True Woman | Why Not Pursue Him?

True Woman Why Not Pursue Him?

THE DAWN OF REDEEMING GRACE

THE DAWN OF REDEEMING GRACE
The Christmas Story is not an earthly tale of Santa Clause or Frosty but the celebration of eternal hope to a spiritually lost world.  While singing the old classic carol, Silent Night, a phrase in the third verse caught my attention - ..."with the dawn of redeeming Grace."  This sums up so neatly the truth of the Christmas Story.  Christ's birth was the dawn  of the New Testament, God the Father reaching out in love to His creation when His creation loved Him not.  It was the dawn or opening act of the new covenant of grace produced , directed, and written by the Father through the role of Jesus, His beloved Son.  It was the dawn of redemption for our failure to love God with all of our being in favor of lesser earthly things.  It was the dawn of grace, love poured out by the Father through the Son to mankind that is not deserved or cannot be earned but presented as a gift.  It was the dawn of reconciliation with the Father through the Son because our sin separated us from His holiness and perfection.
  Those in contemporary society who have made it made their mission to silence the traditional Christmas carols from old is to try to silence the voice of the Almighty.  The words of spiritual truth either harden or humble the heart towards God.  May this Christmas season be the dawn of humility of your heart submitting to a God who spared not His only Son as a sacrifice to demonstrate the love and forgiveness He freely offers as a gift and may you experience "the dawn of redeeming Grace."

"As it is written: 'There is none righteous, no, not one;'  Romans 3:10

"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,"  Romans 3:23

"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."   Romans 6:23

"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."    Romans 5:8

"For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,"  
Ephesians 2:8

"that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."                         Romans 10:9

True Woman | The Six-Second Kiss

True Woman The Six-Second Kiss

HOW TO BECOME A DYNAMIC PUBLIC SPEAKER & POWER PRESENTER

HOW TO BECOME

A DYNAMIC PUBLIC SPEAKER

& POWER PRESENTER

Part I: Confidence

Are you paralyzed with anxiety

at the thought of speaking in front of an audience?

You are not alone, public speaking is the #1 psychological fear even more than death.  And yet, it is a valuable leadership skill that can propel you to the top of your industry, company, or community. Whether you are a rising professional, business leader, or politician, the ability to make an effective sales presentation, conduct a board meeting, or deliver an inspiring toast increases your stature and distinguishes you above the crowd.

Confidence is key to maintaining control of your presentation and ultimately your audience.

1. Preparation

Your attention to preparation and readiness prior to your engagement or presentation eliminates mental stress and insures your ability to communicate confidence.

• Research and know the character and culture of your audience.   
• Prepare notes with large print for easy reading.
• Write down key points only.
• Use checklists for necessary supplies, equipment, and setup instead of leaving it up to memory.
• Arrive early enough to setup, familiarize yourself with the venue, and handle unexpected changes.

   2.   Practice

Practice, practice, practice until you develop what professional dancers call "muscle memory."  Rehearse to the point of performing without thinking about what comes next.

• Rehearse your entire presentation start to finish no less than six times including timing.
• Practice in front of family and friends for a live audience.
• Include in your rehearsal strategically placed voice changes and gestures to emphasize key ideas. 

  3.   Become Fearless

Fear dissipates when you talk to yourself instead of listening to yourself.  Controling your thought processes plays an important role in success. 

• Cardio exercise prior to your engagement expends nervous energy.
• Visualize yourself speaking with composure, remembering your material, and handling difficult questions.
• Breathe deeply.
• Ask yourself, "What is the worst that can happen?" and how will you respond?

"Whether your forum is a corporate boardroom or PTA meeting,

your degree of speaking skill will determine to a great extent how

seriously people take your ideas and whether they will follow your lead."

                 Aram Bakshian, Jr.

IN EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS

IN EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS

I could have written about the etiquette of hosting a dinner or how to be a gracious guest this Thanksgiving but the holiday holds deeper meaning to me than just a day of family, friends, food, and football. (Yes, my husband's favorite team, the Dallas Cowboys play every year on this day and just happen to kick off right when dinner is about to be served!)  I am greatly blessed to have a close family that actually looks forward to spending the day together and this year I am especially grateful my youngest brother who will be a part of the festivities after 12 years living away in Mississippi.


