I need you to know how much courage it takes for me to break the silence.
I need you not to silence me the way others have.
I need you to listen attentively when I speak about what I have been carrying.
I need you to validate my expression of my experience.
I need my experience to be appreciated from my perspective.
I need you not to make any assumptions about me, my story or my needs.
I need you to hold the conversation open.
I need your encouragement when I find ways to communicate with others.
I need you to respect that my story is mine at all times.
Our voice is one of the most powerful gifts we have. God listens to the voice of those who are crying for help and support. God listens to our voice when we need to be heard. As the church, we ought to reflect God’s attentive listening towards those whose voices have been silenced. We need to encourage people to find their own voice to speak and share their story without pressure or expectations, but with the certainty that their voices will be heard and never silenced.
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