Like many of us, the prophet Jeremiah sometimes had a hard time beginning to voice the deepest truths of his heart. Even though he was a prophet, he was tempted to keep quiet. Part of him thought it would be easier, maybe even better, to hide and be silent instead. Yet another part of him would eventually come on so strong that he broke through his silence into speech. Here is how he described the struggle: "But if I say, 'I will not mention God's word or speak anymore in God's name,' God's word is in my heart like a fire, a fire shut up in my bones. I am weary of holding it in; indeed, I cannot."

It can be frightening for any of us, prophet or not, to begin to trust our truth enough to say it out loud. We know what our lives are like right now. But we can't know ahead of time what will happen after the silence. If we speak, we will open a new space, one that has never existed before, where new possibilities begin to appear, and subtle shifts in our bodies and souls begin to catch our attention.

Even a few words can bring a whole new world into being. May we listen to each other with this in mind and heart. In circles of growing trust, may we begin to be blessed by all that becomes possible after the silence.