Motivation Monday - Why It's Time To Find Your Voice
“God didn’t call up Jeremiah’s qualifications or education or experience. God called up what He had seeded in Jeremiah before He formed His very personhood.”
A few years ago I was wondering if my life to that point had significance. I had spent so many years in the arts as a musician, educating, conducting, composing, rehearsing, performing, producing and creating space for voices of human song and instrumental melody. It was some of the greatest work I had ever done. but somehow my voice was being drowned in the pursuit focus of the performance moment.
When God abruptly changed the direction of my path to step into national leadership, I felt like I was walking in in circles in a desert, which is we all do when we have lost our way for a time. I wasn’t sure where I began or where my journey would end.
Music was all I knew.
I enrolled in a Masters in Leadership and Management program at seminary. One day, feeling out of place with all the male pastors in the room who had a clear call to church ministry, and daydreaming about life on the other side of personal and ministry clarity, I had an epiphany.
I was sitting in class, expecting nothing, but pleading with God for everything. I heard the professor speak a line from a book we were studying. My heart stopped and then started again, racing, like my life had been touched with hot coals from a fire that would ignite my heart into a unquenchable flame.
Here is what I not only heard but viscerally experienced as a call to kingdom service and my daily destiny:
"Find your voice and inspire others to find theirs."
This was written by Steven Covey in The 8th Habit. Voice is Covey's code for "unique personal significance." Covey says that those who inspire others to find theirs are the leaders needed now and for the future.
We read in Scripture how God called prophets, evangelists, ambassadors, apostles, disciples, and everyday followers.
I share my story here is to bust the myth you might believe that you must be someone special in order for God to call you to use your voice. That is not only a myth, it is a lie.
Jeremiah’s call started with God’s reminder to him that his ordinary life was meant for extraordinary impact, in Jeremiah 1:5:
“I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb. Before you were born, I set you apart and appointed you as my prophet to the nations. “
Despite Jeremiah’s protests, the Lord reminds him: “You must go wherever I send you and say whatever I tell you. And don’t be afraid of the people, for I will be with you and will protect you. I, the Lord have spoken.
And the Lord touches Jeremiah’s mouth and says, “Look, I have put my words in your mouth!”
God didn’t call up Jeremiah’s qualifications or education or experience. God called up what He had seeded in Jeremiah before He formed His very personhood.
God has seeded something in each of you – before He formed you, He knew what He would put in you as your destiny. He knew that you would need it to be called out of you, that you would need to develop your voice and be anointed for it.
The world is reeling with loss and chaos and desert walkers going in circles,
unsure of where to go next from here.
Leaders are quitting. People are quitting each other.
But that doesn’t mean you have to.
I believe that this is the time for some of you to say yes to your calling.
To say yes to the voice of the Lord that is saying to you now: “Before you were born, I set you apart and appointed you. You must go where I send you and say what I tell you. I will be with you and protect you.”
At Gather,
we believe this is the time for the collective voice of the female church
to rise like a phoenix from the soil of silence and fear
and soar into the calling
of declaring the gospel of Jesus Christ in every sphere of influence.
Would you say Yes to your call and join us at Gather Voices? We are praying for you. It is not to late to join the 2022 Cohort this week! (CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFO) As we prepare for our 2nd Immersive one week from now we are praying for you! Email us at communications@gatherwomen.com today to ask questions and find out more.
We already know that God has given you a message – and that message is your life. And that is what we want to invest in.
Each of us is afraid of something. Of the people. Of ridicule. Of not being enough.
But when God touches your mouth you become fearless.
You may be a modern-day Jeremiah. Anointed for this season to bring a message from God for this time in history.
You may be anointed to bring a Genesis message for a genesis moment.
Your message will be unique because your life is unique, your voice is unique and it can only be heard through you.
Come on, girls.
It’s time to find your voice. It’s time to inspire other to free their voice.
It’s time to speak truth. It’s time to change the world.
I believe in you!
Cathie