My First Stand on Stage

I first started on the background and I want it to be that way.

Life is like that, we weaved our cocoon of comfort zone because of our fears and people’s rejections. Hence, if something unusual occurs in our standard routine we panicked because our makeshift world is threatened. And it turned out that our fears and people’s rejections are nonsense once we took that one big leap.



I joined the team because one time when I attended a church service I noticed that most of the choir members are older ones and if there are younger ones you can count them on your fingers. Actually, in most churches today most of the gospel choir are within the bracket of middle-aged to mothers at time senior citizens. So, with a thick face I decided to join and sing for our Praise and Worship team in the church while I’m still young, though my voice is not that so pleasant, it’s okay because I’m simply one of the back-up singers (the chuwariwap one). For I realized I don’t want to be singing at the choir when I’m past the prime of my youth, I don’t want to sound that I’m offering a service or a ministry to God just because I’m already at the road towards my closing time in which I had the best days of my life spent to other things and then spend the leftovers for the service of the church and to God. Besides this service is so minuscule compared to all the blessings I receive my entire existence.

But without warning they chose me to be a song leader one Sunday. Are they alright?! I cannot take the stage and be a song lead. I’m out of tune. I’m comfortable at the sidelines. I like being at the background because my voice is inaudible that way. This whole new thing sent me to panicking, because all my life I believe I’m out of tune and I have no ear for the tempo.

Nevertheless, I accepted it, I thought why not give it a try and go for it, confident that I won’t be alone on stage on Sunday because they gave me a partner. Sunday came and I was alone on stage because he didn’t come up along with me. I was terribly nervous. Every time I start to sing to every song I wait for my partner’s signal. As I sang, I observed everyone’s reactions. I waited a sign of, may be disgust? Thank God they didn’t. The Praise and Worship with line-up of four songs ended with no one hurling me a rotten tomato. Instead they smiled at me and a few gave me a thumbs-up because they knew my fears and sensed my nervousness. Whew!!!

I red something written from a book where it says “In order to know the water temperature in the sea is you must plunge in.” Yeah, the author is right because at the surface it might be cold but you’ll never know it is warm underneath. You'll never know what immeasurable surprises store for you if you don't take a dip.

We are satiated day after day with what-ifs and unreasonable anxieties that hamper us to try and take a chance. We fail to remember the ……. only thing which requires us to do is to take your Stand on the Stage.

For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.
Jeremiah 29:11(NIV)