As I sat waiting for my turn to speak at an event filled with Oklahoma’s top leaders — the House Speaker, Senate Pro Tem, local representatives, business leaders, and university dignitaries — I could feel my heart begin to race. My Apple Watch confirmed it: 66… 98… 119… and by the time I spoke about the impact Premium Aerospace Center (PAC) has had on our STARBASE STEM Academy students, it climbed to 131. My hands were shaking, but my heart was steady.
Because in that very moment — surrounded by leaders who shape policies, fund programs, and influence futures — God tenderly whispered to my heart:
“For such a time as this…”
Those words, first spoken to Queen Esther (Esther 4:14), reminded me that she too found herself in a room of power and influence — uncertain, perhaps even trembling — yet called to speak up with courage for the good of her people.
I may not wear a crown or stand in a palace, but I realized that God had positioned me there for a purpose. Just like Esther, I wasn’t there by accident. None of us are. We are placed where we are — classrooms, boardrooms, stages, and even small-town schools — to be light-bearers and truth-speakers in the spaces we occupy.
That whisper reminded me:
God doesn’t just call the qualified; He qualifies the called.
And sometimes, He lets your heart race just so you’ll remember to rely on Him!
When I finally sat back down, heart still pounding, I couldn’t help but smile.
Maybe my role in that room wasn’t just to represent our students — but to represent a faith that believes every opportunity is divine when surrendered to His plan.
For such a time as this… even with trembling hands.