Hey, carpool crew. Happy Sunday. If you're listening, it means you're a subscriber. Thank you for subscribing. I'm Pastor Justin, and I want to talk about something today that makes a lot of kids feel very nervous, and honestly probably makes a lot of adults feel nervous too. What if I have to speak in front of the class? Maybe it's a book report or a science project, a speech, or just reading out loud. All month long we're talking about what Jesus would say about the things that scare us. And standing up and using your voice can definitely feel like standing under a spotlight, and it can be really scary. So let's talk about it, because if you're scared, Jesus cares. Our verse today is from Psalm 19, verse 14. "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable to you, Lord, my rock and my redeemer." So when it comes to speaking in front of the class, or really in front of any group, what's the core feeling here? Well, this is what we call performance pressure. It's that moment when you feel like everyone's watching you. You think, what if I forget everything I practiced? What if I sound weird, or I stumble through my words? What if they laugh at me? What if nobody claps or nobody cares? Underneath all of that is a really honest thought. I want to do well. I want people to like it, and I want to be good enough. You might even compare yourself to the kid who already went and did great. You might be surprised to know that someone really important in the Bible had that same fear. His name was Moses. In Exodus chapter 4, when God called Moses to lead his people, Moses said, God, I'm not a good speaker. I get nervous. I stumble over my words. Please send someone else. Does that sound familiar? But God didn't laugh. God didn't say, get over it, it's no big deal. He said, who made your mouth? I did. Now go. I'll help you speak. I'll tell you what to say. Isn't that amazing? Even when Moses felt weak and worried, God gave him the words. So if Jesus were riding with you in the car today, or sitting at the table, and you said, I am nervous, I have to speak in front of everyone soon, I think he'd say, you don't have to be perfect. I made your voice. I'll help you speak. You are not alone. Let me tell you about Lucas. He and his mom shared this story with us. He had to give a short speech in front of his whole class for student council. He practiced and practiced, but the day of the speech, his hands were sweaty and his heart was racing. He looked out and saw kids whispering, not even really paying attention, and right before he spoke, he whispered to himself, Jesus, help me. And you know what? It wasn't perfect. He did stumble a little, but he also smiled. He made his point and he finished. And after class someone came up to him and said, I like what you said, you have my vote. Because courage doesn't mean not being scared. It means showing up even when you are. So what can you do when you're scared to speak in front of others? First, don't chase perfection. Your job isn't to be perfect, it's to be faithful. Do your classwork, do your projects, practice hard. God can use your voice even when it's shaky. Second, cheer for others. Being kind to the kid who's speaking before you or after you reminds you, we're all in this together. You are never expected to do it all on your own. God made your voice, he gave you your words, and he's the one who stands with you when you use them. Whether you're standing in front of the class, reading in a group, or giving a speech, you don't need to be perfect to be powerful. You just need to show up with Jesus and do the work. Remember, no matter where you are or how you're listening, God loves you. Parents, if you love this podcast, share it with another parent. We're about to kick into a whole new week of episodes Monday through Friday that anyone can listen to, even if they're not a subscriber. So share it with friends. Before you go, answer this question together. What's one thing that makes you nervous about speaking in front of others, and what's something that could help you feel more confident? I'll see you tomorrow on Carpooling with Jesus.
