We Need You. Yes, YOU.

Greetings from the coffee shop this morning. I usually try to craft an amazing piece of work for my weekly blog (well, by my standards anyway), but more now than ever I feel a message burning in my heart that I want to share with you.  

It’s simple: “we need you.” 

You might be completely lost after reading that last line, but give me a chance to explain myself. By “we”, I mean the world we live in. By “you”, I mean… well… YOU. 

Personally, I constantly battle thoughts that try to persuade me to think that I’m useless, that what I create is pointless, that nobody really needs me around. Can you relate?  

If I dig deeper though, I see traces of change stemming from things I’ve done and continue to do. Like comments on TayTalk blogs I thought nobody would care to read or someone’s hope to live revamped from me stopping in Starbucks to say hi to them. 

Despite the size of my actions in my mind, these are things I was completely unaware of… until I caught a small glimpse of my footprint by God’s genuine kindness to show me. But — what about all the things I’ve done to contribute to our world in a great way that I’ll never see? What about the things God hasn’t shown me? 

A lot of people I know think I wake up everyday with an amazing outlook on how my life is affecting people in a great way, but to be honest… I usually wake up thinking: “I have no idea what I’m doing. God, help me."

Thank God that he does help me. I don't know where I'd be and what I'd be doing. And even more, thank God for great friends that have been strategically placed in my life. Without them, I don’t think I’d still be a musician after 7 years of constant pushing and failing... trying... and failing. 

I would have surely given up by now and stopped putting my music out publicly. Why? Well, results don’t always match my expectations and I don’t always SEE people being changed by my music. Don't sue me for being honest.

Let's be real here. I’ve had people tell me I’m not good enough and that I should give up my “immature” dream… I could tell you some stories for sure!

But, there's something beautifully liberating about the fact that I'm me when I create music and I'm me when I sing on stage and I'm me while at a music conference meeting people... the fact that I'm me makes everything I do valuable and original. 

This is not an ego boosting blog. We're about to move on to YOU in 3... 2... 1... 

Please friend, don’t think that it's a coincidence that you are reading this right now. You need to know that your life is valuable and needed in the world we live in. Whether you know it or not, God has only designed one you and the fact that God, such a mighty creator, even took the time to create you says something about how special you are.

Despite our understanding or ignorance, God only creates things that He sees as valuable to Him. Why waste His time? So, innately-- you were created to add value to our world. God wanted you here... despite all the lies you've been told. 

But, listen - I know a lot of people would say I'm wrong for this, but I'm going to say it: you don't have to DO anything to add value to our world. You just have to exist. In other words: You just have to be YOU. 

(Whoop! There it is! *doing a funky 80's dance*) 

YOU. God adds value to our world through YOU. 

(I could stop right there, but you know me better than that)

You don’t need to be a touring singer. You don’t need to be a movie star. You don’t need to be on every magazine. You just need to be you. 

You don't need to be thin. You don't need to have clear skin. You don't need to make a lot of money. You don't need to fit in. You just need to be you. 

It’s easy to think that you’re living a minuscule life, unseen and hardly cared about — but that couldn’t be the furthest thing from the truth. That lie makes you shrink into yourself and hide who you REALLY are. You can't afford to buy it. 

You're made to shine.

You are unique, meaning there’s only one you on the planet, and nobody could ever fill the shoes that God has put you in. Not the best looking person… not the coolest celebrity… not the richest CEO... no one. 

You’re created for a purpose (Jeremiah 29:11) and we need you to be exactly who you are, in the age you’re in, with the trials you’re made to overcome, and with the hope that you have. 

You are the key to somebody’s freedom, somebody’s turnaround, somebody’s epiphany, somebody’s smile...

So, I’m asking you today: CAN YOU BODLY BE YOURSELF?

Laugh with your ridiculous chuckle. Don't hide your freckles any longer. Stop wearing baggier clothes than you should. Stop refusing to speak. Do what you've been wanting to do for 5 years. Jump out a plane. Ask that friend out that you've had for 4 years. Be a teacher. Be obsessed with Jesus. Stop holding back. Be yourself. 

You are hope. You are freedom. You are somebody's light. 

We need you. 

I need you.

Nobody else has the ability to contribute to our world the way you do. 

Be yourself. 

We need you today.

<3

Martay