Photo by Jason Rosewell on Unsplash

This originally appeared on my personal Facebook page as part of a writing challenge I participated in to stretch my writing:  Five Minute Friday’s 31 DAYS OF FIVE MINUTE FREE WRITES. This is spontaneous writing in only 5 minutes. The word for the day was “Voice.”

“Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth—let your cry ring out, and sing praises!” Psalm 98:4

I have always wanted to have a beautiful singing voice. I would love to sing confidently in church and not worry about hurting anyone’s ears. Alas, that I do not have that much desired gift. There’s a verse for people like me – make a joyful NOISE to the Lord. And so I do.

The Lord may not have given me that prized singing voice, but He has given me a voice nonetheless. For most of my life, I was very quiet. I was afraid to raise my hand in school, and afraid to talk in front of people. That followed me into adulthood, where I preferred to stay within my silent cocoon, too afraid to step out of my comfort zone and even start a conversation with someone. People labeled me as shy, but in reality, my quietness was just to cover up my belief that I had nothing of importance to say. If I had nothing of value to speak, why embarrass myself by opening my mouth?

The Lord has been working on me, though. He has been so gentle with me, giving me opportunities to speak with many people through a new position my employer has given me. I speak with people I don’t know every single day.

Someone recently told me I have a voice, and that the Lord wants me to use it. He seems to want me to use that voice in writing, and only He knows the reason. 

You have a voice, too. You have a story, a testimony, a piece of wisdom that can help someone else. Don’t be shy, and don’t believe the voice that tells you that you have nothing to say, or that you can’t say it well, or that it doesn’t matter. It matters, and YOU matter. You never know whose life you may influence, and that influence just may change the world. 

“For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s house will perish. And who knows if perhaps you have come to the kingdom for such a time as this?” Esther 4:14

“Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?’ Then I said, ‘Here am I. Send me!’” Isaiah 6:8