Voices Carry

I heard the "Til Tuesday song Voices Carry while driving the other day.

The song came out in 1985 which was what, 20 years ago, right?

Umm, no, try 40.

Okay, with that sweet little factoid, there is simply no denying my decrepit-ness.

Anyhoo..

As I was jamming in my car, I hearkened back to that song's awesome music video, where the singer's jerk face, yet mildly handsome, chiseled-cheekbones boyfriend tried to control her until she finally stood up for herself and sang loudly while sitting in the audience at Carnegie Hall.

80's music videos were the best.

Part of the outro of the of the song says:

"Oh, hush hush, so shut up now, voices carry.

Oh, hush hush, keep it down now, voices carry."

For some reason, this song takes on a different meaning for me now that I am much older and a teeny, tiny bit wiser.

I thought about all the times I shut up and kept it down.  

For years, I kept down the lies I believed, the hurt inflicted, and the pain endured.

I didn't want to face the ick and certainly didn't want anyone else to know.

Best to stay shut up.

Best to just keep it down.  

But the voice telling me to keep it down wasn't some guy with a tight white tank top on (grateful for that); it was an invisible, sneaky whisper from the enemy of my very soul trying to keep me controlled and imprisoned.

For you see, holding it all down keeps us stuck. The lies hold power over us in the dark corners of our minds.  

And when we keep them down, the lies, the hurt, and the pain don't just hold us back; they start to fester.

And rather than heal and deal, we numb, we pretend, we hide, and we lie.

Enough of that.

Last year, I began my "stand up in the audience at Carnegie Hall" journey, where I started writing out the junk that held me back and finally started to follow God forward to replace the lies with the truth about who God says I am.

And next week, I'll be speaking it out.

On March 28th, my Mom's birthday, interestingly enough, I'll be part of a group of women who are telling their "When Stories."

This amazing Ted-X style project was created by Wendy Babcock, who encourages women to "unmute their voices."

My presentation will be broadcast live on March 28th, and then I'll get a cool video that will be all edited and fancy, hopefully shrinking my stomach and removing my wrinkles in the process.

I am slightly terrified, if I'm being honest.

But that's okay.

I am fighting through that fear because I am NOT staying quiet.  

The enemy of my soul will hush me no longer.

Sounds dramatic, I know.

But man, when I think about how many of us spend YEARS shut up and held back, it feels that way.

So, next week I will stand up and speak about how God rescued me from the ashes and took me on a journey to remove the lies and fears that held me back for so long.

I will shine the light in the darkness and let healing into the hurt places.

Not just for me, but for all of us.

Because maybe when I do that, someone else will stand up and speak.

And another.

And another.

And soon, our voices will carry.

And what a beautiful sound those voices will make.

Romans 15: 5-6

May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Colossians 3: 15-16

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace.

And be thankful. 

Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 

And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Ephesians 5:8

For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light.