A New Direction

A new direction for my JDtheSpeaker blog debuts today!

Previously, I have written about the craft and art of public speaking in this space.  The new direction of this blog will now expand to include my Speaker's 'voice' on the issues of the day, and world events. As a Christian who views the world through the lens of my faith, it is important to me to #LiveLifeFearlessly, and that means to write about it as well as to physically speak about it.

To enter into this new direction I must veer away from my prior silence on the so-called issues of the day and world events.  My silence has been due mostly to an effort on my part to not mix my faith with the marketing of my talents as a writer and professional speaker.   It has become quite clear to me that although the two may remain separate, an outlet for my faith-voice must be established, and this space is most convenient for that purpose.

I am keenly aware that the Christian viewpoint has been marginalized to such an extent that even the physical public square no longer welcomes opinions at odds with what passes for morality in the world today. Therefore, I get that one cannot espouse a Christian worldview as a blogger in this post-modern era without an understanding that one day the thought police will show up to enforce a silence of their own.  Voices can be silenced, it is true.  However truth cannot.

Abortion on demand, for example, has resulted in the deaths of more than 50 million unborn children. This is true.  And the truth which cannot be silenced is how utterly wrong it is to take the life of an unborn child.  The 40+ years since Roe have not silenced the voice of truth, and will never do so.

So the truths I wish to convey may not hold water for some, and in fact may agitate others.  I will do my best to honor the sanctity of God's Word (the Holy Bible) in all of my writings, and in the consideration of topics dealt with.  So those who simply disagree, or worse, will have a mediator in the form of the Bible itself.  They and I can take a look at Scripture and determine quite readily if I have strayed from its truth.

If I am out of line with Scripture, then that will be easily discerned and brought to my attention for correction.  If Scripture itself is out of line with a given reader's beliefs then perhaps we can find common ground elsewhere on other issues, or simply agree to disagree.  This is fair, and we grow by retaining the civility which enables debate.  Each side deserves at least to be heard.

I will review comments, and print all those which are suitable for public consumption.  You may agree with me yet how you state your agreement may not get your comment published.  Alternatively, you may disagree and find I am quick to provide the space for your concerns to be noted.  One thing to note, language unsuitable in your Mother's presence will be unsuitable in the comments section. Just saying....

Your comments are welcome.  May the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob be or become your strength, provider, and Lord.

Fearlessly,
JD

Assumptions Without Foundations

Assuming can work in our favor.  When I assume a Cigar Bar will be a good experience based upon the testimonials of trusted friends, and the Manager of a favorite Cigar Store, I will very likely be making a correct assumption.  The same applies to a restaurant, a specialty store, a vacation destination, a line of shoes, and the list goes on and on.  When we base an assumption on collected information and the testimonies of those who have ‘been there before’ we are rarely disappointed.

But assuming something to be so when we have no corroborating testimonials and no personal experience can lead to incorrect assumptions, and a disappointing result.  Case in point:  I presented a program recently which required the use of PowerPoint.  I developed the presentation in my office on my desktop computer. I based upon the presentation on a PowerPoint strategy I have used successfully many times in years past.

With a black background in the slides, white text, and special words highlighted in red, the message, coupled with slow transitions, fading in and out from black, are impactful.  I knew the presentation cold so looking at the slides was unnecessary, and this adds to the impact. But when at the venue, what if when the lights are brought low, there remains indirect light from two sources which cannot be turned off, and the ambient glare from the sunlight filtered through the blinds further brightens a ‘dimmed’ room?

I’ll tell you ‘what if’ . . .

The black background appears a bit washed out and the white text is readable, but not with impactful clarity.  Further, the red, highlighted text is legible, but barely readable.  This means that even though I knew the presentation cold, the impact of the slides had been all but eliminated.  The red, highlighted text which held special meaning appeared to be dim holes in the white text, and I was forced to read many of the slides which should have been a powerful backdrop to my remarks.

In short, my presentation changed from well-rehearsed, seamless, and impactful to ‘rehearsed improv’, hardly seamless, and lacking impact.  Although the presentation was very well received overall, and should be considered a success, one comment was, “I don’t like it when presenters read slides to me.”  Yikes!  Lesson learned . . . again.

