Amy Carroll » Ministry Development » While You Are Busy Living, He Is Subtly Speaking

While You Are Busy Living, He Is Subtly Speaking

I am often asked as a speaker for nearly two decades, how in the world I can generate enough content to come up with new and fresh messages year after year. After all, won’t I ever run out of things to say?

Don’t ask my husband that question. He says that, if I go before him, he knows what he is putting on my tombstone.

A period.

She’s finally done talking!!!

Seriously, as a speaker who longs to not just “give a report” but deliver a life-changing message, how do you generate new content? Here are some tips I’ve learned along the way:

~ Watch for stories as you go about your daily days of life. They are all over. At the grocery store, the ball park, at work or even on the nightly news. If something interesting or out of the ordinary occurs, jot it down. It may one day make a good analogy, example or punctuate  a point in your message.

Keep a small notebook in your purse at all times. For jotting the above stories down, of course. Don’t forget a pen!

~ Ask yourself: What do I love? This is where you will begin to gather information that will one day morph into a message. Do you love raising thankful kids? Being an encouraging and creative wife? Helping women manage their time or study God’s word? Begin to look for articles, quotes, tips, stories and Bible passages that will round out your message on a topic you love.

~ Also ask yourself this: What do I loathe? Do you hate young girls being sold a bill of goods about what true beauty is? Do you despise the lack of biblical literacy and knowledge that is rampant today? Can’t stand bullying? Perhaps you could develop a talk on something that really gets under your skin.

~ Don’t forget to be on the lookout for stories and examples in your own family life. My kids have provided some of my best material! Often they will do or say something that is fabulous to use in a talk.Just be sure to always ask permission before sharing a story that involves one of your clan. 🙂

God is speaking all the time while we are busy living. With a keen eye (and a handy notebook) you’ll be sure to capture what He is saying and in turn, be able to share it with your audiences.

Happy gathering!

Karen

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5 Comments

  1. Thanks for the good advice how or what should be a good speaker, Keep up! you have a good work! God bless.

  2. And if we are growing and walking with Him, we will always have something new and fresh. His mercies are New Every Morning for a reason… we need them every morning. So there’s got to be a story in there…

    Thank you Karen, keeping our story as well as our walk with Him fresh is the key to sharing a Fresh portion of Him each time.

  3. Good morning and thank you for the words of wisdom. ☺

    Have a blessed and beautiful day!

    Toni

  4. Thanks, Karen! This is excellent advice. I often do this in relationship to my writing, but I hadn’t thought of it as a way to collect ideas for speaking. I shared it on Facebook. : )
    Blessings,
    Carrie