I often hear my granddaughters’ voices float around through my mind. Snippets of our latest conversations include: “Lolli, come back anytime,” 2-year-old, friendly-like-her-dad Olivia said as I got in my car to go home last Saturday.

Later, it was Adeline. “What are you doing tomorrow?”

“Going to church.”

“Then tomorrow I will tell you that I love your beautiful dress,” said the 3-year-old fashionista.

Yes, those are the voices I would love to hear all day long. But there are other voices that vie for attention, and they are not as welcomed. They intrude, mock and attempt to paralyze.

They say things like, “Who do you think you are?” “Why did you do/say something so stupid?” “Don’t try, you’ll just fail again.”

This is some of the internal dialogue I’ve allowed to poison my thoughts. I say things to myself that I would never, ever say to anyone else.

Last week ended a season of 21 days of prayer for me, and I decided to fast as well. I thought about fasting from some type of food or TV, but felt more challenged to abstain from negative self-talk. I silenced that voice and worked to replace it with positive, truth-filled Scriptures.

Regardless of how I felt, I focused on Scriptures to reshape my thoughts.

“Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable — if anything is excellent or praiseworthy — think about such things.” (Philippians 4:8)

That’s the voice I’m focusing on, and the one I hope my granddaughters always hear.

Ronny Michel may be reached at rmichel@rtconline.com.