You Have a Voice



Reflections



Posted On April 21, 2018

When I was young, my mother used to say, “I want to live in a house beside the road and be a friend. That’s all I want.”

It seemed too small a dream.

I dreamed of being the President or a priest or Joel Osteen—someone who could change the world or at least leave a big mark on it.

But none of my adolescent dreams came true. Instead, I chose an ordinary life. I became a husband, a father, and a lawyer.

Somewhere between raising a family and earning daily bread, life became my teacher. I realized I wasn’t meant to be the President, a priest or another Joel Osteen. Those jobs were taken. Instead, I was me—and what I have, what each of us has—is a voice.

Two vocal cords that resonate with words. Words that flow from the heart, that spill onto blank pages. Words that flow from books written by others. Words with the power to inspire, transform, and encourage—so others can find their voice too.

Each of us have been given—a voice. Vocal cords that can resonate with words of love or hate, wisdom or foolishness, encouragement or despair. A voice that lets us choose with the words we speak to ourselves and others the life we want to live.

Over the years I’ve let go of my false dreams as my ego screamed “No!” Because one day someone spoke, “You’re a writer.” And I believed him. I said, “Yes.” And now I write because it makes me feel whole. It helps me make sense of the world and hopefully inspires others.

You have a voice.
Can you have faith in it and in God?
Can you embrace your voice, allow it to lovingly empower you and others?
And live beside the road and be a friend?

—brian j plachta
brianplachta.net

Written by Brian J. Plachta

Following the Breadcrumbs God Leaves Along Our Path

What if God is speaking through ordinary moments more often than we realize?

A conversation that stays with us. A door that closes. A quiet nudge we can’t quite explain. An unexpected invitation that seems to come at just the right time.

The challenge is learning to notice these moments before we have any idea where they’re leading, and trusting the next step.

Over time, we may begin to see that God’s guidance doesn’t always come as an answer. Sometimes, it comes as a trail.

What to Do When God Seems Silent

Has silence ever made you feel like God is far away? When we feel this way, it’s easy to start looking for answers or waiting for a clear sign. But prayer can also be as simple as slowing down and noticing what’s already here. The breeze. The waves. Your breath. The quiet. God’s presence doesn’t always come through words. Sometimes we just need to be still enough to notice.

Let God Alone Define You

Ever have someone’s words get stuck in your head?
Maybe they criticized you, misunderstood you, or told a story about you that doesn’t feel true. And before long, you’re holding a courtroom in your mind—defending yourself, replaying the conversation, wondering if maybe they’re right.

There’s another way.

Bring it into the quiet with God.

Ask: Is there something here I need to learn? Is there something I need to own? And what was never mine to carry in the first place?

We can stay humble enough to receive the truth without letting someone else’s opinion become our identity.

Because in the end, God alone defines you.

« Older Entries