Today I had the priveledge of watching a performance of one large group of children on stage, who were divided into two smaller groups. The older group followed the instructions of the director to stand to the left of the stage. Yet the younger group just stood on stage...possibly full of stage fright as they were instructed to move to the right of the stage. The director gentlely called the children over to the right of the stage again....still no movement as tiny faces just stared at the crowd, huddling together.

As chuckles broke out throug the audience, the older children raised their voices to help the younger children, "Go". Still, no response.

The director bribed them with a bag of M&Ms that was part of the skit....but nothing moved this flock of children.

Suddenly, one of the mom's of these young children rushes up on stage and gently takes hold of one child's hand and wraps her arm around another as she herds them carefully to the right of the stage, as the audience laughs. And the play continues on with all eyes alert and focused :)

In the same way there are times in my "stage" of life where a decission I'm faced with is overwhelming. I hear the "sheet music" of what I am to do and I've been "presenting" beautifully up until that moment....music fills the air....but somehow I notice everyone's watching....and what if I make a mistake? And the room goes silent. Perhaps, like those young children, it's something I've forgotten or never done before. So I'm frozen in fear.

Many try to help and tell me what to do....perhaps because they've "been there, done that", that they think just a little coaxing is all it takes , or they think just a few words of "advice" will get me "playing" again. Sometimes that is the answer...sometimes.

But when I am stuck in fear....hearing "doubt" trap me even more.....sometimes I need to feel God's gentle hand in mine or His warm touch upon my back guiding to where I am to be...then I can "play" beside Him once again to the song He's written for my life......