I recently had the honor of speaking to the Richmond Christians Who Write writers group, and I truly enjoyed every second of it. There were plenty of nerves going into my first public speaking situation since senior year of high school, but they made me feel completely at home.
One of the first things someone said to me about my new career once I won the contest was, "I hope you enjoy public speaking" to which I replied, "No! I don't." Right then and there I started to worry about the future possibilities of being a published author. What in the world would I be expected to do now?
The answer is radio and television interviews, speaking engagements, web chats, public appearances... the list is long. But the amazing thing is, I haven't been incapacitated by fear yet. In fact, the Lord has prepared me and helped me through each and every "first". I have by no means been perfect, but I've survived and accomplished my tasks.
Knowing that He wants what's best for us can realease those butterflies that keep us bound up when facing a new experience. It doesn't mean we never get nervous. I do! But I know where to go with that nervousness now, and I know I can trust him to get me through. All I have to do is turn my fears over to the Lord and ask Him to put things in perspective for me, helping me to do the job He wants me to do.
It doesn't matter what kind of life we lead, what sort of endeavors we undertake; we are all faced with new experiences on a daily basis. The wonderful thing about knowing Christ as Lord and Savior means not having to fear them. "Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love" (1 John 4:18).
In this crazy, uncertain world there's nothing better than knowing we can face it with courage, trusting that the Creator of all of it is in control. Whatever new experiences He holds for you are there for a purpose.
And trusting in His perfect love can wipe the fear away.
A Hello...and A Goodbye...
7 years ago
4 comments:
The cool thing is, if you know He called you to be a writer, then you know He'll equip you with what you need. If that's public speaking skills, then He'll make sure to teach you what you need to know to be the very best you can be. It's all about trust, isn't it? Good reminder for me.
Couldn't agree more, C.J. Looking forward to seeing how He uses you in your new career!
Yup yup. Of course as we all know, talking is NOT a problem for me. It's shutting up that's the hard part.
Hello! I would love to do a book review on your first novel. I hope you don't mind sending me a copy. I post my book reviews, together with other friends, on my blog http://www.thelivingwordbookclub.blogspot.com. Would love to hear from you!
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