So the other morning, my 4-year-old son, Ezekiel, who we call Zeke, asked for pancakes. Thanks to him, my wife who is an amazing cook, ended up making pancakes for the whole family! He obviously got the first ones made, but for some reason, he believed that his 11-year-old sister had spit on them. If I didn’t know for sure that she didn’t, I might have believed him, lol!

Zeke being a picky eater, has lately been refusing to eat certain foods because of some “idea” that he gets about them, which has been quite a challenge. Don’t tell anybody, but I think he gets it from his mom!….shhh! Okay, we’ll save that one for a later post. Lol!

Anyway, this morning my wife and I were both in agreement that he was going to eat his pancakes, I mean he was the one who asked for them right? After trying to reason with him, turning off his cartoons, putting him on a time out, bribing him, and even making him laugh, he still insisted that his sister over sprayed his pancakes while she was talking. Yea, it wasn’t such a peaceful breakfast, but we were determined to break his little “picky” cycle.

Finally an idea popped into my head, and my experimentation began. I looked in his eyes and said “Zeke, say ‘I'”. He refused, but after an enthusiastic silly approach, I got him to say “I”. Now on to the next word “will”. So I said, “Zeke, say ‘will'”. And on and on, until i got him to say slowly “I will eat my pancakes”. Then super fast over and over ” I will eat my pancakes, I will eat my pancakes, I will eat my pancakes!”

Now time for the test, I grabbed the fork, stabbed a piece of the pancake, and brought it up to his mouth, and…..he ate it! Calmly, peacefully, he ate it! I didn’t want to get too excited and break the flow, so I just poked another piece of pancake, raised it to his mouth and again, he ate it! I asked him if it was good, he nodded and kept on eating! It was one of those not too common moments when a parent gets to feel like they did something right!  All I could think of while watching Zeke eat, was “Wow, now that’s the power of words!”

There is something that happens when you speak something from your mouth. The Bible says that the tongue is like the steering wheel of your life, your words directing your life. (James 3:5)  I mean, if God can create the world by speaking, maybe I can get my son to eat his pancakes through the power of words!

Now, I’m not saying I’ve found the secret for getting your kids to eat pancakes or any food they may be struggling to eat. But this experience was a reminder to me that speaking positive affirmations can really make a difference!

Check this Bible verse out:
1 Samuel 30:6 KJV
“And David was greatly distressed; for the people spake of stoning him, because the soul of all the people was grieved, every man for his sons and for his daughters: but David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.”

David encouraged himself! Sometimes when no one else is around to encourage you, you gotta encourage YOURSELF! Encourage yourself by proclaiming God’s promises over your life, tell yourself that you can make it, tell yourself that you’ve got what it takes! Oh yea, tell yourself that you can reach that goal, eat those pancakes, or whatever else you may need! It starts with your words!

Proverbs 18:21 MSG
“Words kill, words give life; they’re either poison or fruit–you choose”

According to this verse, your words will either empower you or disempower you.

The question is not IF your words will affect your life, but WHAT will they produce in your life?

The good news is that you have the power to choose your own words, so choose wisely! Choose what empowers you! Speak confidently over your life! Let your own words give you life!

Cheers to your Good Life!

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