When presenting new material, presenting in a new space, presenting in a familiar space but at a different time of day, presenting with new technology, someone else’s equipment, etc., do a dress rehearsal in advance if possible.  Do not assume the perfection you crafted in your office will follow through to the venue.  When you do, you build an assumption without a foundation.

Fearlessly,

JD

Back In The Saddle

Last blog - May 2013.  Wow, what a long time in between meaningful correspondence!  It's good to be back in the saddle.

Life is surely made up of surprises, and in the life of someone with a passion for speaking there is always, ALWAYS, new material.  Take my life in between the last blog and this one, for example.  When last I penned this blog I was fresh from an amazing trip to Rodney Bay, St. Lucia, separated from my second wife, working very long hours in an inside sales job, speaking infrequently at best, and my second book was just a few months old.

Today,  I am preparing for a return trip to Rodney Bay, St. Lucia this coming May, am remarried, and loving life with the very special lady with whom I hope to spend the rest of my life!  I am no longer with the company for which I worked the inside sales job, having only recently left to concentrate on writing and speaking (Hallelujah!).  Prior to my resignation, I had become a trusted voice for the company and hardly went a week without being in front of an audience (need another Hallelujah! on that...) which broadened my audience as well as potential employers of my talent.

My second book, 'Be Known For Your D.E.E.D.S.', has been picked up by The Literary Club as the May Selection for their Atlanta Chapter, and I will be speaking at their National Conference in August!  Feel free to sprinkle in the Hallelujahs as you read :)  Yes, much has changed!  Finally, I am still working through my first novel, Jonny Pleasant. 'Jonny' has been with me since 1992. He came to light as a short story 20+ years ago, and has been growing and developing since.

A lot happens in the in-between!  It's like the heartfelt story we have heard about 'the dash'.  Most often the dash is told during someone's memorial service.  The dash on a grave marker separates the date of birth and the date of the person's death.  As told, the dash is representative of the life lived by the deceased, and the relevance to the congregation is expressed as a challenge to make 'the dash' (life yet to be lived) count for something.

In between May of 2013 and today (April 2d, 2014), I have experienced the great highs of preaching in St. Lucia and getting married.  I have also lived through the great lows of seemingly endless 80-hour work weeks and divorce.  All around me have been friends, relatives, co-workers, acquaintances, and strangers living out their own in-between moments, and all of us are either in the saddle or looking forward to the day when we ride yet again!

Being in the saddle is that period of our lives when it all seems to have come together.  That period may be brief, and it may endure for many years.  All we can do is ride, make the best decisions we can given the information at the time, and hope to stay on the horse!  If by some chance we find ourselves walking instead of riding, then let us not despair of the journey on foot.  It is a different perspective to be sure, but one with lessons from which we can learn if we pay attention, and then mount up to ride again.

I leave you today with this blessing:  "May your time in the saddle point to the sunset knowing your in-between was fruitful and the dash was better than you planned."

Fearlessly,
JD

Where Fearless Is The Norm

I have had many unique speaking opportunities in my life.  There was the time I was thrust in front of the camera with no warning, script, or time for rehearsal to do a commercial spot.  On another occasion, and with plenty of rehearsal, I led a Fearless Speaker Clinic for children ages 5 to 16 for 2 hours, and losing the audience’s attention was not an option!

But I have to say the most unique opportunities have come because of my life as a Minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

In 2002 I became a card-carrying licensed Minister under the apostolic covering of Foundations International Ministries (FIM) thanks in no small part to an initial referral from my brother in Christ, Steve Brown.  Just 18 months later I was part of FIM’s delegation to the All Nations Conference of Ministers in Cape Town, South Africa.

The Founders of FIM, Rob and Melinda Brondell, are an amazing couple who had apparently ‘preached’ me up to the South African Host Committee.  Two days before leaving a call from Rob let me know that after landing I would have time to shower before preaching that night.  Except that I had not so much as led a Bible Study in more than 25 years I was ready… not!  Turns out I was not only preaching, but closing a revival.  A revival.  In Africa. No pressure!

Fast forward 10 years.  In February of this year I got a call to deliver a word – except this time the call came through Sisters in Harmony, founded by Edmund Herman.  The call was not to preach but to participate in an Author’s Workshop and Roundtable with my second book, Be Known for Your D.E.E.D.S., one of the featured texts.  The location for the workshop and roundtable?  Rodney Bay in St. Lucia, West Indies!  Can I have an amen on that?!

