Ever find your self doing something that you can't beleive you agreed to do?
I am helping out with my youth groups retreat this year. Somehow last thursday I found myself saying that I would be willing to gieve a whitness(kind of a testimony on our life that relates to our theme, this year being braking boundries,) I am absolutely terible at public speaking in class. There are never any more than 27 people in a class at a time. The projected attendance will between 80 and 110. How did I get myself into this.
You now have an opportunity to build up some self-confidence. Go for it.
Write up an outline of what you want to say, and take it with you. Rehearse your talk a few times.
And when you get in front of the crowd, just pretend that they are all sitting there in their underwear.
You may want to start off with a little joke. If you need one or two, email me.
You are going to do just fine!!!!!
Thanks for the kind words ranger2736. I am still kind of trying to decide what exactly to talk about. I have to be carefull be cause 1. It is dificult to capture the attentino of a group of teenagers who have verry little respect for some one only a year or two older. 2. I will have to give the speact severel times durring planning, the first being next sunday, so thus that group will know my speach. 3. High school peers can be relentless (technicaly anyting said there stays there, but we all know how that goes.) 4. Most likely my mom will either somehow find a coppy of my whitness, or will be told what I talked about.
Thank you, again, for your kind words.
I have an odd relationship with public speaking/performing. I can do it when I know what I'm talking about and have practiced. Ad libbing makes me freeze and freak out... or if I don't practice enough.
When I have my subject in my mind clearly, it's like my mind takes over and my nerves go away... I almost forget that there is a crowd there and focus on my task - communicating information.
When it comes to witnessing or speaking about God things - I pray and ask his spirit to carry me through and to help me say what people need to hear more than what I think they need to hear. He's always faithful.
Just this past Sunday I did something like that and even though I wasn't sure I was making any sense, I know it's because I was relying on God's strength and power and not my own that several people came up to me afterwards thanking me for going forward and saying how much God spoke to them. Cool stuff.
I also led a youth group for a few years - which was the most stressful job I ever had and I don't think I'll ever do it again. I did it because I thought that was what I was 'supposed' to do and not because I was gifted. One thing I learned about youth is that they crave honesty. It doesn't matter how fancy you make your testimony or how entertaining you are - if you aren't honest, they aren't interested. But even if you go up there and stumble on your words, if you are being honest and vulnerable they'll dig it and respect you for sharing. At least most of the youth I ever spent time with were like that.
7oclock is absolutely right. Just be honest; be yourself; don't try to impress anybody.
But I would suggest that maybe you not be too totally honest--- Don't reveal anything too personal or too embarrassing that could come back to bite you.
And don't worry about gossip----everybody in the audience will have the same information, so they won't be able to gossip among each other. And most of them won't care, anyway.
I used to do a lot of public speaking. As 7oclock did, I offered a brief prayer beforehand; "Let me say what you want me to say and don't let me say anything that you don't want me to say." It always worked.
I hope things improve with you!