In Other Words: Using My Own Voice

Welcome to In Other Words! I pray today in the words of one of the participating blogs you will find a note of encouragement.

“Don’t sing with a borrowed voice. The one he gave you is the one he wants to hear.”
by Jennifer Rothschild
via Twitter 17 Nov 2010

 It is so easy to get caught up in what we think we should be, rather than what we are created to be.  We listen to voices around us telling us to try this or be this or do this. But, often they are not the things that are designated for us. Or, we watch others excel in their gifts and we wish (covet) that gifting. We measure ourselves against another’s standard and we never seem to measure up. The problem is that we are not supposed to be measuring ourselves against others’standards. Our only measure should be God’s standard that he has given us.

I love to lead ladies’ Bible Studies. There is nothing that gives me more of a buzz than to see a group of ladies sharing their hearts around Scripture. As much as I might aspire for something bigger, my calling has always been small groups. I will never be a Beth Moore or a Priscilla Shirer or a Jennifer Rothschild. That’s okay. My goal should not be to emulate their voice, but to use my own.

Writing and blogging can be a huge trap for us in regards to losing our voice. We can read Pioneer Woman or BooMama or  Big Mama and believe that is how we are supposed to do this blogging thing. We can lose our own voice trying to imitate others that are out there in the blogsphere. Nevertheless, the truth of the matter is that God has given them their voice for their audience. He has given us our voices for our own audiences. We may not know the reasons why one has an audience of thousands and another has an audience of a dozen. We don’t need to know the reason; He does.

Over the last few months, I have experienced God changing my vision of what my voice should be. I have grand plans for writing and ministry and home education and so many things. Yet he has reminded me over and over “the plans are fine, they just aren’t your calling in this moment.” When I chose the theme words of “ponder” and “treasure” at the beginning of the year, I had plans to be consistently writing of the things he would have me ponder. So many times, I’ve sat down to write about something I’ve been learning only to hear a quiet voice encourage me to “just treasure it.” I’m learning this year to use the voice he has given me—and sometimes that means to remain silent. I do not believe that I am called to go totally silent on the blog, but to listen more intently to when to write. I have found in the past that periods of silence often give birth to some of my most prolific writing. I will wait and see what God has planned.

May I encourage you today to listen to his prompting regarding your voice. Don’t try to be someone you are not called to be—you will only find yourself frustrated trying to speak with someone else’s voice. Follow his lead. Trust his gifting of personality and gifts in your life. Use those gifts and you cannot go wrong.

Praying you have a blessed day. Please visit the other ladies who participate in In Other Words. Leave comments and encourage them. And, please, use your voice to join the conversation!