It was just a few weeks later on 6 March that Ed asked if I would be willing to preach on a Sunday during our stay on the island.  My thought?  Are you kidding me? Absolutely, I want to preach in St. Lucia!

Talk about unique opportunities?  Instead let’s talk about unique funds.  I didn’t have the money to go!  All available cash was already committed to bills, a few repairs to my classic ’95 Bronco, and being smart about saving and spending.  So ‘want to go’ was very much tempered by ‘money to go’ and ‘money’ was winning, so to speak.

My prayers about the opportunity became reason sessions as I reasoned through whether or not this was in fact a call of God to preach in St. Lucia, or just an invite from well-intentioned peers. Then I went to my friend Steve Brown’s house for coffee.  Yep, the same Steve Brown who referred me to Rob and Melinda Brondell in 2002.

I could only cover my face as tears streamed down my face when Steve handed me a check for an amount that caused me to no longer question Who was inviting me, or why I was to go.  When you see the love of God manifest so clearly, emotions will get the better of you! I was being called to St. Lucia and without doubt it was God doing the calling.  Not unlike Cape Town in 2003, I would stand in front of a congregation with whom I had no prior connection.  The Pastor, whom I had never met before, gave me the mic to speak a word of great encouragement to his congregation.

Two days later I would preach to another congregation, and in between I would be invited to attend a Prayer Meeting, and once there – without advance notice – be asked to lead the meeting.  Three unique speaking opportunities all to audiences I did not know before stepping in front of them.  All ordained by God to speak His Word to those He loves so very, very much.

When blessed to represent the Christian faith, in the pulpit, at a prayer meeting, in a Bible study or some other venue, the responsibility to disseminate the truth of Scripture is not to be taken lightly or ill-advisedly.  And concerns about adequate time to prepare can be filed away!  I had started developing a lengthy discourse on paper which would have become the foundation for a few sermons – until the Lord had me abandon the project, and leave the work behind.

When the Lord calls you go where you are led to go, stay where you are led to stay, speak where you are led to speak, and say what you are given to say.  And for my brothers and sisters in Christ you’ll get a kick out of the following:

The airfare to St. Lucia was not booked in March, well in advance of the 8 May departure.  No, airfare was booked on 7 May, hardly in advance of the 8 May departure.  Knowing Who was calling had me prepared to go to the airport without a ticket because I knew God had it under control, and, after all ... I was headed to St. Lucia.  Crazy?  Not really.  Just unafraid to be a Disciple.

 

You see, in this realm of being a mouthpiece for the one, true Living God - fearless is the norm.

Fearlessly,

JD

Live Life Fearlessly

Living life without fear is like breathing without air. It is not possible. Fears will come. Fear shows up when the bill money is low but the bills are high. It's there when the doctor says she's sending your x-rays to a colleague to take a closer look. It rears its ugly head when the layoffs you have heard were coming...arrive.

Fear accomplishes many things in the lives of men, women, and children: anger, resentment, disobedience, violence, greed, theft, adultery, jealousy, hate, and a multitude of other destructive emotions. Our lives and relationships are damaged - sometimes beyond repair - when we allow fear to have free rein; to go unchecked. But it does not have to be this way. There is a way which leads to peace in the midst of even the most pressing and immediate fears.

That way is anchored in your faith in God, but there's more to it. I know plenty of God-'fearing' folks who are as tormented by the fears of this world as anyone. What separates my life and view from theirs?

The answer is found in the sure knowledge of WHY am I here on this planet. Fortified by my faith in God, I have taken the time to dig deeply into what makes me, me. Long sessions of self-examination successfully enabled by a foundation of prayer have revealed my design. Design? Yes...design. You see we are more skillfully crafted than anything we ourselves are able to design and manufacture.

Amazing software powering programs we call artificial intelligence are yet primitive when compared the brilliant complexity of the human being. The part of you which is not defined by your skin, eye, or hair color; your height or weight; your education or beliefs (or lack thereof), is unique to you. In teaching my D.E.E.D.S. curriculum I point my audiences to an undeniable fact - there is a reason there aren't six billion doctors on the planet. Not everyone wants to be a doctor!

We are all unique, masterpieces of design. Some of us are designed to be doctors, others to be pilots, still others to be movie critics. What is your design? What activity has always fascinated you? What were you known for as a child? What did you want to do no matter what other children wanted to do?

