DUNAMIS_ YOUR MOUTH

DUNAMIS_ YOUR MOUTH

Curious about how others navigate their sobriety journey? This instalment of *Resilient Truths* digs into something everyone uses daily but rarely audits properly: the mouth. Dr. Theresa M Bell unpacks how spoken words can shape atmosphere, influence mental health, and even affect addiction and recovery. You’ll hear her link the idea of "dunamis"—the power of the Holy Spirit—to everyday speech.

She breaks down scriptures from Psalms, Jeremiah, Matthew, John, Ephesians and James to show how what comes out of your mouth can bless or curse your life, your family, and your community. The message is simple but challenging: "Set a watch, O Lord, before my mouth; keep the door of my lips" isn’t just poetry, it’s a practical safety fence. Dr.

Bell shares real-life examples, including talking with a newly married couple facing paraplegia and reflecting on parents who tear their children down with phrases like "you ain’t never going to be nothing"—a pattern that can echo into adulthood, joblessness and even substance use. She also references alcoholic parents who swing between affection and verbal attacks, illustrating how inconsistent, hurtful speech can scar a child’s sense of safety.

Throughout, she stresses that gossip and corrupt communication don’t just hurt others; they feed negativity and can push vulnerable people further into despair.

Instead, she urges using words for encouragement, grace and praise, especially in hard seasons, arguing that "as long as you got positivity and praise and glory to God coming out of your mouth, God say you passing the test." For anyone in recovery, supporting a loved one, or rebuilding life after hardship, this episode offers a clear challenge: if your tongue can talk you into trouble, can it also talk you into healing?

How might your atmosphere change if you treated every word like it really mattered?