below.
•Filling your mind with great ideas and limitless possibilities will set you free and allow you to thrive as God intends.
•You are writing your own life story with each thought.
•Your thoughts are shaping your life. Every single one guides you, either toward your God-given potential and joy or away from them.
•Thouights filled with God and His good things will lead to more joy.
After we finished reading Day 10, the “Work It” section stated, “…write up to 5 positive statements that reflect the person you want to become. Begin each statement with the words, I am.” I asked the kids to share one “I am” statement and started with Maximilian who was seated to my left. As he was thinking, Leo, my six-year-old sitting to my right shouted, “I know one!” “Ok, Leo, what’s your “I am” statement,” I asked.
“I AM AWESOME,” he boldly and proudly proclaimed!
Not only could he boldly state, “I am awesome,” he could proudly state it without fear of someone calling him prideful or conceited. When and where did we lose that ability in this life?
Would we ever openly state, “I am awesome?” Not likely. We’d be too afraid of what others might think. But more importantly, I believe we’re too afraid of we might think. As soon as our thought would begin, we’d already be telling ourselves, “Yeah right, not with that nose…sure, if you mean “I have awesomely huge thighs”…didn’t your awesome self just lose itself when the toddler spilled milk all over the floor…so awesome in fact your husband is going commando because he couldn’t find clean underwear this morning…” and on and on and blessed on…
The other answers around the room, “I am an encourager…I am an achiever, etc” I pray these kiddos never lose their sense of how awesome they really are. If they do, it means the enemy has gotten to them in the hopes of leaving them ineffective for the glory of God.
Friends, what is one positive “I am” statement about yourself? And if you say it once timidly, I challenge you to say it again BOLDLY or say it as many times as you have to until it’s a BOLD “I AM” positive statement.
Once you’ve got that first “I am” statement boldly out, do it again…and again…and again, until you can confidently reach 5 bold “I am” statements.
As an added bonus, visit this post, Bible Quotes: How Does God Really Feel About Me, and print off the Scripture Affirmation printable. I have one of these hanging in my bathroom and in the main bathroom of our home. It serves as a nice, if not always conscious, reminder of who we are in Christ.
Clare fcJ says
Thank you so much for this Jenny – I enjoyed reading this piece so much. It is great to be so simply affirming.