47 | Speaking Truth with Love: The Art of Faith-Filled Self-Expression

Get the full episode here: 7 Steps for Speaking Truth with Love for Healthy Relationships

Have you ever struggled to speak your truth while maintaining love at the heart of your interactions? This soul-stirring episode tackles the challenging yet transformative journey of authentic self-expression through a faith lens.

Today I finally got up the nerve to share my personal story of being called to ministry while wrestling with feelings of inadequacy as a woman... LOL. Like Moses before the burning bush, I questioned my suitability based on societal expectations. Through scriptural study and divine guidance, I discovered that God's call transcends human limitations, drawing wisdom from biblical women like Deborah, Esther, and Priscilla who were pivotal in God's plan.

Drawing from Jesus' arrest in Gethsemane (John 18:1-11), we explore three essential components for speaking truth with love that can revolutionize your interactions: emotional expression, assertiveness, and independence. When Jesus boldly declared "I Am He" to his arresters while remaining surrendered to the Father's will, he modeled perfect truth-speaking. His example teaches us that expressing emotions honestly, standing firm in convictions, and embracing our authentic identity in Christ creates space for powerful, loving communication.

This episode offers more than theoretical concepts—it provides practical application through a weekly challenge to practice truth-speaking in your own life. By journaling your experience, you'll deepen your understanding of how God works through authentic expression. Whether you're navigating workplace challenges, relationship dynamics, or ministry callings, these principles will equip you to honor both truth and love in every conversation.

Ready to transform your self-expression and discover the freedom that comes from speaking truth with love? For a limited time, you're invited to book your complimentary 45-minute Aroma Freedom session via the link in the show notes. Start your journey toward authentic, Christ-centered communication today.

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Episode Transcript

Paula Behrens (00:00):
Are you ready to dive into a topic that can
transform your life?
Ever wondered how to speak yourtruth while keeping love at the
forefront?
Do you struggle with expressingyourself in a way that aligns
with your faith?
Join us on our latest episode,speaking Truth with Love, where
we'll explore the empoweringjourney of self-expression

(00:21):
through the lens of faith.
You won't want to miss thisheartfelt discussion.
Hey sister, welcome to mypodcast, Living on Purpose in
Christ.
I'm Paula Behrens, a followerof Jesus, grandmother of six,
retired pastor and your guide todiscovering life's abundant
blessings through faith,feelings and healthy living.
Together, we'll embark on ameaningful exploration of how to

(00:45):
intertwine spirituality andeveryday life.
Imagine being part of acommunity where your faith
flourishes each day.
Join my Faith Building Club toaccess exclusive printable
resources designed to enrichyour spiritual journey through
powerful practices like prayerand journaling.
And to kickstart your journey,I'm offering you a free

(01:06):
45-minute Aroma Freedom onlinesession with me.
Are you ready to receive God'speace and joy and let go of
stress through this amazinglysimple yet powerful technique?
Schedule your first coachingsession at no cost and discover
how simple shifts can yieldprofound changes in your life.
So check the show notes for allthe links and let's partner

(01:29):
with God together.
Grab your Bible, dust off yourjournal and cozy up to your
favorite beverage right now andlet's dive in.
Hi, I'm Paula, your host, andtoday we're going to explore a
topic that is both challengingand empowering Self-expression,
speaking truth with love.
But first let me share a storywith you about my own journey.

(01:50):
Imagine being called to apurpose so grand, yet feeling
utterly unqualified.
That's how I felt when Godfirst called me into the
ministry.
It was a moment filled with awe, but also with hesitation.
Can you imagine standing beforeGod, feeling the weight of his
call, yet arguing back likeMoses?
God can't you see that I'm awoman?

(02:12):
Are you sure you want me toserve as a pastor in the church?
Well, that was me standing atthe crossroads of faith and fear
, wrestling with the call on mylife.
But as I delved deeper into thescriptures and sought God's
guidance, I realized that hiscall was not about my perceived
limitations, but about hisunlimited power.

(02:36):
When God first called me intothe ministry, I felt an
overwhelming sense of wellinadequacy.
Like Moses, I argued with God alot, questioning my suitability
based on social norms andexpectations.
God, can't you see that I'm awoman?
I asked several times, fullyaware of the traditional rules

(02:58):
often assigned within the church, but God's message to me was
unmistakable and firm.
He brought to mind the numerouswomen in the Bible who were
integral to His divine plan,such as Deborah, Esther, Mary
and others.
He taught me about the ApostlePaul's support of women in the
ministry, like Priscilla, aleader in the church, and Junia,

(03:19):
who was prominent among theapostles.
God guided me to a Christianuniversity where I was fortunate
to meet a wonderfullysupportive Greek professor who
helped me explore the biblicaltext relevant to my calling, in
depth and in the originallanguage of the New Testament.
He helped me to dive deep intothe Greek word, commonly

(03:40):
translated into the English assilence" and showed me how its
true meaning is to have thepeace of God in one's heart
through the indwelling HolySpirit.
It was then that I realizedthat God's call is not bound by
human constructs but by His,God's, divine purpose.
This journey of accepting mycall was not easy.

