How to Start Sharing Your Message

Most leaders have some kind of message they want to share with the world…. Something God had put on your heart, taught you, or just something you have learned and want to pass on.

The problem is, many of us don’t know where to start when it comes to sharing a message. We often are waiting to be asked, but the reality is many people won’t know you have a message to share until you start sharing it.

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As Christian women leaders, we all have a duty to share the message of the gospel in all that we do. We can do this in the small, everyday choices we make. We can do this in the way that we treat someone at the grocery store, the way we speak to our co-workers, and the times we sit down and share directly from God’s word.

But sometimes God gives us a specific message based on our life experiences, our study of His word, or the needs we see around us.

In this episode, I want to chat with you about the ways you can begin sharing your message, as well as what to do if you don’t know what your message is AND what to do if you’re hesitant to share a message because it’s similar to other people’s messages.

How to Begin Sharing Your Message:

One-on-one

Often we overlook this method and think it’s not important since it would only impact one person. But I want you to think about a time when maybe you sat with one other person and they gave you words of encouragement. Perhaps they prayed with you or helped you gain a deeper understanding of Scripture. Maybe they just listened really well while you shared about a painful experience.

This one-on-one setting can make a huge difference for us, and for others. And often, it’s in these settings where God starts to develop the message and the words He has for you to share.

Small group settings

Another place where you might develop your message is in a small group setting. It could be that you are asked to lead a small group, and in this way, God starts to mold you and form you as you lead the group discussion and prayer. And if you are listening for the Holy Spirit, He will often give you words to say that you would not otherwise have had.

“Sharing your message often begins with sharing it with one or two people.”

Through writing

God may have given you a gift of writing, and in this case, you may want to share your message via writing. Often we think this means writing a book… but sometimes we need to work through and refine our message in other formats first.

sending a text message to a friend
your personal social media such as FB or IG
starting a blog
starting an email list and sending emails regularly

Each of these formats have immense value, as the words you write may make a big impact on those who read them. Again, it might just be a few people at first… that’s okay. If you are consistent with sharing the message and you are being obedient to what God has asked you to do, then trust him to bring you to the people who need to hear it.

In addition, the different formats will force you to communicate your ideas in different lengths and styles. And the more you write about your topic or message, the more your ideas and concepts will mature and develop.

Through speaking

Maybe writing is not your gift, but you have a way with speaking. In this case, you may want to look for places you can share your message. Usually you’re not going to be asked to speak at a large conference… instead you may want to see if there are opportunities locally at your church, at a local women’s event, or even at a local high school or other setting.

If you do pursue speaking or writing, I recommend working on refining and developing your skills. Put in the work to learn the art and craft of writing or speaking. While some things come naturally, we can always learn and grow

A few ways you can develop your ability to speak in public are

Live video
Podcasting

Podcasting is an excellent way to develop your speaking skills. On my other podcast, the Christian Woman Business podcast, I’ve been talking about podcasting. And in episode 20, I shared the 9 benefits of starting a podcast. One of them for me has been improving my speaking skills.

For example, I’ve learned to drop the use of crutch words (to some extent) because I edited my own podcast for over a year… and this will definitely help you to reduce the use of crutch words!

Podcasting has also helped me to formulate my ideas and learn how to communicate concepts. In addition, I’ve developed skills as an interviewer and learned how to listen more effectively.

I truly believe that starting this podcast has changed the game for me, because it has forced me to really think through ideas and develop my message more effectively.

Get on the waitlist for my resource to help you start your own podcast.

What if you don’t know what your message is?

Maybe you are saying, well Esther this would be great if I had something to share… but I really have no idea if I have a message. Or if I do, I don’t know what it is. And I’d really rather hide in the background anyway.

I get it! I never liked being the center of attention, and I still prefer not to be out in front. I’m not a natural performer.

But here’s what I truly believe: God has given each one of us a story. And we have the ability to communicate a message of hope to those around us. It doesn’t have to mean that you’re going to become a famous author or speaker. But it does mean that you’re going to be willing to be used by God to share a message when He asks you to.

So if you need help discovering or developing your message, here are a few ideas to get started:

Make a list of all the times you’ve seen God work in your life. Little things, big things… it doesn’t matter. Just write them down.
Brainstorm the things you are passionate about and love talking about. What gets you excited or makes you angry?
Look at your life experiences and consider where God has brought you in your life. Look for themes or points of transformation.
Consider the people in your life… who do you spend time with and what do they need to hear?
Sit quietly, pray, and ask God to speak to you.
Consistently study God’s word. As you study, consider how you might share His hope with others.

If you are looking for resources about developing your ability to share your story or develop a message, I’m going to share a few recommendations. Not all of these are faith-based, but I believe they will help you:

Storyworthy: Engage, Teach, Persuade, and Change Your Life through the Power of Storytelling by Matthew Dicks. This is not faith-based, but it’s a really good resource for learning how to tell stories from your life.
HopeWriters
Your Story for His Glory – study inside of Right Now Media – Leslie Leyland Fields and Ann Voskamp
Your Story Matters: Finding, Writing, and Living the Truth of Your Life by Leslie Leyland Fields
Episode 77: How to Use Social Media to Effectively Communicate as a Christian Leader
Episode 23: Using Your Voice and Telling Your Story as a Leader with Abbey Jo Bailey
Bonus Episode: Owning Your Voice as a Leader and Sharing Your Message Through Writing with Emily P. Freeman

What if someone else is already saying what you want to say?

I recently had an experience where I was listening to an audiobook from a famous author. And as I was listening, she was sharing many of the key things that I plan to share in a book I want to write.

At first I felt discouraged and even a bit jealous. But then I finished the book, reflected, and prayed. Here’s what God showed me.

While the other author’s message is similar to the message I want to share, there are key differences in the way I will approach the topic. We are not the same people and therefore the concepts I’ve developed have a different angle than the one she shared.
There is room for all of us at the table! As Misty and I discussed in last week’s episode, we all have different gifts and there is a need for all of them to be used! The Kingdom of God is one of abundance, not scarcity. Therefore, I do not need to be fearful about my message being similar to someone else’s.

There are certain truths from God’s word that are repeated over and over by different authors, so it’s no surprise that many of us would have similar messages, too!

We need to learn to celebrate and embrace each other’s messages and gifts rather than feel like we are competing.

For more on this, check out episode 47 with Merritt Onsa and episode 41 with Christa Hutchins.

So if you are feeling hesitant about sharing a message because it’s similar to someone else’s message, I want you to do a couple things:

Make sure your confidence is founded on God and you are not being moved and shaken by what other people think. See the list of episodes about confidence below if you want more resources on this.
Check in with yourself and make sure you are not copying someone else’s message or story. It’s important that you are authentically sharing your own message rather than repeating someone else’s.
As long as you are not doing that, then walk in freedom, my friend! Go and share that message.

Resources & Links:

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