Sermon

First I would like to thank all the people who prayed for me, it means a lot and I say thanks from the bottom of my heart. SO I did it! I did my first sermon ever! Ahhhhh, I remember when I was probably in 5^th grade and I prayed to God and promised Him that when I was older I would be a pastor, this was kind of that promise starting to be fulfilled – it’s just the beginning though. Anyways, here it is, the amazing Kirstin's first sermon at Ebenezer UMC(:

Did I look nervous? Well I was, well at least the week and night before Sunday-  I was so nervous I got little no  sleep!

I wanted to kind of right a post off of my little sermon here, so here it goes.

Two years ago I could have NEVER imagined doing this. Honestly, back then I probably would have laughed in your face, if you told me I would be doing this. If you have seen me talk in class at school, or just talking in front of a crowd, you would know I suck at it. I just cannot talk in front of people. I get so nervous, and then my whole body and voice start to shake, and it just gets really bad.

This fear of talking front of people probably started back in 6^th grade when I was at a church camp called Manidoken. Every day of the week a different age group would get in front of the camp and lead worship. Well, when the day my group got the chance to lead I started getting really nervous. We decided we were going to do a skit. My part was to scream when the girl dropped the paper. Yeah that’s it, that is all I had to do. Well I started freaking out. When the skit started, and it came to my part, I totally chocked and screamed at the top of my lungs. Someone far away probably thought someone was dying. Anyways so then the whole camp jumped back and started at me, for what seemed to be forever!  I was so embarrassed, still to this day I remember that memory really well.

As you can see I don’t really have a good record talking in front of people, because of this I debated whether or not I should even do the sermon. I was so scared that I would go up there and choke. And because of this fear it made me not want to step out of my comfort zone, and not try hard things.

Obviously I ended up saying yes to my pastor’s offer, and I am glad I did; because I did great! What I found, and really the reason why I am writing this, is that when God puts hard things for us to do that make us step out of our comfort zone, we tend to say no to quick. We think “oh I can’t do that, that’s too hard” or “I’m too scared to”. Believe me I felt this way. I thought because of my age that I wouldn’t be able to do a good sermon.

Guess what though. After my sermon tons of people came up to me crying, telling me how good of a job I did, how it has affected them, and how they needed to hear that. An older lady came up to me in tears and said “That was the most powerful sermon I have ever heard in my life” WOW! That is a complement! Others came up to me and told me their story and how my sermon was perfect timing for what they were going through. I admit I did start to tear up when I was shaking every ones hand, person after person was coming up in tears telling me I did amazing. But the best one came from our senior guy pastor who told me it brought him to tears. Then my girl pastor said that she wants me to speak on EASTER!

All of this wouldn’t have happened if I didn’t step out of my comfort zone and I didn’t put myself in a risky situation for Christ. When He gives us opportunity’s to bring glory to his name, don’t say no just because you are scared. I promise you He will show up and give you the strength you need!

“I can do all things through Him who gives me strength” Philippians 4:13

I leave you with this song by Britt Nicole;

You really can do anything with Gods strength, don’t let your own fears step in the way of Gods plan for you. God Bless xoxo