I recently attended church on a Wednesday night where the children would be leading the service. They helped with the music, shared mini-sermons, and a bible story. I admired the courage of these little ones. It’s not easy to stand in front of a group of people and share your faith.

A young girl with powerful vocals led the congregation in singing “What a Mighty God We Serve!” and she sang with such joy. Following that, another little one walked up to the front, and ever so bashfully she faithfully sang her song. Quite unexpectedly, the recorded music she sang along to stopped. But she didn’t skip a beat, she dutifully continued singing, and then the congregation joined right in and sang the rest of the song along with her. It was beautiful. God was moving.

Next up was a little boy, dressed up in a suit. He had such a reverent, serious expression as he carefully read aloud the story of David and Goliath. When he stumbled on a particularly challenging word, he’d lift his eyes up to his mom for guidance. She sat on the edge of her seat, ready to assist. But she waited until he called upon her for help.

It made me wonder how God must keep watch, waiting until we lift our eyes to Him.

I was so uplifted by the children’s sincere efforts. God blessed the service, and I realized that it wasn’t about their vocal or reading skills. It was about their faithfulness and willingness to step out and declare “Here I am, Lord. If you can use me, here I am.”

I felt so encouraged!

I thought back to all the times I felt discouraged, reluctant to step outside of my comfort zone, thinking my skills and abilities just don’t measure up. But the truth is that it’s not about me. It’s not about my skills or abilities. It’s about what God is able to do through me.

Even as I write this column, I am well aware that I am not an educated writer with high- level skills. I am just a broken person who loves Jesus. But, I have come to learn that despite my shortcomings, God can use me to help others.

Early in my faith walk, there was a pivotal moment when I surrendered my own will, and chose to “go all in.” I had found myself weary from “doing it all on my own,” and I chose to start trusting God, to walk with God, and to live my life for God. Shortly thereafter, an opportunity to serve presented itself. Pastor Laurie said to me, “I want you on my Prayer Team.” Now, I didn’t really even know what a Prayer Team was, and what it meant to serve on it. She explained that after church service, I would stand up at the altar of our big church, and wait for anyone that may come up with a request for prayer.

That’s when my “what if” thinking started. What if...I felt awkward? What if I didn’t know how to pray for someone? What if someone was really struggling, and I said the wrong thing? What if I only made matters worse? Notice how all of my “what if” thoughts were about me, me, me?

I wanted to serve, and I wanted to be obedient to what I sensed God was calling me to do, so I joined the Prayer Team. After service one Sunday, the team stood up at the altar, waiting patiently for any prayer requests. I noticed a couple of ladies on the team chatting and laughing together. They seemed so comfortable, whereas I felt awkward.

They seemed so fancy...and I’m not fancy. As I continued to compare myself to others; I started feeling extremely discouraged. Afterwards, I walked out to the parking lot where my family was waiting for me, and I was on the verge of tears. I told my husband, “ I don’t want to do this, I am not going to fit in, I don’t know why I’m doing this - I’m sure they don’t need me.” He said something along the lines of, “Don’t quit, you’ll be fine.” In hindsight, I am so thankful that God gave me a husband that pushes me to press on, when it seems easier to just quit.

A few days later, I came across a scripture that changed everything; 1 Corinthians 12:12-20. “Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ. For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many. Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body.”

The Lord used this scripture to teach me an important lesson, which encourages me to boldly step outside of my comfort zone, rather than avoid it because of my perceived shortcomings. It teaches us that the church, which is the body of Christ, is made up of many parts by design. While it’s true that I am “not the same” as those lovely ladies on the Prayer Team, that’s perfectly ok, because I am one part of many parts, all of which have been created with a unique function and purpose. It is by design that I am different, and I should not compare myself to others. God didn’t call me to be the same as them anyway, He already had a “them” on the team. He called me to serve because He didn’t have a “me.” He needed a “Monica” on the team.

God has already uniquely gifted you for the work He has set out before you. He can work through you to help others. Because it’s not about you - it’s about God.

Being on the Prayer Team has allowed me the privilege to pray for many people, and witness numerous blessings as a result. God will do the heavy lifting when we faithfully step forward, willing to serve and say, “Here I am, Lord. If You can use me, here I am.”