On My Lips
According to the Society for Neuroscience, our lips are the most sensitive part of our body. Lips contain a high concentration of touch receptors making it super sensitive. Our lips feel pain and pleasure intensely. Spiritually, our lips reflect the content of our hearts. I want my lips to produce words that are pleasing to my Father. Psalm 141:2 “May my prayer be set before you like incense; may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening sacrifice.” I want my words to be sweet incense to His ears. Words are powerful. Most of my life I’ve felt like my words were broken because of a stutter. I would feel panic if I was asked to pray aloud. Anxiety would spear my heart if I had to speak on the spot. I was not proud of my tongue. He handcrafted my lips and my tongue, and I disregarded this. I’ve grown to appreciate my stutter and not be ashamed of it. To God’s ears, my words are not broken. My words are a sweet fragrance to Him.
This month I experienced the darkness like never before. I physically felt weight on my shoulders and chest walking down the red light district. My chest was tight and I felt panic try to creep in. For a few moments I couldn’t breath. I grabbed my friend Bre’s hand. I opened my mouth and spoke in tongues because my physical tongue couldn’t form words of this world. I began to pray for the destruction of life that plagues the streets of Patong Thailand. God revealed that I still do not completely trust Him as my protector. He gently whispered “Sarah, I’m here. I’m here with you. I’m here with the woman dancing on the bar. I’m with the man that is buying her. I’m with you. I will protect you.” I felt peace among the sin infested streets.
When the spiritual atmosphere is heavy, it affects me more then I want to admit. Spiritual heaviness makes it super hard for me to focus, pay attention and to speak without stuttering. When I spoke against the lust, sex, and idolatry on Bangala Road, I did not stutter. My prayer language between me and my Father is without flaw. According to Carey*, when speaking in tongues, words bypass the language part of the brain. How cool!!! The language part of my brain is what causes my tongue to stutter. However, my prayers to God are above language.
Also this month my team, The Guardians of the Galistry, had the privilege of working with the Kingdom Journey’s film crew, Wider Lens. Wider Lens was originally going to meet up with our K-Squad men in Chiang Mai and film them. However, the Father had other plans. The film crew announced they were coming to Phuket to film us and I felt anxious. There is something about being on the other side of a camera that makes my stutter worse than normal. I tried to avoid having to speak on camera and kept a low profile. The film crew followed us around for our Valentine’s Day outreach. I was asked in passing about being interviewed on camera, to which I replied, “maybe”. That night, God was tugging at my heart. He told me that I should not be embarrassed of the tongue He made. “But God! My lips will tremble. My lips will get stuck on words, and it will be documented forever on film.” He said, “so what Sarah. I handmade your lips, and as long as your speaking what I’ve asked you to speak, I’m proud of you.”
The next night, I was asked to be interviewed. With slightly nervous lips, I mutter a weak “yes”. The next afternoon, a few of us went out to the beach and set up shop on the rocks. I sat on a very hot rock and prayed. “Jesus, I don’t want to stutter on camera. Can you supernaturally guide my lips for the next hour? God, I’m nervous, but I want to do this.” I had peace. The interview went well, and I tried to remember and apply every technique for smooth speech that I was taught. After a few minutes, my concentration shifted and I just spoke from my heart. I’m sure I stuttered, but I felt confidence in my lips. I knew God had brought me to this rock to speak. Sometimes God asks us to act and sometime all we need to do is speak. Like Moses, the first time God asked him to hit the rock and the second time God asked Moses to speak to the rock. It was my time to just speak.
*Carey, B. (2006, November 06). A Neuroscientific Look at Speaking in Tongues. Retrieved February 23, 2017, from http://www.nytimes.com/2006/11/07/health/07brain.html
“Ever Be”
Your love is devoted like a ring of solid gold
Like a vow that is tested like a covenant of old
Your love is enduring through the winter rain
And beyond the horizon with mercy for today
Faithful You have been and faithful you will be
You pledge yourself to me and it’s why I sing
Your praise will ever be on my lips, ever be on my lips
Your praise will ever be on my lips, ever be on my lips
Your praise will ever be on my lips, ever be on my lips
Your praise will ever be on my lips, ever be on my lips
You Father the orphan
Your kindness makes us whole
And you shoulder our weakness
And your strength becomes our own
Now you’re making me like you
Clothing me in white
Bringing beauty from ashes
For You will have Your bride
Free of all her guilt and rid of all her shame
And known by her true name and it’s why I sing
Your praise will ever be on my lips, ever be on my lips
Your praise will ever be on my lips, ever be on my lips
Your praise will ever be on my lips, ever be on my lips
Your praise will ever be on my lips, ever be on my lips
You will be praised You will be praised
With angels and saints we sing worthy are You Lord
You will be praised You will be praised
With angels and saints we sing worthy are You Lord
And it’s why I sing
Your praise will ever be on my lips, ever be on my lips
Your praise will ever be on my lips, ever be on my lips
Your praise will ever be on my lips, ever be on my lips
Your praise will ever be on my lips, ever be on my lips
Much love,
Sarah Amberley
