The Lord often awakens me with a song or a word. This A.M. I heard, “Be A Voice, Not An Echo,” and I knew I was supposed to go to my computer and write this article. Our Heavenly Father has created each one of us to be a Kingdom voice in the midst of a culture that spends millions of dollars to convince this generation to be an echo. Anyone reading this article knows exactly what that means with regard to the media machine and it’s impact on our kids, therefore, enough said.

In our family, Kevan (Dad) is a voice in the business community, as well as a voice for family in a culture that has been trying to redefine it. I (Mom) am a voice for a generation who is wholehearted and passionate for Jesus, advancing the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. I am also a voice for adults/parents to recognize and nurture the giftings, both natural and spiritual, in children and youth, again, for the purpose of advancing His Kingdom on earth, bringing glory and honor to the Lord.

When our children were very young (barely out of diapers) the Lord instructed us to teach them to worship Him with their instruments (they’ve known from the beginning it’s all about Him). Their giftings and abilities are truly supernatural and well beyond their years. Our oldest son, Jaran, is a voice for skill and excellence in the music industry – a new sound in live performance, song writing and recording production. Our twins, Jadan and Jessa have voices in several areas: Jadan is a voice through music and art, a very specific style and sound for the glory of the Lord, that expresses the heart of the Father for African-Americans and for Africa; he was created to be a voice in a particular culture and to mentor many fatherless youth and children. Jessa is voice in music through song and dance for purity and identity in Christ (“self-esteem” for Kingdom daughters and sons). This voice carries into the fashion industry through a desire to design clothing that edifies purity and modesty. Our daughter Jenna is a voice for orphans and for the unborn through art and through intercession. She will extend this to the mission field, to orphans in Guatemala, when she is ready to leave our home. Our daughter Jocilyn is a voice through creative writing and dance, and through a desire to mentor preschoolers (Psalm 8:2) for the glory of the Lord. Our youngest son, Josiah, is an evangelist all the way…a voice of the Great Commission. The Lord gave him a vision while he was sitting at the computer doing school (at age 9) and told him he would preach the Gospel and baptize people in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.

Every single family contains an overflow of voices for the advancement of the Kingdom of Heaven on earth; to bring the highest glory to our Lord. As parents, as adults, we need to discover and embrace not only our own identity and callings, but also those of the children and youth we are training up in the way they should go. We are at a time in the grand scale of history where it is more important than ever before to know who we are in Christ, and to release the voice He has purposed in us into our culture; to stand against this generation becoming a casualty of the culture; a cultural echo. It is truly mind-boggling to wrap our understanding around the period in history we have been privileged to walk this earth in. We are living in a season where the Lord is about to release a move of His Spirit that will accomplish greater works never before accomplished to make ready a generation…a Bride…advancing His Kingdom on earth and prepared for His return.

For such a time as this we have been created to be a voice that brings the heart and will of our Father, through the authority of Jesus Christ our Savior living within us, by the power of the Holy Spirit (the fullness of Christ in us) to this earth…to this nation…to our culture. For such a time as this, seek His face about your voice, your children’s voice and the exact strategy He has purposed in launching you out into His masterplan. For such a time as this, let go of being any kind of cultural, traditional, religious, or generational echo, just because that’s what everyone else does, or just because that’s what you’ve always done…and starting being a Kingdom voice. Let your family be a Kingdom voice. Let each of your children be a Kingdom voice. Be a voice for the Kingdom of God…an echo of Heaven alone.

SWEET NOISE
Copyright 2008 Jocilyn Sorenson

Am I a voice or just an echo?
Am I a noise or a soothing melody?
I pray that I will be
A sweet, sweet melody
And that in all I do
I bring glory unto You!

PRESS IN
Copyright 2008 Tammy Sorenson

I’m raining down new melodies
New rhythms and new harmonies
I’m raining down new frequencies
New colors and new sounds
Let the flow of My spirit
Take you where you’ve never been
Moving and creating
Awakening My Bride

Press in, press up
Draw nearer than ever before
Press in, press up
To know Me more
Let My glory shine throughout this land
Let My love extend through every hand
My Kingdom will break through
In all you say and do
Press in

As you release the melodies
New rhythms and new harmonies
As you release the frequencies
New colors and new sounds
My Spirit will flow throughout the nations
Drawing to Me all creation
Move, create, release Me and
My Kingdom will advance