Ephesians 1:3, 13–14 (NRSV) “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places…In him you also, when you had heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and had believed in him, were marked with the seal of the promised Holy Spirit.
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 Not just the kind of loud that comes from traffic, social media notifications, or the neighbor’s leaf blower (which always seems to run the moment you sit down with a cup of coffee). I mean the other kind of loud, the voices that tell you you’re not enough, that you’re behind, that you should be more like them.
We live in a time where it’s easy to believe the lie that our worth comes from what we produce, how polished we look online, or how many likes our posts get. And in all that noise, it’s easy to forget this simple truth: You are important. You matter. You have value that cannot be measured by anyone else’s approval or applause. The Compliment That Changed My Day still remember the first time I realized just how much a small compliment could shift my entire perspective. I was having one of those weeks, you know the ones. The to-do list was longer than the hours in the day, my confidence felt like it was running on fumes, and I was certain I was failing at pretty much everything: ministry, parenting, being a decent human. Then, in the middle of a routine conversation, someone looked me straight in the eye and said, “You know, you make people feel safe when you sit and listen so well." That was it. No fireworks. No confetti cannons. Just a simple statement. It felt like someone opened a window in a stuffy room I’d been sitting in for weeks. I didn’t even realize how much I needed to hear it until my shoulders dropped, my chest loosened, and a tiny spark of hope lit back up inside me. It didn’t magically fix all my problems, but it reminded me of something crucial: I bring value to the world, not because I’m perfect or endlessly productive, but because of who I am and the way I show up for others. The truth is that the world probably won’t get any quieter. There will always be criticism, comparison, and an endless scroll of reasons to doubt yourself. But here’s what I’ve learned:
Try This: Give a Compliment Today. If a single sentence could lift me out of a fog that day, imagine what your words could do for someone else. Today, try this:
And Don’t Forget YourselfThe next time that noisy world tries to drown you out, I want you to pause, breathe, and say it out loud—yes, out loud: “I am important. I bring value. I matter.” Because it’s true. And no amount of noise can change it. |
AuthorAbout Rev. Dr. Erin Marie Burns (But please, just call me Erin!) I’m a pastor, writer, and professional "showing-upper" when life gets messy. Around here, we talk about grief, faith, hope, and how to care for people when words just aren’t enough—because let’s face it, sometimes life hands us more questions than answers (and that's okay). I believe in the holy power of just being there, that coffee should basically count as a spiritual practice, and that God shows up in the small, quiet moments—like a kind text, a shared silence, or a garden full of stubbornly beautiful dahlias. When I’m not writing or walking alongside folks in hard seasons, you’ll probably find me: Attempting to tame my garden (the weeds usually win). Practicing archery like I’m training for a medieval adventure. Chasing family time, deep conversations, and maybe a slice of pie. If you’re looking for real talk, a little humor, and gentle reminders that you don’t have to fix everything—you’ve found your spot. Pull up a chair, grab a mug of something warm, and stick around. We’re in this together. P.S. Come back next week—grief, faith, and hope aren’t one-time conversations! Archives
November 2025
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