Testify

I'm hear to tell you, brothers and sisters, that there is indeed a God and he does answer your prayers. Let me testify to this fact. Friday, I was quite the ill person. My throat was sore. My nose was stuffed. My voice was just about gone. I was feeling the worst effects of a cold. Yet that very evening, I had to sing and perform for my show.

I tried to sing just to hear how I might sound. Cats mating made better music. I knew I was in trouble. But, I had faith, you see.

The show I was performing in was Godspell and I knew that God would bless me so that I could glorify his name. I tried some medicines, herbal teas, cough drops... anything that might help my voice. Still, I felt uncomfortable and uneasy about my voice holding out through my solo.

Before the show started, I got down on my knees and prayed to God saying, "Lord, thank you for all the wonderful things you have given me. I pray to you today asking for your blessing once again. As you know, this cold has got me nervous about my voice holding out. I ask that you give my voice the strength to glorify your name and to help me tell your story so that those in the audience would better receive your message. Know that when I sing my solo, I am not acting, but am quite sincere and true to the meaning of the song. Thank you."

My solo is about 45 minutes into the first act. I got up on my box and began to sing. In my head, I was still praying for my voice to hold out and for the power to hit the high A note. Let me tell you, that high A is hard to hit when 100% healthy. And, earlier that day, I couldn't hit it when testing my voice.

But, the good Lord smiled upon me. Not only did I hit that A, I nailed that note with so much power that I felt I could have sang it nearly an octave higher. That Friday's performance of "All Good Gifts" was, in my opinion, the best it has ever sounded (with me singing it). Later, one of my castmates whispered to me onstage that I sounded amazing. The director also told me how that was the best I had ever sung the song... something about soaring over that note...

Folks, if there is any kind of moral to the story, it is this: There is indeed a God and he does answer your prayers. Take that to heart. One question: Does this count as Miracle #1 for my eventual sainthood? Kidding...