God has created us all differently and we should celebrate in that instead of tearing people down for not being like us. Keep being you brother, it looks good on ya.

I was a very late bloomer in magic. I found the FCM in 2005. I went to the International FCM convention that year. For the first time I got to meet full time magicians and see live magic. Wow…my brain was overloaded by the end of day 1. I have note books filled with every line said, every trick done, and drawings of apparatus used.

One familiar line I keep hearing over and over was…..”make it your own”. I did not understand that idea at the time. Here is all these magicians showing me how to do a trick…step by step…what they say during the trick…..and then said “but don’t do it that way…make it your own”. Then I purchased all of these trick in the dealers room with step by step instructions and the patter to say, but the magicians would again lecture “Don’t do it like that….make it your own”. I was completely frustrated. I did not know what “my own” was.

I have attended every FCM Conference since. I went full time in 2007. Here is what I learned and what I have to say to those magicians starting out. It’s ok to mimic someone you look up to and ok to do a trick just like it says in the instructions. It was not until I started performing full time that I did enough shows to understand who I was on stage and what “my own” even was. I even dress differently now than what I did the first year performing full time. I am continuing to evolve into my character and the performer that is naturally inside of me.

So what am I saying? With performance comes maturity. I have a much better understanding of who I am and how to make a routine and show unique only because I have performed hundreds of shows since I have been full time. There are still times I have the urge to do something different. I have to make myself step back and really think about it and possibly perform it before I understand if it is me.

I will never criticize anyone that is young in their magic maturity for mimicking a style. I DO believe that we should educate these performers of the benefits of FINDING their own style. Notice I said young in their magic maturity which does not reflect the performer’s age. Stage experience and age are not always directly correlated.

Just like our maturity in Christ is not a reflection of our physical maturity or how long we have been a Christian. To be a mature Christian involves feeding your spirit with the word, being mentored by mature Christians, surrounding ourselves with those strong in Christ, and putting your faith into action. This is the same with magic. We should embrace those who need to mature in their acts, feed them with encouragement and ideas, and surround them with those who are matured in the field. With enough experience and the guidance of other mature performers, it is my hope they too will mature as entertainers and expand on their own creativity.

Just a note as I finish up. I am in no way condoning the stealing of original material. I do believe there are many out there that “know better” but do it anyway because of their own insecurities or jealously. I am telling the performer who wants to mature……try out different styles….SHOOT TRY MY STYLE (a comedy magician in a fedora, loose tie, rolled up shirt, and jeans)…see what works for you and …… here it comes…… over time – MAKE IT YOUR OWN! (had to say it)

Harris – I am excited to see you in Crawfordsville IN for Sens de Vie here in April!!! See ya soon.

I hope I’m in that very very small group of “non-cheesy” Christian Illusionists.

Relevance is… well, a relevant term.

People change, times change, some people move forward, some people are stuck in a time warp. We both know a performer who still wears a black tux with a red ruffled shirt. There was a time that that was “in”… it was “Cool”. I remember the days when people dressed in their “Sunday Best” to go out to a supper club or a performance of any kind. Those days are gone, but some people try to hang on to them, change is not always readily accepted. In Country music the rage use to be sparkles and elaborate piping on the men’s suits Porter Wagenor and Hank Williams Sr.), now the young new country stars come out in torn jeans and a t-shirt. A lot of the older generation doesn’t like that, but then they aren’t the ones buying the CD’s and concert tickets either.

There was a time that a young classy Christian magician donned a tuxedo for his appearance on the stage of the FCM evening program. His name was “B.J. Harris”. He looked rather dapper and his “magic” showed style and perfection not often seen is someone so young. Looking back you might call him cheesy or mediocre, and if you did that today that might be the case, but back then, at that time, at that age you were thought of as classy!

Have you grown.. YES in many ways, but remember times change, styles change and over the next 30 years I pray you don’t allow yourself to be caught in a time warp. Continue to be willing to adapt to your audience and your style of performing.

What you’ve learned both during your FCM years and since is very valuable… Not something to be hoarded by you, but to be shared with others, those that are looking to follow the same path you were looking to follow all those many years ago. Give some of it back so that they will have the advantage of your wisdom. Don’t allow others in your trade of choice to be plagued with mediocrity from lack of insight and education. God had blessed you in many ways, and I believe he wants you to share those blessings and that wisdom.

Where you were once a student, you can now become a teacher. I’d love to see you giving back to the FCM in an effort to help others see their dreams mature and know the joys you’ve know as a performer and as a Christian.

What God has called us to be is the best “Us” we can be. He had your unique style, talent and life in mind when he called you. To ask you to be something else is telling God, “hey I don’t like your ideas.”

Thanks for the post and keep being who God has called you to be.