My aunt often tells people she’s the reason I’m okay with public speaking. She would often babysit me and it was not unusual for her to place a ‘microphone’ (a comb or brush) in my hand and encourage me to sing. The Queen of Soul was in her heyday back then, so one of my ‘go to’ songs was “Natural Woman”. What, at 5 or younger, I was supposed to know about what someone else did that made Aretha Franklin declare his love or affirmation gave her the validation she needed and brought “peace of mind” is a mystery but if you gave me a ‘microphone’ I had no problem belting out the song. Fast forward 40 plus years. I now sing for entirely different reasons (and I’m CLEAR, I am no Aretha Franklin). Do I have ‘peace of mind’? Yes, but because my mind is stabilized by knowing who controls everything. Do I feel like a ‘natural woman’? Yes, but because as I said previously, I finally like the woman in the mirror. Where does your affirmation come from? If its from the acknowledgement of others, what do you do when no one sees how hard you’re working? If its internal but based on your accomplishments, what do you do when you fail? Where does your affirmation to be YOU come from? I know where mine originates. I can be confident in my value now and in my having a future because both were already promised to me (Jer. 29:11) Because of my originator, I don’t have to copy anyone else, I’m good with naturally being me because He created me and who am I to argue with the Master: Artist/Craftsman/Potter and Designer (Ps. 139: 13 – 15)? What about you,. . .naturally. Rev. Antoinette
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AuthorRev. Antoinette Gatewood-Sykes, Inspirational Speaker Archives
May 2019
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