Don’t Ignore The Spider... Part IV

Talking About The System And Talking About The System And Not Talking About Its Maker Is Not Talking About Its Maker Is Like Talking About The Web Like Talking About The Web And... And...

Ignoring The Spider! Ignoring The Spider! ~Bro. Bedford ~Bro. Bedford

Building Our Youth’s Self Esteem

I remember hearing a quote that said, “The Youth are 40% of our population, but they are 100% of our future.” If this statement holds true then we need to make sure that we spend time developing our youth to succeed us. We live in a world that works overtime to tear down their image of themselves and leave their self-esteem in the gutter. Here are seven ways that we can build our Youth’s Self Esteem:

1. Love Them.

Not just in word but in deed. They need to feel that we have their best interest in mind. This is the ground out of which the following ways will grow. Our love for them should not be something that they question. They should feel safe and trust us because they know deep down in their heart that we Love them.

2. Talk To Them.

You cannot create a meaningful relationship via text, messenger, DM, or email. We have to communicate WITH our children in such a way that they can’t mistake our intentions. A face to face conversation is the best way to do this because they get a chance to understand our body language, tone of voice, and facial expression that drives home the true meaning of our feelings.

3. Embraced Them.

It is really hard to misinterpret a hug. If the first two things are done then the physical affirmation is only natural. Starting from their childhood, have an awesome responsibility of showing them how much they are worth to us. Embracing them not only when they accomplish something good and not only when things are not so good but at any time is a great way to drive home our unconditional love for them.

4. Teach Them.

As they go through life and grow through life we have a mandate to teach them. When we were in school the teacher would show us the required learning, walk us through the process of coming up with the desired answer and then test us to see if we learned the information. We not only have to school our children but we have to test them to make sure they are learning the lessons while the stakes are low.

5. Correct Them.

There has to be some level of correction for our children to understand that we really care. Hebrews 12:6a KJV For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth. When you care about a child you would rather lovingly correct them than have the world do it. You would rather do it in such a way to develop them than the world’s way of trying to destroy them.

continued from page 5 Billy likes to equate speaking to becoming a chef. Of course, if you hear him speak you may see one of his talks where he uses a recipe, a cooking technique, or a humorous story about being a chef to convey his points. But he points out, just as he had to decide he wanted to become a chef and then face the trials and overcome them, along with honing in his skill sets in people, leadership, and technical training, you must do the same things if you want to become a speaker.

Billy did not set out to become a speaker. Let me emphasize, he DID NOT set out to become a speaker as he asserts. He states, “it was not on my radar, a desire, or anything I wanted to do.” He felt as if he had nothing to say or could bring no value to others.

Of course, just like his career as a chef, his speaking career started out rocky but began to flourish over time. The first time Billy was asked to speak was to welcome an audience. He had won a contest as a paper delivery boy. When the lights came on and he saw the people, he passed out and a clown had to carry him out. YES! You heard right, a clown. Billy was the honorary ringmaster for the Clyde Beatty Cole Brothers Circus. He says, “nothing like waking up on the shoulder of a clown.” His second time speaking went just as bad. Highschool speech class…he threw up on himself. His teacher was his wrestling coach, so he got a bye for the rest of the year. Now Billy, a Board-Certified Master Life Coach with two master’s degrees, has spoken in 24 states, over 40 cities, and 2 countries. He has spoken on multinational television broadcasts as well as mentored speakers. He has also spoken in front of almost 1 million people. He truly loves to tell his story of what God helped him to overcome not only as a chef but as a person.

Billy tells of the time he was asked to speak which catapulted him into speaking. “It was Dothan Alabama. Larry Patz asked if I would speak for a church service. I simply replied, ‘no thank you.’ And Larry asked if I would pray about it.” Of course, Billy prayed about it. He shares that he felt he had to do it. He called his pastor and exclaimed he had never written a sermon or spoke successfully in front of a crowd. His pastor reminded him of Moses, so Billy reluctantly agreed. The rest is history!

With his accomplishments, it may seem Billy grew up with a picturesque life. However, this is not the case. Many of his family members were in prison due to drug-related charges. He was bullied because he was born with severely clubbed feet which caused him to wear braces much like the movie “Forrest Gump” until he was 13. He rarely made friends because he moved frequently, attending as many as four schools in one year.