Voice ≠ Verdict
Yes—this is already you, so I’m just going to turn up the flavor, tighten the punch, and add that pastoral stickiness without making it shouty. Same heart. Sharper edges. Here you go:
Have you ever walked into something new and immediately thought,
Oh no. What did I just do?
Your body shows up—but your confidence is still in the parking lot, eating snacks and refusing to make eye contact.
That moment when every voice in your head suddenly has an opinion?
Yeah. That’s where this starts.
Not long ago, I stepped into a brand-new season. A new calling. A door only God could open.
And still—before I even unpacked—the voices showed up early.
I started teaching at an alternative school for students with criminal and violent behaviors. The first day felt like landing on another planet. The energy was loud. The attitudes were big. The stares were a mix of curiosity and are you serious right now?
On the outside, I was calm and smiling.
On the inside, I was thinking, Lord… are You sure this is for me?
After school, when the halls were empty and everything finally got quiet—except my thoughts—I texted Lee:
“I don’t think I’m built for this.”
It wasn’t dramatic.
It was honest.
He replied with one sentence I keep coming back to:
“Uncharted territory is always uncomfortable. But just because it’s new doesn’t mean it’s not on purpose.”
That’s when it clicked.
I wasn’t just nervous—I was letting self-doubt judge something God was building.
Growing up, my dad used to say, “Just because you get louder doesn’t make you more right.”
That one stayed with me.
Loud voices feel convincing. Fear likes to shout. Comparison loves a microphone.
But volume has never been the same thing as truth.
Here’s what I’m learning in this season: when you don’t start with God, every voice gets a vote.
But when you do? Everything else loses authority.
Some voices will disagree with you.
Some will question you.
Some will try to pull you down.
That doesn’t make them deciding voices.
They’re just dissenting ones.
And dissent doesn’t get the final word.
There may be many voices—but there is only one verdict.
And it doesn’t come from fear, pressure, or people.
It comes from the One who called you in the first place.
Everything else?
Just noise. 💛