I ask the questions,"What are we giving thanks for and who are we thanking?"  Are we giving thanks for the people in our lives, material possessions, or good health?  What if we are lacking in all these?  For some, it could be a year of job loss, home foreclosure, or the diagnois of a terminal illness. So maybe this day forces us to pause and realize the abundance compared to others and yet where are we directing thankfulness? 


The Bible says in 1 Thessalonians 5:18, "...in everything give thanks..."  EVERYTHING, no exclusions, blessings and difficulties. The verse continues with "for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you."  Is this for real???  It is God's will for us to give thanks even for the difficulties!


A believer in the mercies and grace of Jesus Christ has the ability to give thanks knowing there is a beneficial purpose in the struggles of life.  James 1:2 says to "count it all joy when you fall into various trials, knowing that the testing of your faith produces patience.  But let patience have its perfect work, that you may be complete lacking in nothing."  The Bible teaches us spiritual maturity is the fruit of trial.  We can take joy in the fact that God is causing transformation in our heart and life.


In Romans 8:28 Paul states,"And we know all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose."  This does not support that all things are good and tragedy will not happen but God promises to overrule and use circumstances caused by a sinful world to accomplish His eternal purposes in the lives of those who love Him and who have responded to His call.


We are assured that He is the strength that supports, the comfort that calms, the peace beyond understanding, and the hope amidst uncertainty.  I have much to be thankful according to the standards of this world - grand house, sporty cat, loyal friends, aand loving family.  But Thanksgiving for me has a more profound significance that pales compared to the temporal offerings of this life.


I am thankful that there exists no struggle in this life that will separate me from the love of God.  Love that stretched out it's arms on a cross and died for my my sin and failure procuring for me a new identity and potential in this earthly life and assuring my eternal destiny will someday be heaven. 


This Thanksgiving in "everything" I will give thanks.    

Effective Executive Communication

EFFECTIVE EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATION

"The words of the wise are like goads, and like nails firmly fixed..."    Ecclesiastes 12:14

As an executive, when you communicate you want to convey confidence and credibility, and you want people to feel compelled to listen. Considering that a lot of what is communicated is non-verbal, body language and vocal inflection can mis-communicate your real message. Use these seven tips to increase the effectiveness of your communication and ensure that you always get your point across.


1.  Recognize the Power in Your Posture
Your communication starts with the stance you choose when you speak. Whether you are talking on the phone or you are in a meeting, it is always best to stand up when you speak. To really get your point across pull your shoulders back to slightly exaggerate your posture and open up your diaphragm. Do not play with a pen, fidget or cross your arms and legs when you speak. Using open body language conveys that you mean what you say and are open to the input of others.

2.  Project Your Voice
Recognize that the purpose of the volume of your voice is not exclusively to ensure that the listeners hear you. Volume adds authority to your vocal presentation and it is important to speak up to project the volume that demands attention.

3.  Be Articulate
The most prevalent challenge in every day business communication is the lack of clear articulation in conversation. Every time you use a speech filler as in “ah” or “um” or “you know” or “so,” you are detracting from the confidence you want your words to convey and you diminish the power of your message. Ask a trusted colleague to tell you what your speech fillers are and work to eliminate them. You can also record a few of your phone conversations; you will be surprised at what you hear.
Remember to be clear about the message you are delivering. Don’t cloud the issues you are talking about. If you are delivering a message about appropriate office attire, you don’t want to start giving detailed messages about the upcoming company picnic.

4.  Pay Attention to Your Pace
Everyone has their own natural pace for speaking. When we are nervous many people really speed up. When we talk too fast we convey a lack of experience, and we do not allow time for our listeners to comprehend what we are saying. Pay attention to your pace, be sure to breath and do not be afraid to pause.

5.  Keep In Eye Contact
Another huge challenge many executives have when they are talking is that they look everywhere except at the people to whom they are speaking. Do not let that be you. When you avoid looking at people, they may subconsciously feel that you are not telling the truth and you are also more likely to lose their attention. Staying in eye contact makes people feel like you are speaking to them personally rather than just speaking out loud.

