Episode 135: The Power of Our Words—with Sarah Molitor
We are sharing some of our favorite episodes from the podcast this month as we wind down the summer. Next up is this conversation with Sarah Molitor on how the words we use can impact our relationships in positive and negative ways.
Words have the potential to tear down our relationships or build them up. Ever since I (Joanna) was a young girl, I loved words. I would spend hours writing stories and poems. And even though I took numerous writing classes up through college, I was never taught how to talk to people with kindness and express my thoughts in a way that protected other people’s hearts.
I bet we all have experienced moments when we wished we could take back words that caused harm or didn’t land the way we intended. It could be because, like me, you were never taught how to be mindful about what we say, or perhaps in a moment of frustration the words came tumbling out before you could choose a kinder way of saying what you intended.
That’s why we are excited to have someone who has studied how we can use words well.
Sarah Molitor is a wife, mother of seven kids, and the author of Well Said: Choosing Words that Speak Life, Give Grace, and Strengthen Your Faith and Family. You may know Sarah from her thriving social media community at Modern Farmhouse Family.
In this episode, Sarah shares:
- The power words carry in our relationships
- How God can sometimes do more when we say less
- Common pitfalls our words can lead us into
- And much more!
This conversation was such an honor, and we hope you enjoy it as much as we did!
Links:
- [BOOK] Well Said: Choosing Words that Speak Life, Give Grace, and Strengthen Your Faith and Family
- Connect with Sarah on her website, Instagram, or Facebook
Our Takeaways:
1) Sometimes silence says more than words. We aren’t called to say everything in every situation. There are times when holding back and holding our tongues can be just as powerful as speaking up. It’s important to be just as good of a listener to other people’s words as it is to cultivate our words well. There are absolutely times when it’s important to speak up, but we need to remember to stay silent more than we offer unsolicited counsel.
2) Practice stepping away to reset. This is different from running away from a conflict or saying, “I’m leaving.” What we are referring to here is recognizing your triggers and knowing when you get to a point that nothing good will come from continuing the conversation in the present moment. When this happens, it can be the healthiest thing to give yourself a break and return to the conversation when you can approach it from a healthier place.
3) We have to hold ourselves accountable for what we have said. Repairing our relationships begins with taking accountability for the things that we have said. Forgiveness isn’t just saying “I’m sorry.” It’s important to show that we remember the words we said, acknowledge how they may have hurt the other person, and genuinely apologize for them.
Meet Our Guest
Sarah Molitor is an author, former Registered Nurse, wife, and mom to seven kids. She runs a thriving social media community called Modern Farmhouse Family where she encourages, challenges, and prays for women all over the world. Sarah loves candy (but dislikes chocolate) and finds extra joy in photography and baking.
