Tuesday, September 10, 2013

God's timing with my voice

It confuses me sometimes. I confess that freely.  God brought me through the voiceless times to having my voice again only to have me muting it.  Not stifling it. Not silencing it.  After all I am still writing and creating.  But I am not being heard as loudly as I was a few years ago when I used my voice for the causes of others.

It bothered me.  God put it on my heart to share, and I did.  To the resounding echo of silence.



Many well meaning friends offered advice.  Some made sense. Some saddened me terribly. Some was just really weird!

It makes sense that we need to treat our voices like a speaker or a singer does - using them with care, not injuring them and giving them rest.

It makes a sad sort of sense that when we find our voices, and even when we use them and we are correct in what we say people will be afraid of our voices.  They will be more upset that we found them, and are using them, than when we had none.

People tend not to be good with change.  You changed from being silent, stifled to being heard. Sometimes small and sometimes loud. But we found them!  We did the work and got our voices back!

To the utter dismay of those whom we thought would be most proud. Or most supportive. Or the most encouraging. They didn't know what to do with this new person in front of them. This person, this woman, who has her voice back.  It is no longer their job to speak for us, or at us.  Conversations no longer have to flow around our silence, or absence.

One of the saddest things I heard, and it has been seen in recent blogs, is how difficult it is to be seen agreeing with someone because of fear.  Being afraid your pastor or ministry leader won't agree and discover you do.  Or being afraid to agree when it is right but the minority.  Or being afraid to say, Hey this is what I think about this and why...

Most sad, and almost impossible for me to do anymore, is to quiet my voice in order to play dumb or to apologize for having a voice again before speaking.

It is probably good my Pastor is as outspoken as I am about using our voices and talents, and is pretty open to discussion.  So many are afraid they won't fit in with their church friends or faith leaders if they find and use that beautiful voice of theirs!  You know the one God gave you back again.  Yeah that one.

When Jo Ann Fore told me about her When A Woman Finds Her Voice book launch I was so excited!  Reading the review copy of the book has just moved me so deeply!  They get it. They really do.

All those years of being quiet so no one could be wrong or embarrassed by me.  All those years of using my voice for others with nothing back but their silence when I stopped. All those years of longing to share what God put on my heart.  Jo Ann and the contributors to the book understand. They get it.

It is an amazing thing to read the book, and hear the echoes of truth ringing in your spirit.  Knowing you knew it but was still voiceless.  Getting through the healing is a process, but once we are past the hurting and moving into the the healing we find somethings that are just amazing!  I won`t spoil it, come on Wednesday and we`ll have another edition of my rolling book review for Jo Ann`s book and you can enjoy the other blogs who are linking up with Jo Ann to celebrate the launch of When A Woman Finds Her Voice

Come over to Jo Ann's page and meet the other bloggers linking up with us today.  Be sure to leave some love!  Bless you!



Jo Ann Fore

18 comments:

  1. Wow. This is the 'real stuff' of what happens so many times when you finally 'find your voice'. But, Kudos to you Shanyne for finding it and 'not letting it go' despite the mute button.
    Keep pressing forward into the All of God!

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    1. Thank you! You encourage me and bless me. Thank you for coming by and sharing!

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  2. "...when we find our voices, and even when we use them and we are correct in what we say people will be afraid of our voices." That is such a powerful statement. Thank you for not letting those putting you down or confusing you, to further silence your voice.

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    1. Tina - it took me a long time, and I still struggle with it. I love your encouragement, thanks for coming by.

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  3. Girl, you made me laugh. Cry. And most of all, hope. You are beautiful -- as is your voice. <3

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    1. Jo Ann <3 ya back beautiful! Hope, yes if there is one word for what I've discovered in finding our voices it is hope! HOPE! Bless you!

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  4. Thankyou for having the courage to use your voice despite the naysayers!

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    1. Thanks Amanda. It isn't easy, but worth it to keep my voice. As you know! Bless you.

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  5. Keep using that beautiful voice....walk on in the fullness of the purpose for which you were created.
    blessings,
    Gay Idle @CaptiveHeart

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    1. Thank you for the blessing Gay. What an honour to have you say those words.

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  6. Keep sharing that voice, asking God for open doors and open hearts. :)He will direct you where you need to go. Blessings to you ~Victoria

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    1. Victoria - thank you! For your encouragement and love, and for stopping by. :-)

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  7. I love this!! You make some amazing points that ring so true to what we sometimes experience when we begin to share our opinions and lose the mask of silence. I connect with the fear because for too long it intimidated me too. What a great way to share your experiences and your voice!!!

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    1. Awww..thank you so much for the words of love and encouragement. I know we are all kindred spirits who are returned from being voiceless! Appreciate that you came by and shared.

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  8. So glad you've found your voice again. She's back! :)

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    1. I am Cheryl! :-) Thanks for coming by. Bless you!

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  9. Poignant and true. Beautiful thoughts, beautiful blog. Thanks for sharing. Blessings ...

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    1. Thank you for coming by Norma, and sharing! Great that you did! Bless you.

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