March 3, 2026

When I Shut Down

Ever felt lost for words when it matters most? In today’s episode, host Richelle Alessi invites us to explore the challenge of communication during moments when we want to express ourselves but just can’t seem to find the right words. Together, we’ll dig into the story of Moses from Exodus and examine how God guides us through our internal struggles—even when we feel shut down or misunderstood. We’ll learn how embracing grace, honesty, and patient growth leads us to stronger relationships, bo...

Ever felt lost for words when it matters most?

In today’s episode, host Richelle Alessi invites us to explore the challenge of communication during moments when we want to express ourselves but just can’t seem to find the right words. Together, we’ll dig into the story of Moses from Exodus and examine how God guides us through our internal struggles—even when we feel shut down or misunderstood. We’ll learn how embracing grace, honesty, and patient growth leads us to stronger relationships, both with others and with God.

Let’s join in prayer and devotion as a community, trusting that God is patient with us and will help us speak up, grow, and connect more deeply.

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WEBVTT

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You're listening to My Morning Devotional Podcast, episode 1477.

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Today's devo is called When I Shut Down.

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Hey there, we're the Alessis, a ministry family working together in our church in Miami, Florida. And if you're like us, when days get busy and to-do lists get longer, it can be hard to find devotional time. That's why we've partnered with our friend Allison to produce a 5-minute daily dose of heaven. This is the My Morning Devotional Podcast. Good morning, everybody, and happy Tuesday. Welcome to My Morning Devotional Podcast. My name is Richelle Alessi, and I get to be your host this week. We actually are going to be talking about our internal struggles or internal inconsistencies for the month of March. So we're getting real this month, and I'm so excited because I actually think this is going to be such a great series for us to really relate to one another. Like I mentioned yesterday, this podcast has 4 different hosts, so I believe one of us can connect with one person out there.

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And if you can feel connected and not alone, that's our goal. And the beautiful thing is that the Lord provides great wisdom and guidance in his word to help us through some of those inner struggles that we go through seasonally or overall in life. And what I found for me is that every season that I go through and every level that I step into, I conquer these things. And sometimes they look different, but the root of them are usually the same because of who I was created to be.

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And that is great though, because I get to conquer different things at different levels and different times of our life. And so it's not something to feel defeated by, something to say, hey, it's just, it's a new level. And so I have to do something harder. And yesterday we talked about isolation. Today I want to talk about words and communication because over the years, because I was a little more quiet and like I mentioned yesterday, more of an internal processor, I didn't always feel like I was great with my words.

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Some of my sisters were amazing, they could talk to anybody, come up with conversation. I needed time to think about what I wanted to say. And that's followed me through, and as I've grown up, I've realized this part of who I am, and that's a great thing that I think about what I want to say. I don't just say things, right?

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That's a good thing. At the same time, there are moments where that could be a challenge because people can't always be waiting for you to say the perfect thing or wait for you to say— or for you to have people wait on you because you just don't know what to say. It's important for us to challenge ourselves, but when that would happen, where I felt like there was a moment where I couldn't communicate because I just couldn't find the words to express what I was feeling, I would just shut down.

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I would completely shut everything down. And I honestly, looking back, I feel so bad for my sisters because I think they're the really the ones that paid the price for this. I got better at it when I got married because like I didn't have an option. But with sometimes with your siblings, you're like they get the worst of you in some ways.

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And I would just shut down. And it wasn't because I was wanting to be rude or not speak. I couldn't communicate and find the words to communicate what I was feeling. And that made me feel so bad on top of already what I felt, that I would just shut down. And people around me did not know how to help me because it was like, is she just being rude? 'She's just doing her thing again when she isolates and she doesn't want to talk to anybody.' But down deep, it was just something I didn't know how to do fully yet. And I remember I came across this— I was reading the Bible like from beginning to end, and I came across Exodus and the story of Moses. And if you don't know, please read, just read Exodus and read about Moses. It's such a beautiful story. But Exodus 4: 10-12, I'm going to read it and then I'll give a little bit of background.

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But it says, 'But Moses said to the Lord, oh Lord, I'm not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I'm slow of speech and of tongue. And he's telling the Lord his deficiency already, like, Lord, I'm not an eloquent person, and you're calling me out to go in front of people, in front of this Pharaoh, and call your people out of this land and be your mouthpiece.

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He's basically saying you are asking the wrong person. I am not an eloquent person, but I love the Lord's response because then the Lord said to him, who has made man's mouth? Who makes him mute or deaf or seeing or blind?

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Is it not I, the Lord? Now therefore go, and I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak. Speak. This was such a turning point for me because honestly, I just needed to have a good conversation with my family. Like, I just needed to learn how to communicate with my family.

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Moses is trying to communicate to thousands of people and a Pharaoh, somebody that already doesn't believe in his God, doesn't believe in the things that he believes in, and God has given Moses a task.

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He had a real challenge, and I read this and it humbled me immediately. I'm like, I can find the words to say to my like I really can.

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But it showed me that the Lord was aware of the things that I'm not great at, and he was not afraid to use me, and he was not afraid to say, hey, I created you, I created your mouth, and I will teach you. I love that the Lord said, I will be with your mouth and teach you what you shall speak. The Lord is not frustrated by the things that we're not good at. The Lord is saying, let me teach you. I'm patient. He's such a patient Father. He's like, I'm here with you, and I'm not gonna let your shortcomings or the things that you're not good at keep you from my fulfilling my purpose in you, if you will allow me. And I had to learn that all I had to say to these people was, hey guys, give me a couple— give me some grace right now. I might not communicate perfectly, but I'm really trying to learn how to communicate with you. If I say something I did not mean, it's because I'm trying to learn to be better. So set the tone before you have those conversations and be honest. I'm not good yet at communicating this, but I really want to try to get better, to learn how to communicate with you, to say what I'm feeling so our relationship is better. It doesn't have to be perfect, and you'll be surprised how the people around you are like, We just wanted to hear what you were thinking, what you want, how you were feeling. It didn't have to be perfect, we just want to help you. People just want to be around you and know how to support you. And if you just start with, hey, I might not say this perfectly at first, give me some grace as I try to communicate because I really want to connect with you.

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I really want to get this right, and I'm not great with my words, but I'm getting better, and I will get better. And this will not be the excuse that keeps me from building this relationship or making this relationship better. So just remember the story that the Lord is there to help you, and the people around you want to listen to you, and they want to hear what you have to say, and there is grace for it all. So I encourage you today, don't stay silent. Speak up, communicate. It doesn't have to be perfect, and trust that the people around you want to hear you and that the Lord is with you. So let's pray this morning. Dear Father God, thank you so much because you promised in your word to help us and to teach us. You created us and you know the things in the areas of our life where we are trying to be better, but we are not going to let those things keep us from the future and fulfillment that you have for us, Lord.

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You are patient and you are kind and you will us. You're not frustrated by us. You want to help us. And I actually believe that the people around us are here to help us as well, and that you will give them the grace and guidance on how to help us in the moments where we don't know how to help ourselves, or when we are really trying to be better. The grace is what's gonna meet us and that is going to grow us, and that we will not stay stagnant. And that the areas where we feel we're not good enough at or good at will not be the reason that we stay where we at, but will be the things that keep us moving forward and growing stronger in our faith with you. In Jesus' name I pray, amen.

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So there you have it, your 5-minute daily dose of heaven. Thank you so much for tuning in today. We pray these devotionals empower you to take on your day. If you found value in this devotional, share it with a friend, leave a comment or review for us on the app you're using right now. Until tomorrow, we pray that your latte is strong, but your love for Jesus is stronger.