In my book, Be Known For Your DEEDS, I provide seven case studies of individuals who enjoy varying levels of financial success today (and nine traits they share), but who are all living a satisfying life based on following their intrinsic design. Back to the interplay with faith in God....

When you come to the realization there is a concrete reason why you are on this planet, and that you are uniquely designed to achieve the destiny for which you were created, there is little that will scare you away from so important a mission. Those who try to dissuade you based upon their own ignorance, and attempt to de-value your existence are to be ignored. YOU are created in the image of God, and are not the result of freakish, random chance!

YOU are here by plan and design. But why? Only you can discern that, and it is vital that you do. Destiny and a life to be lived fearlessly are waiting, but what about those nasty fears lurking in the mailbox, on the job, in the economy, not to mention the phobias which can paralyze us (fear of heights, confined spaces, the dark, death, snakes, spiders, etc.)?

Fear, no matter the name we assign to the symptom, stands in the way of your destiny and provokes you to turn back. Fear stands in the way of a life with great meaning, value and quality. It will be faith in the God who created you, and the will you demonstrate to define your passion in life (intrinsic design), that will eradicate fear as a threat. It may still rise up, but it will be ignored, dealt with, and/or handled because it no longer controls you. You now control your emotional responses and have become free to live the life to which you are called and were born!

Fearlessly,
JD

Be Known for Your DEEDS is available on Amazon and BarnesandNoble.com

No Fear Here!

At a time in U.S. history when the Depression had reeked havoc upon this great nation, Franklin Roosevelt, the President of the United States said, in his inaugural address, "The only thing we have to fear is fear itself."  In the life of a professional speaker, a Soccer Mom taking the podium at a PTA meeting, a Little League Coach addressing parents before the first practice, a department head stepping to the Board Room lectern, or new member at a Toastmasters club, there is fear.

We can all glibly say that we are fearless, and that is in fact how I bill myself, The Fearless Speaker.  My first blog is entitled the same.  But when the time comes to deliver to an audience, no matter how seasoned or polished we may become, that fear will try to invade our peace.

For me the fear is small indeed, but the tiniest morsel of that dread emotion will yet try to unsettle the most established and credible orators.  For those of you who believe yourselves to be more prone to the attack than most, rest assured we all face this nasty little demon.  And you can likewise rest assured that you are able to defeat fear as easily as I do.  It's all in your preparation.

The Two Keys to Speaking Success, as previously blogged, is your sure foundation.  Confidence in yourself and your message, buoyed by solid practice sessions, will get you ready to present.  The balance of preparation is divided between knowledge of the venue, an understanding of your audience, great knowledge of the material you will present, and time spent practicing.  Did I mention how important practice is??

If the remarks I am to deliver are not rehearsed (practice, practice) so that I know them backwards and forwards, I leave room for the seeds of doubt and fear to creep in.  If I have not taken the time to familiarize myself with the venue, its location, the acoustics (if possible), or to otherwise find out all I can about where I will speak, there's room for doubt and fear.  It would seem ridiculous to speak to an audience with whom you are completely unfamiliar!  Surprisingly, speakers take the stage every day with a canned speech expecting it to play well no matter the crowd.  Oops!  Know your audience.

You can limit the amount of stage fright you feel.  You can control the level of fear.  You can be, as far as anyone would ever know...fearless.  Victory is found in your preparation.

Fearlessly,
JD

The Two Keys to Speaking Success, Key One

My lifetime of speaking has provided invaluable insights, shortcuts, work-arounds, and band-aids.  Don't get me wrong and think even for a second that I believe I have learned all there is to know.  Far from it.  Each time I speak, there is something to be gleaned, and stored for future use.  With that in mind, you may yet take the following to the bank.

There are two keys to speaking success.  Upon these two keys all successful speeches are built.  Without these two keys, the greatest material, the friendliest crowd, a venue's amazing acoustics, or a sold-out show will not help you as you crash and burn in front of all God's children!  Yikes!

The focus of today's blog is Key One in The Two Keys to Speaking Success.  It is a key that works in concert with Key Two, as these two keys feed off one another.  It can be developed, part of your DNA, or come to you rather organically over time, but it must be present for the good speech to become great.

