“Thanks”
5 ft” tall, curly hair, hazel eyes, a light skinned mixed, black & white girl, who LOVES too sing! Her name is Layla Jones.
Sunday morning in church hearing that gospel music, pastor preaching, hearing the pastor sing, as Layla sings along. Ever since she was a little girl, she always heard her mom sing to gospel music. Her favorite song was Kirk Franklin’s “I Need You To Survive.” Always hearing her mom sing made Layla want to sing too. Every year a talent show would happen, & Layla wanted to join & be the star of the talent show w/ the voice. The voice she has, but she never had the confidence to do that. Layla’s the type of girl that will fight for something she loves, & so she decided to keep practicing on a song to perform one day soon in front of the church. That was her goal.
She was at school one day in the auditorium, practicing on a gospel song. She had been working on it for week & had performed it in front of her best friend Keysha, singing, eyes closed, feeling what she said, blocking out everything & everyone, performing as if she was in front of a crowd.
As Keysha was rocking side to side, listening to Layla sing, someone opened the door slowly and closed the door silently. Keysha had noticed who it was & was about to scream. Kirk put a hand over his mouth & looked at Keysha, “Shhhhh.” Layla was almost at the end of the song. Kirk, sitting down, was AMAZED! by the voice, hearing Layla, sing. He stood up as the song ended and clapped, “Beautiful!” Layla opened her eyes and her jaw dropped. She was so surprised to see Kirk Franklin, the AMAZING gospel singer at her school in the auditorium, listening to her sing! Layla, since she was a little girl, had a dream & a goal to become a gospel singer. As she grew up, her goals changed. Now she wanted to be on “Sunday Best”. She knew it would make her mamma & pappa proud!
Weeks had passed, and Kirk Franklin had sent Layla to the auditions for Sunday Best. Nervous, not wanting to mess up, Layla & her mama got ready & packed their belongings to go to Orlando. She had her headphones in, listening too Kirk Franklin’s “Hero” . Looking out the window, she bowed her head, closed her eyes & prayed, “Lord, this is the biggest thing I’ve always wanted. Please, please, please! I’m begging you. Help me get through this audition & give me strength, AMEN.”
Coming out the room after singing in front of the judges, Layla came out w/ the orange paper. “I made it!” She jumped w/ joy, tears falling down her face. She was shocked, and feeling all types of emotions! She crossed out in her notebook the goal she had in there to be on “Sunday Best”. She had shown the world her amazing voice!
Leaving Orlando, heading back home, hours had passed. Home finally, exhausted but she wasn’t too exhausted to say what she had been thankful for. Layla, & mamma head upstairs to their room, a song of thanks on her lips.
