Starving For Encouragement

March 22, 2011 By: Melissa

Everywhere I turn I see people walking by, heads down, going about their day. There’s no smile on their face, no spring in their step and no chance they are going to make eye contact.

Why is that?

When did we become so inwardly focused?

Are we afraid of putting ourselves out there?

As a people watcher by nature it always intrigues me…what is it that makes people tick? I also watch this happen at church, people come in, get their usual seat, stand, clap, sing, sit, then pick up their stuff and leave.

Oh, it just breaks my heart. I want to grab them and hug them and make it all better, but let’s face it, that will make a difference, but it isn’t enough. I truly believe that people are starving for encouragement. Not the flippant “Hey, you’re awesome”, but the real, true encouragement of a friend.

As women of faith, we should have our eyes open to see these under encouraged people in our lives. They are at our church, in our community group, in our women’s group, in our neighborhoods, in our car lines, in the grocery store, they are all around us.

For the rest of the story on Starving For Encouragement, head on over to the Internet Cafe Devotions site, in the Ministry Counter…come on over, I’d love to see you there!

Starving For Encouragement

March 22, 2011 By: Melissa

Everywhere I turn I see people walking by, heads down, going about their day. There’s no smile on their face, no spring in their step and no chance they are going to make eye contact.

Why is that?

When did we become so inwardly focused?

Are we afraid of putting ourselves out there?

For the rest of the story on Starving For Encouragement, head on over to the Internet Cafe Devotions site, in the Ministry Counter…come on over, I’d love to see you there!

Book Review ~ Communication Plus

February 28, 2011 By: Melissa

Communication Plus…I absolutely loved this book…for me it was like sitting in a workshop with the CLASSeminars team. Each and every page is jam packed full of great information, tips, tricks, and training for those who want to learn to be a better speaker and writer.

As someone who is always looking for ways to improve what I do, this book has proven to be a valuable tool in my tool box as I step forward to lead teams, build ministries, encourage and equip women, lead Bible studies, write for magazines and speak to groups.

Do you have to do all of those things to learn and grow from this book?

Absolutely not…each and everyone of us can benefit from the words of these two giants in the communication (speaking/writing) world. Just learning about the personalities has helped me in my parenting, in my ministry, even in my everyday, ordinary life…which is something that I will carry with me forever.

In this book you will learn “How to Speak so People Will Listen” by;

* Discover your communication personality

* Adjust your communication style to the listener

* Speak in public with confidence

* Enhance your written communication

Good Communication: Your Key to Success

Let’s talk! You want to improve your communications skills. But where do you start? It all begins with your personality type, say dynamic seminar leaders Florence and Marita Littauer. In Communication Plus, you’ll discover your special communication personality.

Maybe you’re the “Popular” type with the gift of gab, or the “Peaceful” type, steady and balanced. Perhaps you are usually silent (the “Perfect” type) or you like to give orders (the “Powerful” type). Learn your personality’s unique areas of strength and weakness. Then discover how to best communicate with other personality types when speaking publicly, sending written correspondence and communicating one-on-one.

The Littauers give you the simple, time-tested tools that you need to become a better speaker and conversationalist at work and at home. Find out why learning to communicate more confidently is your key to success and improved relationships!

About the Authors

Dr. Florence Littauer is an internationally known speaker and author and the recipient of numerous writing awards. She has written more that 30 books, including the best-selling How to Get Along with Difficult People and Blow away the Black Clouds. Her book Personality Plus has sold over 1 million copies and has been translated in to 14 languages.

Daughter of nationally recognized personality expert Florence Littauer, grew up with “The Personalities” as part of her daily life. She offers a fresh perspective on identifying the personality needs of others, and is the author of 16 books, including Personality Puzzle and Getting Along with Almost Anybody (both with Florence Littauer). Marita is also a professional speaker, magazine columnist, and president of CLASServices, Inc., which provides training and promotion for Christian speakers and authors. She and her husband, Chuck Noon, live in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

Disclaimer: I did receive a copy of this book from CLASSeminars back in 2008, not to review but to support my training as CLASS alumni. This review was my own idea and represents my own opinions.

Book Review ~ Communication Plus

February 28, 2011 By: Melissa

Do you have to do all of those things to learn and grow from this book?

In this book you will learn “How to Speak so People Will Listen” by;

* Discover your communication personality

* Adjust your communication style to the listener

* Speak in public with confidence

* Enhance your written communication

Good Communication: Your Key to Success

About the Authors

Disclaimer: I did receive a copy of this book from CLASSeminars back in 2008, not to review but to support my training as CLASS alumni. This review was my own idea and represents my own opinions.

On the Road…

November 29, 2010 By: Melissa

(I took this picture as we were leaving the Ghost Ranch in Abiquiu, New Mexico)

On the road again…

just ~~can’t~~ can wait to be on the road again.

It has been a whirlwind couple of months for me, more than ever before and when I first looked at the busy calendar I was like, “Bring it On”, then as the days blew by all I could think about was getting HOME!

There is so much to chat about & so much to share that I hardly know where to start, but I’m going to try to give you a wrap up of the last month.

November 4th – 8th ~ Hubby was supposed to be in Haiti for a missions trip, key word is “supposed” they had to cancel the trip due to Hurricane Tomas and the cholera outbreak.

November 10th – 14th ~ I went to Abiquiu, New Mexico to the Ghost Ranch for the CLASS Christian Writers Conference. I was completely blown away with the beauty of the ranch, the writer’s conference, the keynote speaker (Bruce Wilkinson), the classes, the meetings, the other writers, the editors, the publishers, and everyone there.

What an amazing adventure that was…I was also blessed even more because I went with two of my girlfriends from Ft. Lauderdale. So the flight, the drive, the ranch was an even bigger adventure because I was going in it with my friends…whom we’re lovingly labeled “Those Girls” by some of the others at the conference…I wonder what that was about??? (snickering)

I was also blessed to be able to write a story that is being included into a book that will be published and released this Christmas!!!! The book is called “Out of the Overflow“.

As soon as it is available I will let you know…it’s going to be awesome! I met a lot of the people that wrote in this book and they are truly some of the most remarkable people I have ever met. I have so many amazing stories to share about this but I’ll have to wait until I get all my thoughts on paper…my head is still spinning from all the notes I took, people I met and lessons I learned.

November 19th – 21st ~ We, as a family, packed up and went to Tampa, Florida for the weekend. My youngest son is in Marching Band (he’s my little drummer boy) and it was the State of Florida Marching Band Competition at the Tropicana Dome.

(this picture is all the bands lined up at night to see how they placed…yes, it is 11:46 PM)

November 22nd – 27th ~ on the road to Birmingham, Alabama to visit with hubby’s family for the Thanksgiving holiday! In the 18 years that we have been together I don’t think we have missed but one Thanksgiving back in Alabama. His granny lives up in the country and the entire family goes up to her house to spend the day together. It is a sweet family tradition that helps both of us (I was born and raised in Kentucky and he in Alabama) remember where we come from.

I just LOVE the south! I love the people, I love the hospitality, I love the community…all of it and it’s so important for this South Florida girl to get back to her roots for a little while.

(this is a picture of Cory, Carly, Bailey, Katie, Nick and Cole…my boys and nieces/nephews)

We ride 4-wheelers, make a fire in the fire pit, eat lots of yummy southern food, play games and spend the day celebrating the gift of an incredible family!

…and now we’re Home Sweet Home and gearing up for Christmas!

Thanks for taking a peek at my journey this last month…it’s been incredible!