Cheerful and Tear-filled Lunch Revelation

I had the pleasure of eating lunch with my friend Angie today. It was technically a spiritual interview, but it was like eating with a life-long relative. Through this conversation, Angie helped me better understand that I'm not defined by my skill as a singer- I am a child of God. It is my identity in Christ that defines who I am, not the gifts He's given.


I loved being on the stage and I was very good at it. I landed many lead roles, collected awards, and even ventured to [the University of North] Texas in pursuit of a career in opera. Throughout high school, my classmates knew me as the girl who sings and does theater. The photo above is from our high school production of Kiss Me, Kate. I won an award for best leading actress out of 60+ area DC schools for my role as Kathryn (Kate). My favorite part of this photo is that I'm slapping my friend Michael who happened to be one of the earliest Christian influences in my life. His family showed me Christ in their actions before I knew who Jesus was. This was one of my final roles before retiring from musical theater and focusing on opera. Thankfully, God took me to Texas for more than just vocal training; He removed me from my small pond so I could really see the life He has in store for me.

I quickly realized that I wanted more than to be known as a talented person -

I want to be known for my contribution to others' lives.

I changed my major then changed my zip code back to Virginia to complete a degree in Communication. Fast forward to today - living in Lynchburg, very few people know that I'm a good singer, and I like it that way. I think our culture tends to place musicians, especially singers, on very high top-heavy pedestals that will fall over. I love being on stage and performing, but I don't like the stigma that is attached to talented people, that they are full of themselves or are only performing to gain attention for the wrong reasons. It's ludicrous to assign all performers the same identity because of the talents they posses. I enjoy performing because I love to sing, dance, and act! I feel comfortable on stage because its a way of expressing myself and a way to show people who I am as an individual.

I did not seek to become a professional singer and I am very thankful for my choice. I am loving my current position as a manager because I am able to pour into others' lives. It puts a pep in my step to be able to take care of others and help them be better at what they do for our organization. Sure I may whistle a tune while I work, but I don't sing while sitting at my desk- I save it for the stage (or my car).