Day 18: Speak Up

Warm-Up:

Pray:

“God, Nehemiah overcame DEEP SADNESS and INTENSE FEAR to speak up to the king. He had something inside him that he could not hold in anymore. What mission is welling up in me? What words are like a fire in my heart? Help me craft words around my passion and purpose. I want to get clear on what breaks my heart and freaks me out. I don’t want to be quiet anymore. I can’t be quiet anymore. Release my words so I can freely speak out today. Finally.”

Round 1:

Read Nehemiah 2:3 and underline the words “Then I said to the king…”

Round 2:

Over 100 years before Nehemiah, the prophet Jeremiah spoke up as well. He did not have a pleasant message for the people of God. Even so, he would not hold it inside him. Read Jeremiah’s words in Jeremiah 20:9 out loud 3 times.

Round 3:

When you think about how you want to make a difference in the world:

• What words are inside you that you cannot hold in any longer? Write them down.

• What do you want to say to the things that break your heart? Write it down.

• What do you want to say to the fears you are leaving behind? Write it down.

If you are struggling for words, take a few minutes to pray and ask God for words that start to articulate what is in your heart. Write down what comes to mind.

Round 4:

Now find a place to pray through everything above OUT LOUD. Go outside. Get in a place by yourself. Do whatever you need to do to get the words said out loud without reservation.

Burn Out:

Take it one step further. Think of one person who you can share your words with. Reach out to them and see if they would be willing to hear what is on your heart. Share what you wrote down in Round 3. This may seem risky.

Sometime This Week:

Set aside 15-30 minutes and take the Spiritual Gifts test at the following link. It’s free but you need to create a login to take it. This will help you identify God’s unique call on your life.

Link to Spiritual Gifts assessment: www.spiritualgiftstest.com