Key One in The Two Keys to Speaking Success is Confidence.  Without confidence most personal endeavors miss the mark of excellence.  We all are subject to a greater exposure to failure when we operate without confidence.  It is confidence that allows us to take the stage fearlessly.  It is confidence that compels us to take a speaking gig with only two days to prepare.  And it is confidence that puts our audiences at ease and allows them to trust us.

When teaching 'The Two Keys' I provide the background on where my own confidence came from.  It originated from an outing at the lake with my folks when I was about six years old.  On this particular weekend, my Mom and Dad had asked me to tell a joke.  There were three or four families camping together that weekend, and most of the adults stopped what they were doing to hear the joke.

We all know the humor of a six-year old is not terribly sophisticated, but they laughed!  Most likely they were just being polite, but hearing that laughter made me feel great.  It gave me confidence.  Quite obviously my parents had already laid the groundwork for this success in how I was being reared, but that is the moment I readily identify as the beginning of my confidence as a speaker.

From that point on, I had confidence that my voice was worth hearing.  I performed in elementary school plays, volunteered to be on stage for high school fund raisers, was a DJ in college, and with two days to prepare preached a revival sermon in a church, city, and country where I'd never been before.  Confidence:  It is Key One in The Two Keys to Speaking Success.

Fearlessly,
JD

The Fearless Speaker

In 2008 I was sitting in my Study at home when I asked the age old question, “Why am I here?” Have you ever wondered that very same thing? It seems to be a rhetorical question. After all haven’t we all contemplated our existence on this planet? Well I really wanted to know so I let the query run. By letting ‘the query run’ I mean that what I did not do was dismiss the question with a comment like, “Aw that’s crazy. Who can know such a thing?”

Ever been in a conversation when you and the person with whom you are speaking are trying to think of the name of a movie, an actor, a song, or whatever, and each of you are drawing a blank? I have been in that situation countless times. Invariably one of us says something to the affect, “I’ll probably think of it at two o’clock in the morning!” You both laugh and go on to another topic.

The computer between your ears, the human brain, continues to process that query, and sure enough a couple of days later you are enjoying lunch in a restaurant when the piece of information that had escaped you just pops into your mind! Then you call your friend, share the good news with them, and you both laugh again.

Well, I let the query ‘Why am I here’ continue to run. I did not dismiss it as an unanswerable question. Within days I began to get an unusual answer in the form of memories. Almost in chronological order memories of my having spoken to this group or that came back. It may have been as a child telling jokes to my parents’ friends, acting in a school play, performing on stage, or being a DJ at my college radio station, but there they all were.

It was a bit like the forest had been hidden by the trees. Of course I knew all about the dozens upon dozens of times I had spoken to an audience both informally and formally. I had simply regarded all those speaking opportunities as just the use of a gifting, but not as a life’s calling.

Having all of those ‘speaking’ memories arrive within days of the question, “Why am I here?” left me with no doubts I had received THE answer. I am here to speak. Okay, but what about? Here is where the answered question led to memories even more specific. My message would contain words of encouragement was the clear mandate and answer to the follow up.

Through the years I have been an encourager. I am naturally optimistic, and very often will approach people to whom I have never been introduced (you see, I have never met a stranger) to share a compliment, or otherwise say something positive.

With an answer to my simple but profound question in hand, I made the following decision: If I am on this planet to speak encouraging words to people then I will make doing so a life priority. Making it a life priority led me to determine that I would let nothing stand in the way of the simple objective to speak encouragement into the lives of as many people as possible. Therefore all doubts about my future path have been erased, and so too any fears about how to proceed.

I became The Fearless Speaker based upon this epiphany. Today, I assert to Event Planners, church leaders, speaker boards, and anyone else who hires or engages Speakers, that I will speak in any venue to any audience of any size at any time! I am The Fearless Speaker! My fearlessness is based upon the premise that my life’s message is one which men, women, and children need to hear.

We all need to be encouraged in who we are! This old world takes its toll on all of us. We get beat up daily by the cares of life, the drama of bills, bad jobs, poor relationships, and all the other nonsense that distracts from a peaceful life. Folks need to hear good news about themselves, and about their prospects for grabbing the brass ring of life.

How about you? Do you know why you are here on this rock we call Earth? If not then I strongly encourage you to find out the answer to this all-important question. Once you have made your discovery then be fearless in your determination to pursue your life’s purpose. It will enrich your life, and the lives of all those around you.

Fearlessly,

JD