Author: Amanda Viviers

Three words have been resounding around my heart and head for twenty sixteen and this blog. This little message began to emerge as a reoccurring theme towards the end of my last season, as they often do and have not left my day to day.

These words are basic yet profound. They are powerfully simple and I know that they are a message for my own life as well as some others who follow my random thoughts over here on this piece of the internet.

Last year the theme of the in-between, was so strong that I could not let go of its message. I walked around and around its citadel until late in twenty fifteen, until I felt a simple encouragement rise from the depths of my very being that whispered softly “The in-between is now over.”

The theme for my new season is this…

“find your voice”

There is something so strong emerging, where I know a strength of womanhood is arising, where there is a company of women realising that through authenticity, through facing weakness, by not being afraid of failure, they can step out and bring their uniqueness to their place in the world.

A company of women is arising.

A strength of womanhood, that is not saying that they are better or stronger than their male counterparts, they are just not content anymore with quietening themselves to make others happy.

A breadth of womanhood who is not filling their days with gossip and strife, but stepping out into places of breakthrough where they begin to live the life they have silently dreamed of.

Women who write with courage.

Women who speak with conviction.

Women who are not afraid of their submitted power.

Women who do not compare themselves with other women and pull them down in their moment of victory.

These are the thoughts that have been consuming me of late, thoughts of encouraging a sound from women who have been suppressed, abused, beaten and accused.

I feel so compelled to help you to find your voice again. Helping you to speak a little louder, to not be afraid of the shout that is forming in your chest, to speak out what has been plaguing you and to bring your finest expression to your perspective.

To implore you towards counsellors, pastors, prayer and perspective. To inspire you about going back to university if that has been on your mind and saying yes to the opportunities to speak out.

To like loudly when I see your posts on Facebook of the new initiatives, books, blogs and creative pursuits that are filling your days.

To write here bravely and keep sending my manuscripts to publishers, asking that doors be open, because every time a door opens for me, it opens a space for those who follow my heart and life. 

Every time a door opens, it means that new opportunities for those closest and those who comment, those who engage, those who are a part of my tribe. We walk into these new places and lands together.

It confuses me sometimes when women struggle to celebrate a friends release into a new season, opportunity or accomplishment. Every time we are filled with rage, jealousy, comparison or competition, we exclude ourselves from the absolute joy and satisfaction of revelling in another achieving what they have dreamed of.

I declare this new day to be here. A day when we help each other find our voices and not shut each other down. That we dance when our tribe wins a victory and we mourn when they are weakened in battle.

A company of creative women is rising.

A group of uncommon poets and artisans.

Women who live surrendered to the power of community and seeing the company of womanhood win, rather than the individual teared down. Women who start to write, write, write until their hands ache and their heart sweats from the intentionality of their focus. Women who desire greatly to serve with their whole hearts and follow it up with the tone and tension in their words. Women who design differently, who bring a fresh voice of committed dedication, women who strive to lay down their ego and listen to anothers dreams.

A company of women who believe for greater days, pray for breakthrough like never before and a people who are so deeply aware that life is so very fragile and short.

Women who are the same tenure at the school gate, as they are in their church bathroom stalls, women who see the pain in another woman’s eyes and rock up at their front door with a meal cooked for their children. Women who create without fear of being criticised by her gang, but cheered on for taking a step and expressing the pearls that lay dormant in the depths of her person.

Women who encourage honestly and cheer loudly.

Women who say sorry but not for being born.

Women who find strength when they lift another and speak out for the injustice that plagues societies core.

Women who raise young women who are not afraid to be different.

Women who find what they were created for, even when life has made them forget.

Passion is writhing in my soul, to see this company of women find their voices and their way again.

Twenty sixteen, you have my attention.