I have a confession: I easily allow my voice to be silenced.

A while ago my therapist told me that my voice has been silenced for too long and that I have some things to say. And she’s right. I definitely have some things to say. She is pretty great so she suggested that tiktok may be a good place to find my voice again. I thought that sounded a little nuts and I’m still not so sure about it - so I have decided to experiment with my voice here and there and wherever else there may be an opportunity.

I intentionally made the decision to go silent while I walked through the pain of separation and divorce for the sake of myself, but mostly so that my primary focus could be on my sweet children. I have had to wrestle through the notion that my voice either isn’t relevant or isn’t right, whatever that means. I have done plenty of writing and blogging in the past and I have been told that I am too real or not real enough, too colorful or to clean, too cliché or not enough explicit hope, too much emotion or not enough relatability, too many questions and not enough answers, too many answers or not enough questions. I was told to keep sharing or to stop being inappropriate. Too much real life makes people uncomfortable and not enough real life makes you seem fake. What about your image?

And so, as I’m coming to terms with my own voice, I realize that my voice is not everyone’s flavor. In fact, my voice may not be anyone’s flavor. Sometimes my voice leaves a wretched aftertaste in my own mouth! As I sort through the lies and insecurities that have silenced me, I realize that the path to discovery often involves failure and that I may have to walk through the bitter to experience the sweet.

I wonder if we could ourselves a little more grace. I wonder if we could give one another a lot more grace and truly celebrate one another’s unique voices. This is truly what Life as Pulpit is all about . . . my life speaking to yours and your life speaking to mine.

Resist the lie that your voice isn’t relevant or isn’t right. Own the rich and raw reality of your story and don’t let your voice be silenced.

Let me say it again for the people in the back . . .

Cheers to the ongoing experiment of finding my voice. I’m cheering you on as you harness the courage the find yours.

-Tam XOXO

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