For the longest time in my life, I used to be so afraid of getting up in front of people and speak. I would have any imaginable fear: rejection, dislike from the audience, unacceptance, even that weird dream where stand up in front of people and suddenly realize you are not wearing pants!

Recently, I have been giving the anouncements at church on Sundays, it is basically an easy task. You just get up in front of the pulpit and read out what the church activities are and ocassionally throwing in a joke or two and a little story. The first time I did it, I kept saying "uhm" and "like" a lot, but I feel like that is fading away and some people have even encouraged me to be a pastor...which is something that has somewhat been in the back of my mind ever since I became a Christian.

The truth is that God gives us gifts, he has given some the gift of teaching, wisdom, discernment, compassion, etc (see 1 Corinthians 12:7-10) and I know that God also gives some people the gift of speaking in front of others and entertaining the audience. I think I have received that gift recently, since I am up for a few minutes before the pastor comes in and gives the teaching for the week.

God never ceases to amaze how much He can use His servants, I remember first coming to Christ and wanting to do everything and revolutionize the Christian world, and as I have been growing in the Lord, He has humbled and changed my heart. It is no longer about what "I" can do for God, but what He can do through me. We must be willing to be the vessels that God uses to reach the world. Society fails and the big stars of the world focus all on themselves, but we must let go of self and allow God to use us, in whatever it is that He calls you.

I think I have always struggled with what God's plan is for my life and I see it unveiling little by little as time goes by...God is so good!