6.  Be Prepared Even When You Think It’s Not Necessary
So often executives think that because they know their work or their projects so well that they can “wing” a briefing or even a fairly long report or presentation. Don’t do it. Winging it never works well unless you have delivered the same message or report or presentation a hundred times. Take five minutes to figure out your talking points, or take even longer for a major presentation. Preparation makes you feel confident and ensures your nerves will not get the best of you.
Even before you call a client or leave a message for your boss do not hesitate to take a few moments to jot down your ideas. This way you will always come across as the competent professional that you are.

7.  Be Consistent
Keep your message consistent. Don’t contradict yourself from one communication to the next, or be inconsistent in your words on the same subject to different people. This can quickly put your coworkers in the position of distrusting you. Consistent communication is key to building confidence in the workplace.
Every time you speak you solidify or confuse the effective executive image you have been working hard to create. Identify which of these communication areas need the most attention from you and get started today. Your communication is the cornerstone of your executive image. Make sure yours is working for you.

GET IN, GET ON, GET OUT - MAKE MEETINGS COUNT

GET IN, GET ON, GET OUT -
MAKE MEETINGS COUNT

“When the outcome of a meeting is to have another meeting, it has been a lousy meeting.” 


Herbert Hoover, U.S. President

Running a meeting with finesse can be as challenging as running a marathon, but ultimately as rewarding. Follow these tips, and you will successfully chair meetings with ease.

Plan Your Meeting to Meet Your Plan
Planning is the first and most important step in running a meeting. Being prepared and keeping to your agenda sets you up for success.


Send out invitations and an agenda with meeting logistics as far in advance as possible. If the agenda is not yet available, tell invitees the agenda will come later and ask them to save the date and time. Then make sure to send the agenda via email at least two or three business days in advance of the meeting. Include all reading materials and snail mail hard copies of all documents. Allow enough time for invitees to read and gather information for the meeting.

Bring copies of the agenda and any attachments to the meeting for those who have not printed them or who did not bring them.


Watch Your Watch
Keep to your agenda and timetable for the meeting. If you must deviate from the original plan, explain why and make sure the change does not cause the meeting to run past the allotted time.


Ask and Answer
Anticipate any questions attendees might ask and decide how to best answer them. As the meeting leader, you must gracefully answer any questions that come up, even the hard or challenging ones. If you do not know the answer, say so and promise to find out and report. Then, follow up with this as soon as the meeting ends.

Provide Refreshments
Nothing seems worse to a restless group than a long meeting with no sustenance. If you must schedule a meeting longer than two hours, take a break and provide refreshments about halfway into the time. This helps eliminate restlessness and shows your invitees you appreciate their time and value their comfort.

Focus
Keep your meeting on course. If it is distracting for you to keep track of the agenda, ask a trusted colleague to let you know when you are getting to far astray from the agenda or assign someone to serve as a timekeeper and a minute recorder.


Listen
As a rule, everyone needs to wait his or her turn before talking. Do not allow people to interrupt each other or let someone take over leadership of the meeting and change the agenda. To stay on track, schedule a question-and-answer session at the end of the meeting and put it on the agenda.


Avoid Gossip and Chatting
If an issue or controversial subject not on the agenda comes up during the meeting, acknowledge it and defer it to a later time. Create a “parking lot” to capture these subjects for later discussion if time allows. Refer to the agenda and lead the group back to it.


Follow Up
As soon as possible after the meeting ends, send a thank you note to participants with a summary of the meeting, a reminder of any items that need follow-up, who is responsible for that follow-up and the answer to any questions you promised to provide. If the meeting is more formal and someone has been taking meeting minutes ask them to get the minutes out to the participants within 24 hours.


Mission Accomplished
By following these basic rules for leading a meeting, you can successfully plan, execute and follow-up on important business. Your invitees will appreciate your commitment to sticking to your stated agenda and you will accomplish more. If you do not already follow these tips, try them with your next meeting—you will like the results.