Finding My Voice, Discussion Guide

By Sandy Phillipps

I am a Dandelion. “Since we lived in the worst part of the city, every day when I walked to work, I walked past the heartache, suffering, and plight of the drug-addicted and homeless. It was on one of those walks that I was stopped dead in my tracks. I noticed a vibrant yellow dandelion, blooming ever-so-brightly, that had pushed its way up and through hard asphalt. I marveled at the sharp colour, the strength and tenacity of life itself that was not held back by its situation, by its circumstances. As I paused to appreciate the beauty of a weed, I also admired its inherent desire for life. In a few more steps I'd be at work with dear broken, hurting bodies and souls that were eating out of garbage cans, living on the street. Castaways of our culture; those we don't want to touch or be near; parts of ourselves we don't want to look at. And my eyes would see the beauty, the vibrancy of life in their eyes. Just as I could love the beauty and tenacity in that dandelion, I could see and love that in hurting people.
I, too, have pushed through that hard, hot asphalt that looked impossible. I, too, have been loved when I seemed unlovable. I am a dandelion, a weed with little perceived value, finding the tenacity, the strength and determination to grow through impossible places. My miracle is not only me learning to love myself, but the greater miracle of allowing God’s love to redeem me, allowing others to love me. Taking what felt unattainable to me, making healing my reality. I burst out through the hard asphalt of my struggle into a bubbling spring of refreshing, life-giving joy. Because I have heard the Voice of Love.” Seeing beauty in the dandelion, beauty in homeless people’s faces, beauty in the face of innocent children, helped her heal her own heart.
This book will help you to find the beauty within.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Sandy Phillipps
• Release date: Apr 13, 2021
• ISBN: 9781777386849

Sandy Phillipps

Sandy Phillipps radiates hope and joy from a life of intimate pursuit and passion, to know and be known by God. Through her leadership, ministry roles, and living out her God-given purpose, she has proven that trauma does not have to define anyone for the rest of their life. As she has experienced the perfect freedom of having God hold her heart, she cherishes each and every heart that comes into her life and loves to help people in their own healing journeys. Her healing journey has taken her to places of great joy and opened her eyes to see beauty all around her. She seizes many opportunities to stop and appreciate the special moments—beauty in relationships, in children playing, in watching the clouds, in animals, in nature—and watching God bring others into the same freedom. Sandy treasures her husband of 40 years, relationships with her grown children, and many walks through the farming community in Rosedale, British Columbia.

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Acknowledgments

A special thank you to Judy Sluys, my faithful editor who has become a very good friend in this process. This book would not be here, without your skills and support. You have helped me untangle the abundance of my thoughts, to define and articulate what my voice is wanting to say. Thank you!

You are Invited

This companion guide to The Voice of Love invites you to step into a discovery of more potential in releasing your own voice. Your voice has the authority to speak freedom and wholeness into your everyday life. This companion guide is designed to be used in a group over 8 weeks or by an individual for self-reflection.

Jesus told His disciples, "And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever." John 14:16 (ESV) Whether you are using this in a group or as an individual, first invite the Holy Spirit to lead and guide your time working through this guide, to speak to you as you work through each exercise.

If you imagine a complex problem you have had in the past that stubbornly persisted, you likely asked other people for advice or researched other perspectives on the subject, perhaps eventually paying to go to a lawyer, financial advisor or an appropriate professional for help. If you sit with the professional, would you spend the time telling him/her all the opinions that have been expressed about your situation or what you found in your own research? Would you use up your valuable time and money just on opinions? Or would you quiet yourself and listen to the wisdom of the professional person?

This guide is written with the intent that the participant not only wants to find their voice but also wants to grow in hearing more from God, especially regarding their individual design and life purpose and discovering how the hard things they’ve experienced in life have made them stronger. It is important to stop and ask the Holy Spirit to do just that. Ask God the Father, the professional, for professional help, yes. Ask Jesus the Son, of course! But also ask the Holy Spirit, our Counsellor, Guide, Comforter and Interpreter (so we can understand).

Once we ask for help, the smart thing to do is listen for direction and answers. This can only come about when we stop telling our opinions, even in our own private self-talk. Words like I should have, could have, won’t, didn’t, why me need to be silenced. Finding your Voice involves cancelling out or dimming down other voices that drown out the Voice of God in our lives. Jesus Himself, even though the Son of God, spent much time going away in quiet to listen to the Father. He did only what He saw the Father doing. He did not act independently outside of what His Father told Him to do. For us, this sometimes involves help from a strong leader or a trusted friend who empowers our voice to speak without saying a lot herself.

Note to Leader

In a group setting, it is very important for the leader to set the stage for what safety looks like for the group. Open and honest participation requires clearly defined boundaries. These boundaries include creating a safe space where advice is not given. Not every question in these exercises needs to be answered. It’s alright to say, I don’t know. There are no wrong answers. While each participant is encouraged to go deep with examining their