What Are You Talking About?
Recently I was told that I talk about my dad a lot. It’s been swarming around in my head pretty much ever since.
A part of me wants to say and has said many times before.. how can I not talk about my dad? Everyone else gets to talk about their dads freely.. how he makes them laugh, how he stood up for them when this happened, how mad they are at him, how proud he is of them.. etc. And I can’t. My dad was such a big part of my life for 11 years and I can’t imagine never talking about him again or his death.
A part of me asks “Why do I talk about it?” Besides the obvious reason of how can I not, I talk about my dad because his death impacted me and God uses it as my story. I don’t talk about my dad’s death for pity or attention, that’s the last thing I want in the world.. hang me off a cliff first, PLEASE! So much that I moved schools to be away from the “girl whose dad died” reputation.
Until 2014, I didn’t really talk about my dad much. I did occasionally but I didn’t think I was allowed to. I was always told nobody wanted to hear it. I really had to get through that.. being told nobody wanted to hear about my dad or my story. Until someone had my exact story. I knew other girls who had lost their dad, including one of my closest childhood friends, but I wasn’t talking about it back then. In 2014, an 11 year old girl lost her dad 2 weeks from the time my dad died when I was 11 years old. My motivation to share my story for God’s glory ignited and He hasn’t silenced me yet.
Why do you talk about the things you do? What do you talk about? Do you talk about worldly things like tv shows, movies, politics, gossip, drama or are you talking about His Word, His Goodness and Mercy and His Promises to us? How are you bringing God glory through what you’re talking about?
“Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father.” Colossians 3:17
“Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the Glory of God.” 1 Corinthians 10:31
“Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.” 1 Peter 4:11
Sometimes it’s not what you’re talking about, it’s why you’re talking about it. Many things can be talked about for the glory of yourself, for the pity of others, for the praise from others.. but are you talking about it for the Glory of God, the thankfulness to Him, the praise of His Son??
So what are you talking about? And why are you talking about it?
I talk about my dad because it’s my testimony. God gave me this story, not to be silent but to speak up and say I got through it, and you will too. It is hard but God is my Father. I talk about it because I love because my dad loved me.. my dad loved me because He first loved us. My dad’s love taught me my Heavenly Father’s Love. God doesn’t want us to waste our pain on silence.. What’s the point of all the pain if we never let it change us and change somebody around us. I talk about my dad because I don’t anyone to ever feel like they can’t talk about their biggest struggles. All to the Glory of God.
If He brings you to it, He’ll bring you to it. Talk about it!
Xo
