I have heard numerous great speakers but those who I most enjoy are those who speak with passion. These speakers excite and inspire me to make changes in my life whether it applies to my attitude, habits or whatever. To say the least, hearing a great speaker is a real treat. I heard such a speaker on Sunday at my church. She had great pronunciation, articulation, and gestures but most of all, she spoke with passion, providing examples from her life to emphasize and help us remember important points. The speaker was Priscilla Shirer, whose list of credits include bible teacher, motivational speaker and corporate trainer for international motivational speaker Zig Ziglar's company Ziglar Training Systems in Dallas Texas.
Three days later I still remember several points from her speech. She told a story about walking down the street one day when she was pregnant and exchanging greetings with another woman who appeared to be pregnant. After the woman asked her what was her due date, Priscilla responded and asked her the same question but the woman's smile began to disappear and she responded, "I'm not pregnant." Priscilla said chills still run down her spine when she thinks about that conversation. She used the story to illustrate that things do not always appear as they are. I may never forget this story. To emphasize the importance of having a quiet place to pray and that God is always there when we pray, she told another story about her friend who uses her closet as a place to pray. She said her friend even places a chair beside her as a reminder that the Lord is always there. I thought, what a great way to remind yourself that God is with you.
