I was fourteen the first time it happened. Her name was Mary and she lived next door to me. Our “relationship” lasted six months until I moved out of state. Becoming involved with Mary awakened in me feelings I never knew I had. While I knew this relationship was different, I never felt that I was different from anyone else. To me, it was just who I was. Yet I never believed that I was born this way or that I couldn’t change, I just chose not to change because in the arms of another woman is where I found […]

There’s a great responsibility that comes with gathering people. Everything we do (and don’t do) communicates something. Here are a few things that can be pretty important and what they communicate. 1. Prepare the space. What we communicate by doing it: “I value the fact that you’re here. I appreciate that you’ve taken time to be present, and I am willing to make sure your experience is a good one.” This isn’t allowing people to be lazy or encouraging them to be consumers. It’s simply saying, “You’re important enough to prepare for.” This can include sweeping the floor, cleaning the […]

Do you ever stop to consider how you represent your faith to the world around you? We can sometimes forget that we represent more than just ourselves as we move through life. We also represent every other person who bears the name of “Christian.” If people see that we are hateful, hypocritical, unforgiving or judgmental, they won’t simply attribute those failings to our own personal character flaws; it will mar the reputation of Christianity itself as they see it. A double standard? As Christians, we are called to live in such a way that sets us apart from others and […]

There are many situations in life when talking in front of an audience cannot be avoided. Oral exams, presentations or graduation make many of us feel stressed and nervous. The fear of public humiliation is a common reaction when talking about performing a public speech, but the association between the two can be broken. Here are some tips to help you to gain confidence and speak better. 1. How to prepare yourself for your speech A presentation is not a poem. Memorizing your speech or reading it straight off of the page will make your presentation very unnatural, as well […]