Why you should watch your speaking footage
One of the most efficient and effective ways to improve your public speaking and presenting skills is to watch yourself on video. Much like athletes reviewing game film, studying your footage enables you to see yourself through the audience’s eyes. The goal is, as always, to meet their needs and make their experience better, so watching from their vantage point is the true gauge of your efficacy.
The boon of most presentations being delivered in a virtual format today is that our footage is readily available; most conferences and meetings are recorded for later viewing by those who couldn’t attend. No longer is capturing video an expensive or complicated effort for even the smallest presentation.
You might wince at the thought of watching yourself. (We don’t like to hear ourselves either; this TED talk explains why.) But if you’re wincing, that’s really just an indicator that you can improve. (And who can’t improve?)
How to improve your public speaking and presentation skills: Five steps to gain maximum benefit from reviewing your speaking footage.
Read MoreHow Christians can respond to COVID-19
What guidance does the Bible have to offer us in the midst of a pandemic?
How should Christians respond to the challenges presented by COVID-19? When (and how) will this resolve? We’ve all got far more questions than answers. The novel coronavirus isn’t specifically addressed in Scripture. But the Bible does offer the timeless, applicable wisdom we need–even for the situation we face.
I’ve been reading (and writing!) my way through the book of Genesis this summer. Noah’s “quarantine” in the ark in chapter eight felt oddly relatable (though I am not drawing a comparison between the flood and the coronavirus). So, I determined to follow his lead and discovered some practical nuggets that will help us continue to weather our current circumstances.
Read MoreWhat’s missing from most virtual presentations
In recent months, we’ve spent a lot of time learning best practices for giving virtual presentations on Zoom and its counterparts. Much of that dialog has been centered on the “how to” aspects such as leveraging the platform, using virtual backgrounds, and coping with Zoom fatigue.
But there’s an important piece missing from this conversation and it’s causing too many presentations to fall short of their mark.
Read MoreHow to study the Bible (without getting bored or distracted)
How often have you sat down to read your Bible and—just a few paragraphs later—discovered you’d become distracted and your mind had wandered to the list of things you need to get done? Or you got interrupted?
It can be challenging to keep our minds focused. We live in the age of distraction, with both people and devices clamoring for our attention (I’m looking at you, notifications). Attention—focused, deliberate attention—is a priceless skill, especially when it’s aimed at knowing God better through His Word and prayer.
But how?
Read MoreA vital key to time management and overall health (and great speaking)
I spent the month of June recovering from an emergency appendectomy. Apart from childbirth and a relatively uncomplicated shoulder surgery, I’ve never really been “laid up” before. In some ways it has been a welcome, though forced, slowing of my natural rhythms. In other ways, it’s been a downright nuisance (e.g., surgical pain).
Post-surgical instructions included resting and not lifting more than 30lbs. for 30 days. I’m not allowed to do anything strenuous and even walking can’t be on much of an incline. So, I’ve curtailed all my professional tasks, allowed myself to rest when needed, and moseyed my way around the flat sections of my neighborhood for the last several weeks. Read More
What I gained from losing a car
Before you read any further, I have two disclaimers:
- Owning a car is a privilege. I appreciate that what I’m sharing here is a first-world problem.
- Owning a second car is an even bigger privilege. I’m grateful for God’s provision for us in both our vehicles.
For 22 years, my husband and I have owned and driven the same car. (Yes, you read that right: 22 years. Toyota, if you’re wondering.) We bought it just after we married and it’s been a daily driver for one of us ever since.
Until two weeks ago.
She up and quit on us when we took her in for an oil change. Our trustworthy mechanic came out of the garage like a surgeon with bad news. He didn’t even want us to drive her home because the risk to the engine was too great. (We did, but the car has been garaged ever since. It can be repaired, but the expense is high–she needs a heart transplant.)
So, for the last two weeks, we’ve been a one-car family. And it’s been surprisingly… well, wonderful. Read More
The last day of the year (and a prayer for the next)
We’re prone to wax philosophical on December 31st, aren’t we? Whether you’re a goal-setter, resolution-maker, or a disavower of both, we often grow a bit reflective as we anticipate turning the proverbial calendar page. (Well, I do anyway. Do you?)
Earlier this week, I began journaling the highs and lows of 2017. Read More
The Key to Weathering Deep Loss
November always brings gratitude to the forefront of my mind in anticipation of Thanksgiving. I recently learned something about gratitude from an unlikely source: Job.
Job is famous for the depth of losses he experienced: he lost all his livestock (symbols of wealth and his ability to earn a living) and all ten of his children within a single day. When I consider enduring such loss, I feel my knees buckling at the mere thought.
Most of the book of Job is comprised of dialog between Job and his well-intentioned-but-hurtful friends. In the end (spoiler alert), we are left without direct answers to the question of suffering and are to be consoled with the truth that God is both mysterious and powerful. Read More
How to encourage one another
I’ve watched a lot of cross-country races in my day. All three of my kids participate in the sport, so I’ve become a big fan. One of my favorite races is the Steven Thompson Memorial Centipede. It’s unlike any other high school meet my kids’ teams attend because the athletes run as a single unit for the first two-thirds of the race. No joke: all seven members of the team hold a rope while they run.
For the final mile, they drop the rope and finish the race as individuals. But each athlete’s finishing time is driven, in large part, by the strength of their team whose collective pace positions them for the final mile. The fastest athletes finish slower than they do when they run alone and, often, the slower runners finish faster. Read More
The best question I was asked before sending my oldest to college
In the months leading up to my oldest child’s departure for college, I’ve been consumed with emotions and lengthy lists.
The fact that I’ve got lists should come as no surprise. I’ve got lists of items I need to purchase for her, tasks to get done, and wisdom to impart (all the things I’m sure I never taught her!). I suppose the emotions should be expected, too. (Note to the wise: do not purchase the airplane ticket for firstborn’s college departure when premenstrual; extreme risk to computer keyboard.) Yet in all the activity and tears, a single question has proved to be the most helpful in preparing me for this emotional milestone. Read More
