I went to a conference last week. It was designed to help people who want to develop a speaking ministry. The main thing that I learned is that I need to tell people that this is what I do, and that I want to do it more.Me with my small group at the conference.
So, I thought I'd start here on my own blog, sharing what I believe God has put on my heart.
Ever since I was 18 years old, I've had this overwhelming desire to share the things that God
teaches me with others. At times the feeling is so pressing that I feel like I might explode. I relate to Jeremiah, the prophet, who said that he felt like God's word was a fire shut up in his bones.
For years, my answer to that question, "If you knew you only had a year to live (or 30 days or whatever), what would you do?" My answer was always that I would find as many people as I could to tell them all that God has taught me. It was what God had put on my heart, and I hadn't done it yet, and it was making me crazy.
Thankfully, over the past few years I have had multiple opportunities to teach the things that God has put on my heart. I have taught people about God's holiness, in this highly entertained nation; about Esther's beauty; about sitting on a beach with Jesus, like Peter did; about how God is the ultimate romantic, the creator of romance; about tearing down the walls in our lives, to get to a place of peace, just like Joshua did; about being an adult child of divorce; and this year I have taught on the miracle of hope in our lives, in my life.
By God's grace, some of that fire has been released from my bones. I have been able to share insights God has given me into his word, I have attempted to use my creativity to show the relatability of that old book to today, and I have had the privilege of looking hundreds of people in the eye and telling them that they are loved, that there is hope, that God is for them. And when I do this I feel like I have done what I was put here for. I feel fulfilled and overwhelmingly happy.
At this conference, th
ey taught us how to do this professionally, how to promote myself and this ministry that God has put on my heart. And I hate it. I hate the idea of advertising myself, putting myself out there. But I guess it's a means to an end. If I am not to explode with everything God has given to me and if I am to live in obedience to what I believe he has called me to, then this is what I must do.So, apparently at some point I'll be setting up a website with info about me and what I like to teach on. I'll be sending countless queries to magazines, in hopes that maybe one of them won't reject
Me graduating from the seminar with
my small group leader, Linda. She's a
great lady, a published author and
speaker with a heart to help other writers.
How cool is that?
me. And I'll be asking people like you, who know and love me, to spread the word. If your church is looking for a speaker for a women's retreat, maybe I could help you out. If you know of another church that needs someone to teach a seminar on one of the above topics, let me know.
Donald Miller says that you know you're living a good story if it terrifies you. Well, here it goes...
