During my Junior High and High School years it was hard for me to step up and speak before a group of people, even amongst friends. Being shy, I had a fear that I would say the wrong thing and made fun of. Praying out loud was perhaps the hardest thing for me to do. It seemed to flow so easily from others but not from me, even though I knew God was always by my side. But when it was time to speak in front of others, it seemed like I was all alone. Where was God when I needed Him?
A number of years ago, after writing a book of short Inspirational Fireside Stories that came to me as a result of a serious illness, I began speaking to others about my stories. After that I had a collection of old Vintage ladies’ hats and handkerchiefs, that I wrote a poem about. My daughter helped model these hats while I recited my poem to various groups, talking about these hats, while my husband softly played soothing keyboard music in the background. All this helped break my shyness. Someone once told me to not be afraid of speaking in front of people but to just pretend they are all a bunch of cabbage heads. I didn't see it that way but as a way to be a witness to them, because my talks were Inspirational and Spiritual, in nature. You can't convert a cabbage head but you can convert a real person.
And where was God all this time? He was always there nudging me not to fear, because He was always nearby. I just needed to have more faith that He would help me. So, with God by my side, I began to overcome the fear of speaking in front of people.
I John 4:18 says that "perfect love casts out fear". As time went on, with God's help the fear of speaking before others began to vanish as I put my trust in the "fear of the Lord."
Virginia Rauch
Bluffton, Indiana
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