I remember it like it was yesterday. I had just started as a volunteer youth leader and I was looking for a teaching resource to use with my group. A friend had recommended Interlinc’s Youth Leader’s Only, a resource that uses Christian music as a jumping off point for teaching. We got a box of cassettes (yes it was pretty long ago) and each cassette came with a lesson based on one of the songs. I loved it and so did the group, but I found sometimes I wanted a lesson on a different song so I started to write my own lessons. I could have left it at that, but I thought, “I wonder what would happen if I submitted to the company?” They accepted my work and started to publish my lessons, eventually they made me one of their core group of writers. The rest of the group were people in big ministries, like the Crystal Cathedral. I was a guy with about ten kids at a church that was literally in the midst of a cornfield. Had I realized that I might have gotten intimidated, but it turns out they were looking for someone with a small ministry perspective, because many of their members were from that perspective.
Now I am pretty sure I’ve shared this story before, but I have a reason for reiterating it. We live in a world where many are saying “Why me?” I want to take a different tack. “Why not me?” If I had allowed intimidation to rule the day, I would have missed out on a fantastic opportunity. I got to meet some great people, make life long friends, had some really awesome opportunities and I learned a ton of great stuff. I am so glad I put myself out there and tried and from that time forward, I have taken the attitude of “Why not me?”
Why don’t we put ourselves out there more often? I think it’s because of fear of failure or fear that we might not have what it takes? Things look too big or too hard and we pull back. Friend, you will never know until you try. Let’s just face facts. The first time you try anything, the odds of failure are pretty high, but there are a multitude of things we can learn from failure. Sometimes we learn something is not for us. Other times we learn we need more information or more practice. Failure is not fatal and you never know what opportunities are on the other side. I thought I would never be able to write a book, until I wrote one, I’ve written many more since. To be honest, the confidence to try writing my first book came from the realization that someone was willing to publish me.
So next time instead of making excuses and letting intimidation win, give it a shot and put yourself out there for the world to see. Think about it, that’s the one thing ever successful creative has in common. Failure is a great learning experience and you’ll never succeed at anything you don’t try. This is especially urgent when God is calling. Learn to say “Why not me?”
AMOKArts 