Who Told You That
Reject the Voices That Limit You and Embrace the Purpose God Has Called You To
Who Told You That?
There are voices we hear throughout our lives—voices from family, friends, relationships, society, past experiences, and sometimes even the voice of our own insecurities.
Some voices encourage us. They inspire us. They remind us of who we are and challenge us to become the best version of ourselves.
But there are other voices.
Voices that tell us to shrink back.
Voices that tell us to be quiet.
Voices that tell us that our past disqualifies us from our future.
Voices that tell us we are not enough—that we are too old, too broken, too damaged, too inexperienced, or too different to accomplish what God has placed inside of us.
And I have one question:
Who told you that?
Who told you that you couldn’t rise again?
Who told you that your mistakes were the end of your story?
Who told you that your pain had to remain your identity?
Who told you to silence your voice?
Who told you that you should be ashamed of what you have overcome?
I want to challenge you to examine the voices you have allowed to influence your life.
Because the voices we listen to can shape the way we see ourselves, the decisions we make, and the future we believe is possible.
I know something about overcoming challenges.
Life has presented me with circumstances that could have caused me to give up. I have experienced disappointment, heartbreak, rejection, difficult relationships, seasons of uncertainty, and moments when I had to fight to believe that there was still something greater ahead.
But through every challenge, my faith has reminded me that my circumstances do not get the final say.
God does.
My story is not defined by what happened to me. It is defined by what I chose to do with what happened to me.
I chose to keep going.
I chose to heal.
I chose to grow.
I chose to believe.
And, most importantly, I chose to trust God.
As women, we are not called to live in fear of becoming who God created us to be. We are created in His image, and our lives have purpose. We have been given voices, gifts, experiences, wisdom, and testimonies that can make a difference in the lives of others.
Your voice matters.
Your story matters.
Your testimony matters.
That challenge you survived may be the very testimony another woman needs to hear.
That season you thought would destroy you may become the evidence someone else needs to see that they can survive their season, too.
That door that closed may have taught you something you could not have learned any other way.
That heartbreak may have introduced you to healing.
That rejection may have redirected you.
That failure may have developed your resilience.
And that painful chapter may have prepared you to help someone else navigate theirs.
Don’t allow shame to silence what God wants to use for His glory.
There is a difference between being transparent and being exposed. You don’t have to tell everyone everything. Wisdom and discernment should guide what you share, when you share it, and with whom you share it.
But don’t allow fear to convince you that your testimony has no value.
We are embodied human beings, created with a spirit, and we were created for relationship with God and for purpose. We were not created to live small, fearful lives because of what we have experienced.
We are called to let our light shine.
We are called to walk by faith.
We are called to encourage one another.
We are called to use what we have learned to help others.
And sometimes, walking in your purpose simply means having the courage to say:
“I have been through some things, but look at me now.”
Not because you are perfect.
Not because you have never fallen.
Not because you have never cried.
But because you got back up.
You kept believing.
You kept moving.
You kept looking to God.
The challenges of your life do not have to become the chains that hold you back. They can become the very experiences that strengthen you, develop you, and reveal the woman you are becoming.
You are fearfully and wonderfully made.
You are a masterpiece in the eyes of the Master.
And the Master of the universe has placed gifts, purpose, strength, and potential within you that were never meant to be buried beneath fear.
So I encourage you today:
Check the voices.
Ask yourself:
Who am I allowing to speak into my life?
Are these voices encouraging me or discouraging me?
Are they pushing me toward purpose or pulling me away from it?
Are they inspiring me to walk in faith, or are they teaching me to live in fear?
Are they reminding me of who God says I am, or are they constantly defining me by what I have been through?
You don’t have to listen to every voice.
And you certainly don’t have to obey every voice.
Sometimes, the most powerful thing you can do is reject the voice that says, “You can’t,” and choose to believe the voice that says, “With God, all things are possible.”
So don’t back down because of adversity.
Don’t shrink because someone else is uncomfortable with your growth.
Don’t mute your voice because someone doesn’t understand your journey.
Don’t allow your past to intimidate your future.
Stand.
Rise.
Heal.
Grow.
Speak.
Walk boldly in your purpose.
And when the negative voices come asking, “Who do you think you are?”
You can answer:
“I am who God says I am.”
Your story is still being written.
Your best chapters may still be ahead.
And somewhere, there is another woman who needs to see you walk in victory so she can believe that victory is possible for her, too.
So be that woman.
Be the woman who refuses to give up.
Be the woman who chooses faith over fear.
Be the woman who turns pain into purpose, adversity into strength, and her testimony into encouragement for someone else.
Let your purpose shine so brightly that others can find their way because you were willing to shine.
And, as I always say:
Keep Looking Up.
Coach Bulinda Wright
Keep Looking Up with B. Wright-Jones, LLC
