DUNAMIS_ YOUR MOUTH

DUNAMIS_ YOUR MOUTH

How do people find strength in their journey to sobriety? For Dr. Theresa M Bell, a big part of that strength sits right behind your teeth. This faith-based teaching session circles around one core idea: "dunamis" – the power of the Holy Spirit – and how that power flows through what you say. Dr. Bell unpacks scriptures from Psalms, Jeremiah, Matthew, John, Ephesians and James to show how the tongue can either build a life or burn it down.

She reminds the group that "life and death is in the power of the tongue" and urges everyone to take inventory of what comes out of their mouths, because once words are spoken, "you can't take it back". You’ll hear her connect this to everyday situations: gossip that shreds someone’s character, parents telling a child they’ll “never be anything”, or negative self-talk that can spiral into depression.

For anyone dealing with addiction or trying to rebuild a broken life, her message about internal dialogue hits hard – what you speak over yourself can keep you stuck, or move you toward healing. Dr. Bell keeps things down-to-earth with humour (including her own workplace story and jokes about cutting up a turkey) while staying firmly rooted in scripture.

She stresses that loving, honest communication and consistent behaviour matter more than titles, and that people watch both how you speak and how you live. Faith, she says, is shown by what you say when you’re under pressure – "If you're going through something, praise your way out." This session suits anyone in recovery, those supporting loved ones, and people who want their faith and their words to finally line up.

It’s especially helpful if you’re wrestling with anger, shame, gossip, or harsh self-talk and want a biblical, practical nudge toward speaking life instead of replaying old damage. So, what are your words building today – a prison, or a future?