hey people,
my name is bee and i wanna sing really really badly! i was wondering if anyone knew how i could start...i have prayed on this many times and i think God wants me to witness with my voice, any advice please let me know...thanks
lots of love
bee

Hey Bee,
I realize that it has been a while since you posted this but the message board is kindof new for me.
Anyway you asked for advice. I'm not saying I know it all because that is definitely not true. But hey, the first thing you want to do (like you already have) is pray and pray and pray and pray. I can't stress this enough! Then, if you still feel God calling you to this ministry begin singing at your church! The people that know you the best, seem to be harder to perform in front of. (or so I find it to be, not true for everyone). If you are still a teen, do your parents support you? Because you are going to need their backup. So after you get used to doing specials for church services ( make sure to always remember that God is the reason behind it all) see if the local churches will allow you to come and sing for them. I am from the country with a lot of small churches and they are always more than happy to have people come.
Remember during all of this to keep praying and asking God to guide you, keep asking Him to show you His will and if this is what He really wants for your life.
I don't know what to tell you after that except take as many Music classes as you can. That is what I have been told and plan to do this fall during my first year of college. But just as a side note, something that I have always found works is to take a step back every now and then and look at what you are doing. Make sure God is what it is all about and not the music itself. So to get a little personal here, this past summer (2004) I had to take a major step back from music because I was allowing it to control my life and not God. Music WAS my life, everythind I did had a form a music, even if it was just in the background. I stopped listening to music for a whole month to get things back in check. It was so hard not to just flip the stereo onto a cd. ( especially NCM, lol) But as much as it hurt doing this God was my strength for it and I will never regret doing so becuase I got to know my Saviour better! We now have a better relationship. I learned a valuable lesson and now Christ IS the reason I am living. Yes, I am still doing my music thing, but God is above all. Just keep that in mind! I don't know if this helped, but I hope it did because like I said I am from a small community and I had little help when I began.
Keep Jesus Christ first!! Vanna

Hey Bee, I just wanted to tell you I am in the same boat. I'm not ready to start yet I'm only 12 (accualy 12 1/2) but I think God wants me to in the furure. I don't have any advice because I wouldn't be looking for some if I did. Hope you get someone to help you!
And Vanna, I only told one person about me writing songs but not about like wanting to singing. I havn't told my parents even its just between God and me and the people on this board. Like you said I think it is harder to sing infront of people you know, its also harder to tell them stuff like this. Do you have any suggestions on how to tell my parents?
God Bless both of ya!
Hannah

Hey Hannah (J.F.)
I know what you mean and I will try to help. I was about 13 when I started ("Redeemer" was actually my first song). I remember being scared to tell my parents even though now they support me 1000000% But yeah, I was so scared to tell them in person that I actually wrote them a letter and set it on their bed one afternoon. I don't think my parents had to ask any questions because they knew me so well. They just began supporting me and asking if I wanted any more accompaniment tapes. to be honest my parents encouraged me more often after that. ( Sometimes my dad would offer me to sing somewhere, which at the time I was a a little shy, but am now sooo grateful). I rememeber the first time I sang a solo, many people in my church encouraged me and actually recruited me into the choir. But over the years I have found my parents, friends, and practically whole church family very supportive.
I didn't mention it earlier but I too am a songwriter. I am still very afraid to let people read them. Matter of fact only my sisters and closest friends have read them. I stil have not shown them to my parents. I wonder sometimes if I am any good at it, if it is another gift God has blessed me with or if it is just my way to express what I am feeling/ my views and opinions.
One of the things that has held me back the most is being afraid of what others think. This past summer I also realized that my friends and even my youth pastor were dealing with the same thing! It is amazing how God can help you in your time of need. I have learned to "deal with it" so to speak and remember that it is not what others think but what God thinks (staying within reason of modesty! lol ). I guess that is something that needs to be kept in mind as well.
I want to encourage ya'll to just take it to God and surrender it. "Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart." Ask Him to show ya'll what He wants. If He wants you to show it to others or keep it to yourself. Some of my songs are so personal that I can't show them to anyone but those that know me for me and love me for me.
I hope this has helped and if you habve any more questions I will try to help. I wish I could have had someone more people to help me along when I started. But Praise God for those that did!!
Love ya and God Bless, Savannah (Vanna)

Hey. I'm almost 15 now and I have been singing since I was 3. Growing up my mom and dad had a group that sang at nursing homes and churches. I use to sing with them here and there. Now I sing anywhere I'm asked. Anymore it is easier for me to sing in front of a huge crowd of complete strangers then a small group of friends. If this is where God wants you to be, he will put forth so many opportunites to where you can fufil this dream. Just continue to pray about it, and he will take you where he wants you.

Hey Savannah (I love that name!), Thanks! Hopfully I can do somthing to tell my parents. I'll be praying 'bout that. I'm am going to try to sing at a youth program our church has if they will let me. I've only had about three solos in my life so I'll be realy nervous if I do but I'll have fun.
DestinyRose, It is true that God will put many oppertunities if he wants us to presue singing. I never thought of it that way.
God Bless
Hannah

Hey Hannah,
Yeah you will defintiely have to find a way to tell your parents because you can't do it without them. hey I will be praying for you and that you wil hav the courage to tell your parents. ANyway I really encourage you to dot your thing at the youth event!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Well, write back on here and tell how things went. Love ya, Savannah

I hope they will let me sing at the youth thing, they are thinking about doing only instroments. Well I have to do my homework now.
Hannah

change in plans, they arn't having any music at the youth event. So I guess I'm not singing.
God Bless
Hannah

Hey Hannah,
Sorry it has been a while but I have been in Memphis with my grandma. (She had a pacemaker put in). Anyway as Destinyrose wrote in earlier, nursing homes always love for people to come and sing. The elderly truly love it. I think it is fun as well because a lot of the time they join in with you, especially if you do old hyms. Anyway, just because there is not going to be any music at your youth event, don't give up. But as everyone is advising you, just keep praying and listening.
Savannah

Hey, I have done some singing and plays in nursing homes. It was realy fun and I might try out for a solo in our school chorus class. I'm just afraid that everyone will be like the "quiet one" is trying out. Thats what they call me. I'm realy not quiet. I'll keep prayin and listening. Well I have to go now.
Hannah

i am sooooooo exited i got chosen to be a alto in our school's onsomble (which is not a word i can spell)! anyway i'mjust really exited ya see i'm goin crazy here. if anybody where in this room now they would be staring (see i found out a couple weeks ago and i'm stil goin crazy).
God Bless
hannah

Hey Bianca,

It's cool you want to sing, I'm sure your voice is amazing. One thing I've learned in life is that when you're not sure about the time everything is supposed to happen, God is and His timing is perfect. You sound confident in that God wants you to sing and that's awesome. my prayer for you is that God places you exactly where His will intends and that you, as you said, can minister to crowds of people with your gift of voice & song.

Bless you
Noah

hi bee
i love to sing also, but i have a weird accent so it makes my singing sound very weird bye

hi i have been told by all my friends that i have a amazing voice but i have'nt got the confidence to sing infront of my school i can sing infront of my mates. i have fear and i have spoken to my music teacher but its not as easy as they say, i get really scared how could i get more confident and become a star.

Hey Bee, wuz up not much here. i think that its great that you want to sing! I love to sing! so maybe i can help u out! if u have a kareoke machine u can find kareoke cds and u could probly sing at your church! if u go 2 church! thats what i do! lol! just make arrangments with your preacher! wwell i must go lots of love and goodluck!