Well, what an adventure we’ve partaken. I hope these tips have been helpful over the past two weeks. If you haven’t read week one, or two—feel free to click the links to catch-up. I love communicating and casting vision. If you’re like me, you get extremely excited at the opportunity to connect the dots for people in their journey of faith, life, work, and family.
God has given you the opportunity to speak Truth in people’s lives. No matter where you are, or who you are, we all possess leadership and influence. Leaders, influencers, you are creating space for people’s own self-discovery. Be present in their life and help carry them to a being of learning and betterment. Don’t neglect your ability to lead, because if not YOU then WHO? If you’re not going to communicate vision and hope, are you going to wait idly by for someone else to carry the task?
Harness your gift and your strengths that make you uniquely you and simply be.
Be present
Be real
Be hopeful
Be alive
Be a visionary
Be a light
Be a prophet
God has called you to this moment in other’s lives—Be there.
So,the final three thoughts.
1. Be a prophet
Repeatedly, God tasks the prophets of the Old Testament to listen and obey. Their voice brought light into darkness, order into chaos, and life into death. We as leaders are prophets; we have the opportunity to share Truth to people. Don’t flee a people group because they’re different (See Jonah), or have a different experience than you. Learn from them; see them as worthy of your calling. Don’t be afraid to have a prophetic voice in your communication. Speak of the injustice that marginalized people experience. Raise a banner of hope for those without a voice. Make the space for God’s voice to be heard through your willingness to be a prophet. Listen and obey and your communication will be more authentic for it. Prophets of the Old Testament never had it easy. They often communicated things that Israel had to hear, but didn’t have the humility to receive it. There are words you have been given to say, regardless of your platform—use them.
2. Prepare
Oh, please prepare. Do the proper work and research for your topic. Attempt to memorize as much of your notes or manuscript as possible. I usually spend one entire week prior to speaking trying to memorize as much of my manuscript as I can. It doesn’t have to be verbatim, just learn the general ideas of what you’re attempting to speak. Have your major points locked in your head and the general line of thinking for your points. If your manuscript is organized well, it should be easy to memorize.
3. Pray
It’s so simple, pray and ask God to prepare your heart to speak. I am guilty of forgetting to pray before speaking and I notice a difference in my heart’s preparedness to articulate vision. Before I get on stage, I ask God to anoint my mind to think clearly, my heart to be open to the Creator’s prompting, my eyes to see people as God sees them. Making this a discipline in your communication not only prepares your mind, but it connects you to the author of all things Good.
Stay tuned for more communication tidbits in the future. I’ll be writing more often about the topic.
