Winging It With Grace

Ten Minutes to Showtime, and I Was Not Okay

I thought Sunday would be smooth. Chill, even. I figured I’d show up to church, help out with cameras, maybe grab a breakfast sandwich, and vibe my way through the service like a seasoned tech teamer.

But life—and God—had other plans.

Ten minutes before livestream, things started falling apart: one camera refused to connect, two core team members were out, and somehow, I found myself staring at the switcher board like it was a spaceship control panel… and I was not an astronaut.

Cue the panic. Cue the scrambling. Cue the “Oh no, not today” prayer… except, wait—I forgot to pray. Oops.

And yet—God still caught me.

The Morning Mayhem

We were short-staffed. Key tech folks were either on vacation or unavailable, and our regular switcher person wasn’t there. Campus volunteers? Nowhere to be found.

So it was just four of us: a skeleton crew trying to carry a whole Sunday production.

I was supposed to assist with cameras and train on the show deck (ProPresenter). But when it became clear we were missing a switcher entirely, I got thrown into the role—with no real training. During a live service.

I panicked. Internally, I was spiraling. Outwardly, I kept pressing buttons and trying not to look like I was guessing (even though, 90% of the time, I was).

“Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” – Arthur Ashe

“God, I don’t got this,” I thought.

But He did.

Grace in the Gaps

Somehow, things held together.

One teammate slipped in between audio checks to offer whispered guidance.

Another took over cameras.

The livestream rolled. The service started. No disasters.

“We know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him…” – Romans 8:28

And me? I was running the switcher for the first time ever while half-panicking, half-pushing buttons, and wholly depending on grace.

“Grace isn’t the absence of pressure—it’s the presence of God in it.”

Soul Insights

1. Grace doesn’t need a perfect setup.

God still showed up in the mess—through people helping, through the livestream not crashing, and through the growth I didn’t realize was happening.

2. Forgetting to pray doesn’t mean you failed.

My go-to is usually prayer. But this time, I skipped it. I was too overwhelmed. Yet God still caught me. That’s grace—unearned, unwavering.

“Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you.” 1 Peter 5:7

3. Preparation is a kindness to your future self.

Ten minutes before service isn’t enough to troubleshoot tech. Lesson learned: start setup 30 minutes early, minimum.

4. Panic and purpose can coexist.

I was panicking, yes. But I still served. Still adapted. Still contributed. Grace doesn’t cancel out panic—it carries you through it.

5. God’s always running a bigger show than we see.

While I was scrambling with cables and switching scenes, He was orchestrating everything. People showed up. Equipment worked. The service went on.

“Even when I forget to pray, He doesn’t forget to catch me.”

Final Thoughts: Caught in the Net

Looking back, I didn’t fall apart—I grew.

I didn’t pray in the moment—but I’m praying now, grateful that He still caught me.

“My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9

The next time I find myself panicking at a tech table, I’ll remember this:

I’m never winging it alone. There’s grace even in the chaos. There’s a net—even when I forget to look for it.

“I was winging it, but heaven was steady.”

Let’s Talk About It

I’d love to hear from you:

Have you ever been thrown into something before you felt ready? How did God show up for you? When was the last time you forgot to pray—and still saw grace pull through? What’s your “God still caught me” moment?

Drop it in the comments or send me a message. I read every one.

Soul Path Insights