I was thinking about some of the life words God has given me through the years. Life words are those Scriptures that really resonate with you and provide a source of inspiration and guidance throughout your life or for extended periods of time. They may be given to you by someone else, such as through a prophetic declaration, or they may be Scriptures that jump off the pages of your Bible and speak strongly to you. I want to share some of the verses that have been life words to me, and maybe they will encourage and inspire you as well.

And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. Joel 2:25 (KJV)

The beginning of my life was full of a lot of loss, not to mention that along the way I have lost many friends and loved ones. However, God has restored to me even more than I lost. From relationships to education to finances to health and my calling, everything I lost has been restored- and then some! God took me from welfare to good jobs, from heartbreak to healing. Whatever I lost, God made it up to me- and more. God really is in the business of restoring lives and I am the poster child for restoration!

Though thy beginning was small, yet thy latter end should greatly increase. Job 8:7 (KJV)

So the Lord blessed the latter end of Job more than his beginning Job 42:12 (KJV)

Also the Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before. Job 42:10 (KJV)

These verses have all been an encouragement to me, and I have confessed them over my life for years. And I have seen the manifestation of them.

I was born premature and they did not expect me to live- but God had other ideas. I never knew my biological father- he left when I was very small. I fought learning disabilities and struggled in school. I actually failed three grades. When I reached high school, I got connected with wrong friends. As a result, I got into drugs and ended up quitting school. I got married to the wrong person- twice. As a result, both women were unfaithful and I went through two divorces- losing everything both times. One of my children was born with a severe handicap. I was laid off. I was on welfare. To be honest, my beginning seemed to be a series of one bad event after another. But I got a prophetic word that I held onto. It was prophesied over me that my latter end would be better than my former. And it has come true. Janean and I have been married nearly 27 years now, and she is truly a godly woman and such a help to me. I have earned a doctoral degree. God freed me from drug addiction and my mind is healed and I have no desire at all for drugs or alcohol. I have been blessed with good jobs. Even now, God continues to restore me and bless me. Things just get better and better. My latter years are better than my beginning for sure! God wants to do this for you, and He will if you’ll receive it. Speak things over yourself like, “My life is getting better and better everyday and in every way,” and “I’m getting double for my trouble.” Your future will be better than your past too!

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. Jeremiah 29:11 (New International Version, NIV)

This verse has been huge in my life. In all that we go through, we must remember and declare this as a prophetic promise over our lives. No matter the bad things we experience, God’s plan is good and He will do us good. We can expect and believe and decree that we’ll see good all our days. I have a friend that likes to say “Good things are coming.” And he’s right. God’s plan is always good and He always has good things in store for us. We can keep from becoming bitter or sour over life’s struggles by remembering this verse. We can apply the cross of Jesus and His blood to our lvies and we’ll see the bitter waters, life’s bitter circumstances become sweet. And what was meant by the enemy to poison you, God will use to position you for blessing, prosperity, and promotion.

For we are God’s [own] handiwork (His workmanship), recreated in Christ Jesus, [born anew] that we may do those good works which God predestined (planned beforehand) for us [taking paths which He prepared ahead of time], that we should walk in them [living the good life which He prearranged and made ready for us to live]. Ephesians 2:10 (Amplified Bible Classic Edition, AMPC)

If you don’t have any life words of your own, I’d like to encourage you to get in the Bible and ask the Lord to bring the right verses to life for you! God has life words for you to inspire, strengthen, encourage and guide you into the good life He has prepared for you.