I once watched a reel that told a lie, and what struck me most was not the deception itself, but how quickly people became angry over what they saw first.
They did not pause to question, to search, or to seek the facts. Instead, emotion drowned reason.
This is the same danger I have seen in religion when it is misused: it can shut down a voice, judge without love, and wound those it was meant to heal.
But truth has a way of breaking through.
My faith journey shifted when I stopped judging and started seeking freedom.
I think of Brooke Deanne and her story in Shattered and Broken & Beautiful, where she shares her awakening from the chains of a religious cult. Her story is a reminder that broken truth is still bondage, but real truth liberates.
I almost lost my calling because of broken truth. During chemotherapy, brain fog kept me from passing my licensing exam six different times.
If I had listened to the shallow voices that said, “When a door does not open, move on,” I would not be a therapist today.
But faith led me differently. On the seventh attempt, I passed. A friend once asked me if God had intended for me to be a therapist before I ever passed the exam.
My answer was yes, because the evidence of my pain and experiences were already shaping me for the work I was called to do.
I learned to worship, to read, and to challenge ministers who did not speak truth. And in that process, I found freedom.
A Truth to Hold
“Truth is not found in the first voice you hear, nor in the loudest voice in the room. Truth is revealed when courage dares to question, faith chooses to endure, and love refuses to let lies define the story.” – Dr. Steve Hudgins
🙏Call to Action
Be aware of what you hear.
Do not stop at the surface.
Seek.
Read.
Challenge.
Know the truth — for only truth has the power to set you free.