Slow To Speak…Quick To Stutter

Those of you that know me know that I have a speech impediment. Actually…I stutter. Some people that I know might not be able to pick up on it. That’s because I don’t do it much anymore. I think it started when I was 5 although I can’t be sure. My wife swears it’s because my mom made me switch from my left hand to my right…whatever. The point is…I stuttered. Honestly, I think it had a lot to do with talking way to fast and getting ahead of my self. It was also anxiety. I still struggle with talking on the phone and other social scenarios. My wife would tease me that I would always order 4 hamburgers at a drive-thru…”Yes I’d like a ham …ham …ham …hamburger” she thought she was so funny.

I was teased pretty heavy in my middle school years. There always the toughest. It taught me humility early on and I’m glad for it. It didn’t, however, shut me up. I started taking speech therapy in elementary school. I was paired up with a girl who couldn’t pronounce the letter “r” very well. I thought “man, at least she can get the letter out!” My speech teacher told me something that I almost forgot about until the other day. She told me that I would probably want to chose a profession that required little to no talking and one that didn’t put me with a bunch of people. Basically…marry someone rich so you never have go out in public!! Little did she know that God had plans of his own for my life.

So I made it to high school and didn’t need therapy anymore. It seemed my stutter began to improve as I grew up. I felt confident to begin doing things I would never have done years before. I acted in the school play. I sang in the choir.

Looking back it’s kinda funny that I was encouraged to live my live around my impediment. The Lord, however, in His infinite wisdom and good sense of humor, would call me to a ministry of speaking and singing publicly. Currently I work in Christian radio hosting a mid-day show. All from someone who should “avoid” any job that would require him to speak. I’m so glad we serve a God who sees what others might never see. He gives grace to the weak and uses the foolish things to confound the wise.

So what’s your excuse for not using the gifts God has given you? Know that what society perceives as weakness…God sees as a strength. I may still stutter on occasion, but that won’t stop me from opening my big mouth for the Lord!