Below is an article that I read when I was preparing to speak at the marriage retreat at Lake Yale. I am not accustomed to speaking to groups on “non-technical” topics and this article helped me realize that my job is just to be obedient to Christ and not rely on my own capabilities.

Re-posting with permission. Authored by Jen Ervig and originally published on Jen’s Mind Unwinds.

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This one is for those who are tasked to preach, share a devotion, write a blog or teach a class.

I was asked to lead a devotion and given several months in advance. Opportunities for me to share are far and between so I was super excited. I was especially excited because my audience would be a group of high caliber leaders and pastors, which is a unique opportunity. So…of course….. I couldn’t think of anything to say. Weeks and weeks went by! Nothing.

Therefore, it occurred to me. Perhaps I’m to speak about nothing. Or rather having nothing to say. Immediately, Exodus 4:11-12 popped into my head. When Moses was called to lead the Israelites, he threw every excuse in the book at God and God looked at him with a look of “seriously, Moses” executed with the perfect eye roll (at least that’s how I imagine it) and said, “ Who made man’s mouth, the dumb, the seeing or the blind? Haven’t I? Go. I’ll teach ya what to say”.

I like to refer to this exchange between Moses and God as a “DUH moment”. Duh, Moses! God made you AND called you! He will give you words. God and I have a lot of DUH moments. I come up with excuses and God says DUH.

I also remembered Jeremiah 1:6-9. He told God he was too young and inexperienced. God said, “don’t say that. You’ll go where I say to go and say what I tell you to say. Don’t worry about what others think or do. I’ve given you words.”

Don’t worry about what other’s think…that’s why I couldn’t think of anything to say. I was worried about what my awesome audience would think. I wanted to be witty and wise and use my opportunity to impress. And honestly, isn’t that our issue a lot of the time as speakers?

1) Our focus or motivation is off

2) We forget the power of the one who sent us.

Our focus and motivation must always be the fact that we are called to point to Jesus BY Jesus! We ALWAYS have something to say! We need to take our focus off being perfectly witty, word geniuses that gain oos and ahs and just talk Jesus, YO!

Craig Groeschel says, “ we don’t always have to know what to say or what to do; just listen to the one who sent you. It’s God’s authority that authorizes us to speak on His behalf and not our own.”

Don’t ever forget the power of who sent us. He made the deaf, dumb, seeing and the blind…he has touched our mouths and given us words.

If the problem is not that we have nothing to say, but rather that we hate what we’ve come up with, well then I have this to say to you…

I read on the internet the other day that “every preacher has a message that feels like an ugly dog, and they don’t want to walk it in public. But if Sunday comes and you’ve got nothing but an ugly dog, then go out there and walk that dog proudly. You will likely see God use that ugly dog to change lives!”

If you’ve been called to communicate, then be bold and trust that God will use what you have to say in ways you can’t imagine.

So, whether you have an ugly dog or no dog at all, check your motivation, remember who God is…and walk that dog proudly.

I mean if anything, I figure your dog will be so ugly, the crowd’ll be left speechless and then at least you won’t hear any criticism.

Jen Ervig