Can you keep a secret?

So every Sunday without fail I log on to www.postsecret.com and read the week's most recent secrets. Every single time I am captivated, and there are some that amuse me, some enchant me, some scare me and some are mine. But it give me perspective and more than that it highlights the need for us to zoom out of our situations and spare a thought for others. It sounds patronising and weird but the saddest thing about most of these secrets is that people seem desperate to share them despite them having strongholds over people's hearts and minds. It highlights the consequences of actions, reinforces how much everyone needs someone to listen to them but overarchingly it seems clear that these people need God. Some, most, probably, without even realising it. And so I often read with a heavy heart. Had I made more of this conversation or that maybe I could have impacted that person, maybe if I'd had the balls to share my faith in that moment something might have been different -the outcome. And I've realised this week the benefit of being open to share your faith. The best encouragement I've had this week was from 2 non-Christian friends. One commented on my writing and said it captivated him the way I write and that he was glad I had this in my life and the other had retweeted a tweet of mine about God. I asked why and he said I'm glad you life has been saved. And so, the moral of this story comes as something of a cautionary tale to myself. When we worry about having guts or courage to speak up or the right words to say we limit God. When we focus on what we say we are not speaking God's words. When we loosen up, remember it's not about us and that we aren't limited by us but instead live under the authority of someone completely outside of limits and capable of miracles then it gets easier. This probably seems like a glaringly obvious truth to those less cowardly than myself. But as someone who has struggled for years and years with this and with the crippling phobia and bordering on obsession of what people think of me the mindset shift required to reconfigure my brain into believing and accepting the truth of it is largely easier said than done. But this week has served as something of an encouragement to me. I hope people continue to recognise the positive change in me and see the impact of my faith as a good thing. And, dare I be so audacious, hope that people are honest or enlightened enough to recognise and respond to the need in them for it too.