Public speaking, speaking in my seminars, speaking to small, medium or large audiences makes me sweat. Like, you know when your starting a new term at university/school and you get asked to say your name, course and a fun fact about yourself, I start rehearsing these lines in my head before it’s my turn to speak.
My friends know I can talkkk lool- sometimes too much and sometimes unprovoked welp. But I realised that this fear of public speaking is really from a fear of other’s perceptions. As someone who loves writing, it’s 100% my preferred way of communicating because I can backspace if I type the wrong word, I can correct my spelling, I can search up better phrases etc. and I feel like I have more control over what is said. But, as someone who is also continually strengthening my faith in Christ, I know that “there’s a peace far beyond all understanding”, and that “his word remains true even when my thoughts don’t line up“.
On the 11th March, I spoke on my first everrr panel about balancing my creative passions with my university degree and although I can’t say I didn’t sweat, the fact that I, me, the writer/not the speaker even agreed to be a panelist was a step of faith=> God knewww I needed to remember that it really is “not by MY own strength or power but by HIS spirit” (Zechariah 4:6) and to acknowledge that speaking on that panel really wasn’t ‘for me’ but it was for his glory and for his name to be lifted high.
The words in ‘P E A C E’ are so powerful, because this song reminds me, not only of God’s perfect and supernatural peace, but also of the importance in fixing our gaze on him- on his promises, on his perfect love, on his word, and on his purpose for our life. A gaze fixed on fear ‘hears’: “What if they don’t understand what you’re trying to say, what if you say the wrong words, or what if you speak too fast?”. But a gaze transfixed on his overwhelming PEACE hears : “will you be still, calm, and rest in my presence? Because anxiety bows to me, and I created you to live for an audience of one, not to perform for an audience of many”.
On this journey of faith, I am continually learning that we are constantly being refined, constantly being renewed, constantly being transformed. We’re a work in progress and that’s okay because there’s so much beauty in the process.
**There were so many worship songs I wanted to attach, so I’m gonna list a few here:
- See A Victory– Elevation Worship (the words in this song- wheeew)
- Way Maker– Steffany Gretzinger and John Wilds
- Refiner- Maverick City Music
- As You Find Me– Hillsong United
- Here Again– Elevation Worship
- Our God Reigns– Edward Rivera and the McClures (THIS ONE HERE!!)
Love y’all!! Keep stepping out in faith and fix your gaze on his promises because he’s stronger than anythingggg the world can TRY and throw.
Tami x
simplyt 