No Longer Silent

I heard the whispers today. That voice that said, "No one is listening; no one cares what I have to say." Lies from the enemy attempting to silence the truth. For too long, I have listened to that voice. The voice that said I needed to tone it down and sugarcoat the truth to avoid offending others. The same voice that said others would reject me if I spoke the truth of God's redemptive grace. No more!! The closer the Lord draws me to Himself, the more I long to share His love with others. My husband's death made it very evident how brief our lives on this earth are. The Bible compares our lives to a vapor, only lasting a moment. The thought of every wasted opportunity breaks my heart. Every missed opportunity could be that person's last opportunity to experience Christ's love or hear the truth of the gospel.

Here are a few truths and promises from God's word to dispel the lies and remind us of who God has called us to be through Christ Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit.

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the jew first and also to the Greek." - Romans 1:16

"Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold I am with you always, to the end of the age." - Matthew 28:19-20

"For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control. Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through the apprearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that day what has been entrusted to me." - 2 Timothy 1:6-12

"I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead; and by his appearing and his kingdom: preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, and exhort, with complete patience and teaching. For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths. As for you, always be sober-minded, endure suffering, do the work of an evangelist, fulfill your ministry." 2 Timothy 4:1-5

This last verse is so relevant for today. There are so many ideas and points of view being preached and taught. Also, with the internet and social media, everyone has a platform. A lot of things may sound good or appeal to our senses, but there is only one truth, and that is the gospel. Let me make something very clear, I do not want you to follow me. Follow Jesus Christ. Weigh everything I say against the scriptures. My greatest desire is to serve the Lord in every aspect of my life, point others to Jesus, and serve others with the love of Christ. He is continually at work in me, as He is in every believer. The closer we draw to Him, the closer He draws to us. He changes our hearts and gives us the desire to be holy as He is holy.

This blog started as a way to encourage women who have experienced loss and brokenness by sharing what Christ has shown me through my own journey with grief. While this is still the primary focus, it is also a place to share biblical truths that all believers can apply to their lives. I'm excited to see what the Lord has in store.

Dear Heavenly Father,

Your name is great and greatly to be praised! Please be with my dear friend reading this. May they be a light for you in these last days. Please draw them into closer communion with yourself, and may the Holy Spirit strengthen and embolden them to share the truth of the gospel with others. May they be your hands and feet, humbly serving those around them, filled with love for the lost and broken. May they speak truth in love, never compromising the truth to avoid rejection or persecution. Guide their steps throughout this week. Thank you for each one of them.

In the name of Jesus Christ,

Amen

Until next time, be blessed!

Scripture quotations are from the ESV® Bible (The Holy Bible, English Standard Version®), © 2001 by Crossway, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. The ESV text may not be quoted in any publication made available to the public by a Creative Commons license. The ESV may not be translated in whole or in part into any other language.