Today’s post is a guest post at Matt McWilliam’s blog: Failing Forward.  Take a few minutes to read the post and check out Matt’s blog.  Thanks, and enjoy!

Where is God in all of it?  Some become angry at God after seemingly pointless disasters.  Others begin to doubt that God even exists.  I draw closer to God.

On Sunday evening I had the opportunity to listen to Shane Claiborne speak.  If you haven’t heard of Shane and his organization The Simple Way, I suggest you check them out.

At the beginning of his talk, Shane said something that stuck in my head.  He asked, “Did you ever notice that the elements of communion, wine and bread, are both foods, that to be made, have to be crushed?”

Read the rest of this post at LifeLetterCafe.

My new recording setup.

It’s true what they say about first impressions.  We don’t get a second chance.  It’s especially true when you’re giving a speech.  You get one chance to start your speech out in a way that makes your audience members go “WOW!”  There’s power in a great introduction.

Last week we covered support in the post and podcast: You Need Strong Support.  This week I’d like to offer a few pointers about creating a solid speech introduction.  A good speech introduction should accomplish four things:

1. Grab the audience’s attention

2. Establish your credibility on the topic

3. Provide a thesis statement

4. Preview your main points

Listen to the podcast: The Power of a Great Introduction

The very first thing a great speech introduction should do is grab the audience’s attention.  This just might be the most critical part of your entire speech.  If you can’t hook the audience from the start, you may struggle to keep their attention throughout the speech.  There are several strategies for gaining attention:

1. Use a quotation

2. Tell a story

3. Pose Questions

4. Unusual information

5. Use humor

6. Refer to the audience

7. Refer to the occasion

Finally, there are a few general rules about speech introductions to keep in mind:

1. Write the introduction after you complete the body of the speech

2. Keep the introduction brief

3. Keep your attention-getter relevant

4. Practice

Question: What strategies have you used to gain your audience’s attention?

I have another guest post at Vincent Nguyen’s site: selfstairway.com.

It’s a privilege to have the chance to write for both of these great blogs.  

Dan’s blog focuses on leadership, and my post, The Empathic Leader, discusses ways we can become better leaders by using empathy as a way of better understanding our followers.

Vincent’s blog focuses on self-improvement through self-reflection.  The post for his blog, Self Stairway, was a bit more challenging to write.  It took me a few tries, but I finally nailed it: How I Learned to Live Dangerously.  This post discusses the differences between what we often think of as living dangerously, and what it really means to live dangerously.  It might not be quite what you think.

Please take some time to read both posts.  If you’d like me to write a guest post for your blog, or if you’d like to write one for my blog, please contact me at danerickson@danerickson.net.  I’d love to work with you.

I’m going to be increasing the amount of posts I post each week.  

I know.  I just cut back about a month ago, but I like variety and increasing posts allows me to post a larger variety of writing.

Along with the variety, I’ll be creating a couple of new series’ for the summer.  

Currently, I’m running my Public Speaking Series.  If you ever have to speak in public you know how difficult it can be.  I teach public speaking as a college instructor, so I thought I’d share some of my expertise.  Read the posts and listen to the podcasts every Tuesday.

I’m also currently re-posting Excerpts from my first book, A Train Called Forgiveness, on Fridays.  After I complete the reposts from my first book, I’ll be adding excerpts form my second book, At the Crossing of Justice and Mercy.

If you missed it, check out my Dad’s Last Sermon Series.  My dad passed away a couple of years ago, but a friend of his gave me a recording of his “last sermon.”  Although it’s a little left of the traditional Christian point of view, Dad was definitely a true believer.

Monday Morning Shorts will start in June and run through the summer.  I started writing some very short posts about a month ago.  I created the new category so that you could check out the examples of what’s to come.  Mondays are busy, and I know your time is important, so I’ll be posting short and concise, yet meaningful posts each Monday morning.

Songs for Saturdays: Yesterday I posted a song about homelessness by Steve Earle.  It’s the first time I’ve included a video on my blog.  In the future I’ll be posting either audio or video of songs each Saturday throughout the summer.  I’ll choose songs by great songwriters that I believe have social significance.  As I write songs myself, I may include my own songs from time to time, too.  Check out my Songs from A Train Called Forgiveness.

And I’ll continue to post poems, songs and guest posts.  Check out the remaining categories: My Poetry, Songwriting, and Welcome Guests.

If you’re interested in being featured on my blog, or featuring my work on your blog, please email me at danerickson@danerickson.

dashed upon the rocks of the

Atlantic, Old Orchard Beach,

like grains of sand, each one

has its place in the larger

scheme of things, the big picture

that we cannot see through

mere mortals’ eyes.

Left on busses, trains, along

city streets, at the tops of

the tallest buildings, in taxis,

restaurants, subways, from

sea to shining sea and carried

beyond.  Spread atop mountain

peaks, blowing eastward, swirling

in the wind, touching down in

pristine lakes, raging rivers,

trickling streams, on a single

blade of grass gently waving

in the Flint Hills of Kansas.

The molecules of my youth

live on forever, even as I pass

the midpoint of this journey

into bliss.  They dance and sing

and scramble ‘cross the page

in words and pictures, saved

in the intricate gears and wheels

of time.  They stare back at me

sparkling, filled with life, precious

beyond gold and diamonds,

in my children’s eyes.

A song off of his most recent album, The Low Highway, speaks to the same issues as my poem drive-by. As a student of great songwriters, I think the song Invisible tells it like it is.  That’s what I love about Steve Earle: his forthright honesty.  For me, it’s one of those songs I can’t help but play over and over.  Now if we could just do something to help combat the problem of homelessness.  It all starts with awareness and a heart.  Here’s the song.  Listen and enjoy, but think:  What can you do to help solve this problem of homelessness?

* * *

I ride my bicycle to the Jocelyn River.  I sit and think.  I watch the river flow.  The voices are mild today, but still with me.

I ask myself, “How can I tell my story?”  They answer, “You can’t.”

I ask myself, “How can I share this burden?”  They answer, “You are the burden.”

I ask myself, “How can I let go?”  They answer, “We have you in a choke hold.”

I ask myself, “How can six years of life in a cult be put into words?”  A soft voice speaks directly to my heart.  It simply says, “Have faith.”

* * *

A Train Called Forgiveness is Dan Erickson’s first book.  It’s a novel based on the reality of his own childhood.  Dan was the child victim of a cult.  The book follows his life both, during his years in the cult, and after he escapes.  Get your copy today at Amazon.

Today I’m guest posting at Tom Dixon’s blog, MondayIsGood.com.  Tom offers solid practical career advice and I’m honored to be featured as his guest.  Read the rest of How To Get Your Resume Noticed.

Stop by Inklings Bookshop @ 5629 Summitview Avenue in Yakima, WA on Wednesday, May 29 @ 7:00pm.  I’ll be signing copies of my books, A Train Called Forgiveness & At the Crossing of Justice and Mercy.  Hope to see you there!