I looked out over the room of weathered veteran faces. Stern but kind. I shifted nervously from foot to foot on the stage that elevated me above the crowd. The room was quiet. I couldn’t remember a word of my speech. I frantically tried to recall any part of it. Not just the next line, but any part; my brain was blank. Finally, after a deafening silence, the speech I had prepared flooded back into my brain and I was able to finish without any more embarrassment.
Two years in a row I competed in the American Legion Oratorical competition on the subject of the Constitution. The following year I was able to redeem myself and came back much more prepared with a speech I had poured my heart into. The following year I was aged out and not able to compete again. I went to the competition anyway to hear the other contestants. The veterans were excited to see me back and asked me to say a few words as an alumnus. So, there I nervously sat in the audience barely able to concentrate on the words being spoken as I planned what I would say when the time came.
When I climbed back onto the stage, I planted my feet with confidence. I even made the audience laugh by congratulating the contestants for being brave enough to stand in front of the stern and scary faces staring up at them. I had come a long way from the girl who had forgotten her lines.
I am thankful for all the speech classes that I participated in while being homeschooled.
All the speeches I wrote, memorized, and presented, have all given me skills and confidence that I now use on a regular basis.
As a missionary, I speak at churches and give devotionals when I am on mission trips. I have met with many people privately to share about what God has called me to do and to ask them to financially support me. I still get nervous in these situations, but I am better equipped and have more confidence because of all the speaking skills I gained in speech class.
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