I’ve been asked a few million times how my Thanksgiving was, it seems to be the thing to do. My standard answer in years past has been to exclaim joyfully, “GREAT!!” and proceed to tell them all the great things that happened.

This year, I still answer with only one word, not quite as gleefully and without the explanation of greatness and without, I’m sad to say, asking them how their’s was. I answer, “Quiet.”

Even though we spent the day with about 15 other people, one of which is generally just as noisy as I am. But this year it was quiet. Because the day before I woke up without a voice. None.  I generally lose my voice this time of year for a couple of days and it’s all because I have a plethora of allergies.

I spent the days before Thanksgiving with my sister in love at her house. At her house was my family, her husband, two dogs and two cats.  I’ve spent time there before and not had a problem, but the only had one dog and one cat. They’ve double the number of animals. And my allergies went berzerk. Literally.

It’s odd, I think because at one time growing up we had 6 dogs, 2 cats and 2 birds all inside.  I didn’t notice it bothering me then. (I also didn’t notice my dad’s smoking bothering me…) But now at the ripe old age of…OLD, it bothered me. I’m hoping it was a one time thing and won’t be repeated at all. (but I’m not holding my breath.)

It is now a mere 8 days post-Thanksgiving and I still have no voice. And people keep asking me, “Why are you whispering?” I’m not whispering, I’m actually talking quite loudly. I went to the doctor today to see why I have no voice when I feel fine.  She informed me laryngitis could be viral and could not be viral, but until I’d been without a voice for 3 (THREE!!!) weeks, they won’t really do anything.  I could be like this for 2 more weeks. Ugh. The mere thought sends my mind reeling.

I have been told I use this phrase a lot, “There has to be a spiritual application in there somewhere.” And this is, of course no exception.  There has to be a spiritual application in this voice-less mess I’m in, and there is. I found it.

I’ve been attending a Sunday School class at church using Answers In Genesis curriculum. I have learned so much.  I know God created the world and He did it all in 6 days, 6 literal 24 hour periods of time. Not millions or billions or trillions of years. I know all that, but what I didn’t realize is when exactly it all got it’s start.

Charles Darwin,right? He started it all.

Wrong! In the late 1700s to early 1800s, is when the whole “millions of years” ideology was first introduced. Instead of standing up and saying, “That is some whacked theology” and taking a stand against it. The church merely stood there and decided since they weren’t messing with the cross, it was okay.

But they were messing with the cross. The whole foundation of our beliefs start in Genesis 1, if we don’t believe that chapter, we have no basis for belief the rest of it. If we can attack the word “day” there (and only there), everything in the Bible is up for debate, is wrong according to some scientists and the world.

For about 200 years, the church has changed her teaching on those issues. We now have men and women filling pulpits on Sunday mornings who believe in the Big Bang theory. The church came up with the “gap theory” as way to explain how scientists who do not believe the Bible at all, could be right.

The church, the very bride of Christ, has lost her voice in the world. We compromised then, thinking it had nothing to do with the cross when it had everything to do with the cross.  If Genesis 1 is wrong, so is the birth, life and death of Jesus. It’s all just a nice story.

I’ve debated praying for my voice to return when the church’s voice returns.  I thought I could be a modern-day female version of Jeremiah, or Isaiah, Daniel, Joel, Amos or Obadiah.

Christians in America are very quick to quote 2 Chronicles 7:14 as a call to reformation, revival. They say our nation needs one. I agree it does, but that verse says “when my people humble themselves and pray”, we have to be humble before God, we have to in humility pray, seek His face, and we have to turn from OUR wicked ways. It says nothing about the world, the unbelievers. It is the believers that have to humbly pray, seek His face and turn from wicked.

And that has to start with me. It has to start with you. As we, individually seek humility, seek revival and restoration, then God will hear from heaven and will heal our land. But first He heals me, He heals you and then He heals corporately.

I was challenged in September to pray Romans 12:1-2 every day. I have accepted the challenge. Now I challenge you to do the same. Let’s see if the Church can get her voice back!