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“If you ask me what I came into this life to do, I will tell you: I came to live out loud.” Emile Zola

In part two of this three-part series, “God Told Me … (a still small voice),” I wrote about God’s whispers. 

The irony? 

God’s been whispering to me about living out loud.

I’m not sure blurting out “amen” in the middle of my friend’s prayer was exactly what God had in mind for living out loud, but that’s what happened at the start of our meal. My friend finished praying and hugged me.  

Hollering at the CAIN concert was another one of my “out loud” moments. My friend who tried to record one of their songs moved farther away until she could get a video of just them. 

My daughter mentioned that whoo-hooing so loud in church seemed a bit much, then she joked, “But you do you.” 

It wasn’t until she whooped it up in the middle of a pirate show with our family that I debated whether to feel justified because she whoo-hooed too or convicted because I wanted to duct tape her mouth.

Every book study I sat on the back row, but even back there, something stirred inside of me that came out loud. I shared personal stories I apologized for afterwards. 

Every time I spoke up something inside said shut up. I made several decisions about that “out loud” moment being my last. I wanted to blend back into the background. I wanted to stop talking about God in every conversation because I sounded fanatical. 

I know I’ve mentioned my favorite Bible verse is 1 Thessalonians 4:11-12. Here’s the NIV translation, And to make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: You should mind your own business and work with your hands, just as we told you, so that your daily life may win the respect of outsiders.  

While considering the quiet part of verse 11, I happened upon Psalm 100 about making a joyful (and loud) noise. Also, Isaiah 42:11 said they raise their voices, rejoice, sing for joy, and shout from mountaintops.  

The night of the pirate show, I think God meant my daughter as a mirror, a loud one. She looked joyful too – a loud and joyful example.  

I took note of a woman at church glance back at another attendee who said amen several times during Prophet Jim Reilly’s teaching. It was yet another reason to nix my out loudness. That was, until I heard my prophesy from God through Jim. 

“You quit apologizing for what you say because you’re saying it out of your heart and out of love for others, and that’s who God’s looking for.”

And then it’s like he read my mind. He said, “It doesn’t matter if they think you’re fanatical. It’s great. It’s okay. Say ‘Yeah, I’m crazy … crazy for God.’”

If someone’s trying to quiet you, but you can’t seem to help yourself, it could be that God’s finally set you free to live out loud.  

I hope you’ll join the conversation. Get loud about it!

In This Together, 
Kim

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