A few weeks ago, I mentioned my foray into the world of singing in the church band. You might remember that I am a rank novice, a complete newbie with no experience except my car-singing background and some teen fantasy concerts I did in the privacy of my home (during one of which I broke a couch after my air-guitar solo, but that’s another story).

Our band leader is entirely aware of my less-than-amateur abilities as a singer and the band as a whole is nurturing me along. They don’t even laugh during the sound check when I barely squeeze out a noise, intimidated by the sound of my untrained voice coming through both the PA system and my monitor. Instead, the sound tech gently says, “Is that how loud you’ll be singing during the service?”

So imagine my surprise when, at the rehearsal before the service Saturday night, our leader Dave turns to me and says, “Would you like to do the verse as a solo?”

After I gulped my heart back where it belongs, I said, “Um, sure.” I gulp again and look at the suddenly incomprehensible sheet of music. “Which part of the song is the verse?” Signalling my complete cluelessness as a singer or musician of any type.

The Big Guy assures me that the song went fine, even though my sinuses were filling my throat with crap that made it hard to hit some of the high notes. But I couldn’t hear my voice very well through the pounding of my heart that suddenly was resounding in my ears. I might have had a deer-in-the-headlights look on my face if anyone looked my way.

I truly do hope that the song helped people to worship God, which is why we were up there in the first place. Is it a good sign if you’re filled with terror while performing ministry in God’s name? Maybe so, if you’re facing down your fears and doing something that you’ve always secretly wanted to do anyway.