Your Voice

Phew...this week has been crazy! Kristina is heavily involved in theatre at school and this week she has been attending SETC (Southeastern Theatre Conference). She has attended tons and tons of workshops and learned how to interact on stage only using body language, how to project her voice when no microphones are available and so many others that I can't even begin to remember. In my mind they are all jumbled up and I can't even begin to fathom how she remembers it all.

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However, there was one workshop that she attended that has stuck in my mind. As she explained this workshop to me she kept getting louder and louder with excitement. Just watching her explain this workshop was nothing more than amusement for me. "This workshop was designed just for me" she explained. For some time her theatre teacher has been giving her the same criticism over and over "Kristina, you need to find your voice." He has drilled this into her head and she has been at a loss because she had no understanding of what he meant or how to find it. She has asked for guidance and he always says "If I tell you how to find it then you won't keep it but if you find it then you'll never lose it again."

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So, what do you know, she found a workshop on "finding your voice." She began to explain to me there were approximately 20 people in this workshop ranging from high school students, college students and even a few directors. As she entered the room the workshop leader began to hand out character descriptions to everyone. She gave specific instructions on how each actor must read the description and decide for themselves how this character would sound and they must remain that character until further notice. Kristina read her description and was surprised to realize that her character was a man! She said she was sitting there trying to decide how he would sound and how his body language would be when the workshop teacher told everyone to get up and socialize throughout the room and reminded them that they must stay in character. She giggled as she described how she introduced herself using the deepest voice imaginable and how she tried to carry herself like a man and say things she believed this man would say. "It was great, Mom" she said "I loved every minute of it!"

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Having a voice in the real world is just as hard. In the work place, at the ball park, at the grocery store, and even sometimes in your Sunday School class can all be places that you feel you can't share your voice. You worry what others will think of you. Or, you think "I don't know the Bible well enough to even begin to discuss it." I often times feel like if I truly showed my voice then others would look at me like I was obnoxious and a nuisance. In the days that we live we have to be able to communite with our voice and not allow the voice of others to dictate us. "...you must understand that in the last days scoffers will come, scoffing and following their own evil desires...make every effort to be found spotless, blameless and at peace with him. Bear in mind that our Lord's patience means salvation..." 2 Peter 3:3 & 14-15.

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You know, maybe you and I need to attend a "find your voice" workshop! Have you ever thought about the fact that Jesus holds one every single day!! He is just standing at the front of the class holding a piece of paper with a description of man. A man that is kind, loving, forgiving, holy and the only instructions he gives us is to make sure we portray him! When we introduce ourselves to others, when we interact with our co-workers, when we root our children on at the ballpark we need to always remember to stay in character! Make sure our voice is nothing more than the voice of Jesus!