Speak Up!

I have always been a shy and quiet person.

For as long as I can remember, I have always been more comfortable hidden in the shadows of stronger personalities. It was a lot easier for me to blend in than to raise my own voice. I have let others tear me down with things they have said about me. I was too afraid to offend anyone. I did not stand up for what is truth.

It is so easy for me to just agree with something that everyone else is saying, than to voice my own opinion. It is much easier to sit back and zone out during a lecture when a professor is spitting out lies upon lies than to swallow my pride, raise my voice, and to share the Truth. It is a lot easier to listen to friends spread rumors and gossip than to confront them. It is easier to sit back and let people try to put the character and power of God in a tiny box than to rebuke them and pray that their eyes be opened to the fullness of the glory of God. It is easier to sit back and say nothing than to stand up for justice.

But that is NOT okay.

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Our words have power.

Our words have one of two functions...

"The tongue has the power of life and death."

~ Proverbs 18:21

Our words either build someone up, or tear someone down.

Our words bring life, or they bring death.

Our words agree with God, or they agree with the enemy.

We need to be using our words to bring life and joy to one another!

How much better would our relationships be if we encouraged one another

rather than gossiping about what she said or what he did to her?

I can tell you that relationships will start to thrive!!

Silence can be just as destructive as hurtful words.

Silence won't protect anyone.

Silence = apathy.

Silence won't advocate for those who are unable to raise their own voices.

Jesus tells us to use our voice!

Jesus wants us raise our voices, and to stand up for TRUTH!

I have been silent more often than I would like to admit.

But, by none other than the power of God, that is changing!

I have taken baby steps into a place of courage and boldness.

It has been a LONG process, and I'm still learning...but I'm finding my voice.

I'm finding His voice in me.

Jesus has given each of us a voice.

It can be scary when He asks us to share about His truth,

because not everyone will be open to what we have to say....and that's ok!

He still wants us to share!

He still wants us to seek justice and truth in all that we do.

He wants us to use our voices to bring life!

He wants us to use our voices to speak TRUTH!

All we have to do is obey. We just have to open our mouths, and He will provide the words.

Take that leap of faith!!

If you are willing to obey, He will make you ready.

"Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given to me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should."

~ Ephesians 6:19