(04:03):
It required me to embrace myidentity in Christ, to step out
of my comfort zone and to speaktruth with love.
And that, my dear friend, iswhat we're going to explore
today.
Our focus is on self-expression,speaking truth with love,
drawing from the poignant sceneof Jesus' arrest in the Garden

(04:23):
of Gethsemane, as recorded inJohn 18, verses 1-11.
In this passage, we see Jesusexemplify what it means to speak
truth with love, even in theface of betrayal and impending
suffering.
He confronts the crowd thatcomes to arrest him with a
question Whom do you seek?

(04:43):
And when they respond Jesus ofNazareth he boldly declares I Am
He.
Yet in his assertiveness thereis an underlying tone of love
and surrender to his father'swill.
From this scripture we'll unpackthree things essential for
speaking truth with loveEmotional expression,

(05:04):
assertiveness and independence.
Emotional expression is aboutbeing in touch with our feelings
and allowing ourselves toarticulate them in a way that is
authentic and true.
In John 18, we see Jesusexpress his emotions openly.
When Peter draws his sword todefend him, Jesus responds put

(05:26):
away your sword into its sheath.
Shall I not drink the cup thatthe Father has given me?
Here, Jesus demonstrates hispassionate surrender to the
Father's will, illustrating howexpressing emotions can be a
powerful tool in our testimonyfor God.
As women, we often feel thepressure to suppress our

(05:47):
emotions, but God created uswith the capacity to feel deeply
.
When we give voice to whatstirs within, we honor the God
who created us and invite othersinto a deeper understanding of
his love.
Second, assertiveness a bold yetloving voice for truth.
Now, this is about standingfirm in our convictions and

(06:11):
speaking truth even when it'sdifficult.
Jesus' response to the crowd IAm He is a powerful example of
assertiveness.
He knew the truth of hisidentity and was willing to
declare it boldly yet lovingly.
For us, assertiveness meansbeing unafraid to speak up for
what is right and just, whetherit's advocating for ourselves or

(06:31):
for others.
It's about embodying the loveof Christ in our interactions,
even when it's challenging.
Third independence the courageto stand as yourself.
Independence is about findingthe courage to be ourselves,
unapologetically andauthentically.
In the garden, Jesus standsalone before his accusers, yet

(06:54):
he is never truly alone becausehe is one with the Father.
This independence is not aboutisolation, but about standing
firm in our identity asfollowers of Jesus.
As women, embracing ourindependence means walking in
the confidence that comes fromknowing who we are in Christ.
It's about shedding theexpectations and pressures of

(07:17):
the world and embracing theunique calling God has placed on
our lives.
Let's do a recap.
When we look at the arrest ofJesus, as found in the biblical
text, we are invited to explorewhat it means to speak truth
with love, as Jesus did, withemotional expression,
assertiveness and independence.

(07:38):
Jesus exemplifies emotionalexpression by openly
surrendering to God's will,encouraging us to voice what
stirs within our hearts withoutfear of judgment.
His bold declaration I am He,showcases assertiveness,

(07:58):
inspiring us to stand firm inour convictions and speak truth
lovingly.
Finally, his independence,rooted in unity with the Father,
teaches us to embrace ouridentity in Christ with courage
and authenticity.
As women of faith, we arecalled to lean on our spiritual

(08:20):
gifts by being vulnerable andexpressing our feelings, boldly
advocating for truth, andconfidently standing in our
God-given identity, honoring theunique path God has laid out
for each of us.
Okay, so this week I challengeyou to practice speaking truth

(08:40):
with love in one area of yourlife.
Whether it's addressing adifficult situation at work, or
standing up for someone who isbeing mistreated, or simply
expressing your feelings to aloved one, take the step to give
voice to what stirs within you.
Your homework is to journalabout your experience.
Write down what you said, howit felt and what you learned

(09:02):
about yourself and God throughthe process.
This simple act of reflectioncan help you grow in your faith
walk with Jesus and deepen yourunderstanding of how to speak
truth with love.
Remember, you are not alone inthis journey.
God has called you to be a boldand loving voice for truth, and
he will equip you witheverything you need to fulfill

(09:25):
that call.
Thank you for joining me today.
I hope you've been inspired andencouraged to embrace your call
to speak truth with love anddon't miss out.
To kickstart your journey, I'moffering you a free 45-minute
Aroma Freedom online sessionwith me.
Are you ready to receive God'speace and joy and let go of
stress through this amazinglysimple yet powerful technique?

(09:48):
Schedule your first coachingsession at no cost and discover
how simple shifts can yieldprofound changes in your life.
So check the show notes for allthe links and let's partner
with God together.
Until next time, may you walkboldly in the love and truth of
Christ.