I grew up as a very shy girl, an introvert, who hated to get up in front of the public to speak. It did not matter whether I was in a church setting, school setting, college setting or work setting. Butterflies would be all in my stomach and my nerves would be taut. My younger sister, by two years, was just the opposite – outgoing, vivacious, talkative; she was a true extrovert who just seemed comfortable on any platform. So consider my shock when God called me into ministry – into “vocal” ministry where I would have to use my voice to preach and teach His Word! It just did not seem right that He would call me when He could skip over me and call and use the extraordinary gifts of my sister.
I was like Moses in the Old Testament – God, You can’t use me. My thoughts don’t come together too well when I’m in front of people. Lord, I can’t stand before a lot of people and talk. I can’t…I can’t… and on and on went my excuses. But like God spoke to Moses, God spoke to me, “You won’t be doing this alone; I will be with you. I have been preparing you for years for this very call.” I later realized that the speech communications class in college was to prepare me for public speaking; the numerous essays I had to write in undergrad and grad school were to prepare me for sermon preparation; being one of the lead narrators in my school’s Christmas play was to prepare me, participating in church youth debates was to prepare me, as well as all of the other events God allowed that also built my character and made me resilient.”
It did not matter what excuse I gave; none of them mattered to God. I had been called AND chosen for the assignment. So here I am, years later, still fulfilling my assignment, my purpose to “spread the gospel of Jesus however, whenever and wherever I can.” God has a design for my life to enlighten, encourage, educate and empower people with His Word, and believe it or not, He has a design for your life, too. Never think that you are too young, too old, too shy, too outspoken, too poor, too rich, too educated, too undereducated to be used by God. God has a way of grooming you for the ministry service that He has chosen for you. It may not be the same ministry that He gave me, but it will be one that will benefit His Kingdom. GOD WANTS TO USE YOU! DON’T GIVE HIM EXCUSES - ACCEPT HIS CALL BECAUSE “YOU’RE NEXT!”