Sites like

connectusfund.org
Alternatives

Greengarageblog.org

Green Garage – The ECO Friendly Blog

20 Beach Renourishment Pros and Cons 26 Significant Pros and Cons of Hydrogen Fuel Cells 14 Key Pros and Cons of Hydrofracking 14 Foremost Pros and Cons of the Green Revolution 14 Far-Reaching Advantages and Disadvantages of Coal 11 Core Advantages and Disadvantages of Chemical Energy 8 Central Pros and...

Vittana.org

Vittana.org

11 Frugal Habits of the Super Rich How to Build Wealth Money Saving Tips for Entrepreneurs How to Start a Budget 17 Important Pros and Cons of Bankruptcy Chapter 13 13 Variable Annuity Pros and Cons How Does Microfinance Work 13 Advantages and Disadvantages of a Savings Account HELOC vs...

Crosswalk.com

Grow in Faith with Daily Christian Living Articles

Be inspired with daily articles featuring marriage help, parenting advice, movie reviews and more! Christian living resources and Bible study to encourage your walk with Jesus Christ.

Lords-prayer-words.com

Biblereasons.com

Bible Reasons- Bible Verses About Various Topics

Bible verses for any topic! Christian questions answered! Bible verse of the day! Help with God, Christianity, Jesus, faith, and Biblical quotes!

Visionlaunch.com

Homepage - Newspaper | Vision Launch Media

The industry leader in alternative news and resources.

Praywithme.com

Prayers for Every Topic - Find Daily Prayers & Submit Prayer Requests

Uplifting and inspiring prayers, scripture, poems & more! Discover prayers by topics, find daily prayers for meditation or submit your online prayer request.

Flowpsychology.com

Flow Psychology Blog - Achieve the Optimal Experience

Videos featuring Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi and articles on all aspects of Flow Psychology.

Knowing-jesus.com

Knowing Jesus

Teaching of the day Today's Prayer Heavenly Father, I have fallen in and out of love with so many people and yet in my heart, I know that You have created us to love and to be loved, with a deep and lasting love that is a mirror of the...

Living-prayers.com

Living Prayers - Contemporary Christian Prayers

daily prayers prayer through the day daily prayer dawn prayer morning prayers before work at meal times afternoon prayers night time prayers prayer through the year lenten prayers easter prayers thanksgiving christmas eve prayer christmas happy new month prayers prayer for events opening prayers closing prayers prayer before bible study...

Bibleref.com

Online Bible Commentary | BibleRef.com

BibleRef.com is an online Bible commentary that focuses on helping people to understand God's Word. Our goal is to be a Bible commentary that is comprehensive and easy-to-understand.

Occupytheory.org

OccupyTheory | Online magazine about issues related to the Occupy movement.

Advantages of Disadvantages of Longitudinal Studies Environment Advantages and Disadvantages of Virtualization 11 Feb 4 Environment Advantages and Disadvantages of Embryonic Stem Cells 4 Feb 3 Environment Advantages and Disadvantages of Monetary Policy 28 Jan 3 Latest Articles Mandatory Minimum Sentences Pros and Cons List A mandatory minimum sentence is...

Prayerscapes.com

Prayerscapes - Creative Prayer Journeys in Music, Word, Film and Art.

what is prayerscapes? The vision of prayerscapes is to provide a creative way to connect with God in prayer. This is expressed through a growing resource of contemporary prayers, short films and music soundtracks. Much of this resource has been made freely available to experience at this site (and on...

Sermoncentral.com

Free sermon preparation tools, sermon illustrations, church Preaching Slides and Videos, and preaching articles for biblical messages from Sermon Central. - SermonCentral.com

Discover free sermon help to preach biblical messages for your church. Pastors around the world look to Sermon Central for free sermons, sermon outlines, sermon illustrations, preaching ideas for sermon preparation, church videos, sermon video illustrations, and church Preaching Slides.

Biblia.com

English Standard Version

The Bible, and much more. Biblia is an online Bible study tool with dozens of Bibles for your Bible Study needs. It is a service of Faithlife / Logos Bible Software.

Futureofworking.com

FutureofWorking.com | Career Advice for the Future

When giving a speech or presentation, how you start can make or break you. You want the beginning to be strong and instantly pull your audience in so that you have their full attention from the get-go. Here are 25 effective ways to start a speech or presentation. 1. The Common Ground Open Opening with a real life experience, goal or interest is a great way to grab the attention of the audience to show them that they can gain something by listening to you. By establishing common ground with the audience, especially if it is done with humility and grace, you put yourself on the same level as your audience. If you are an elderly CEO of a company and you discuss finances with a group of younger entry-level employees, you have to share your own business experiences when you were younger so that the audience will better understand your message. 2. Ask a Question If you want to make your audience think right away, ask them a question to start your speech. Ask either a rhetorical or literal question. Whether or not an answer to that question is called for, when people are posed with a question that matters to them, they will intuitively answer. When you ask a question, raise your hand to indicate what you want the audience to do. After asking a question like "How many people here are self-employed?", see if any audience members raise their hands. Take advantage of this engagement by getting into the heart of your speech. 3. Quote Sometimes it is as easy as opening with a relevant quote. You can set the tone for the rest of your speech if you have a quote that is memorable. You should keep in mind that whoever you quote has to be well known by the audience because if it is someone like your next-door neighbor, the quote will fall flat with everyone. If you are discussing topics related to politics, for example, it is wise to quote a former United States President. "If there is anything that a man can do well, I say let him do it. Give him a chance." -Abraham Lincoln 4. The Contrast Open If speeches feel like boxing matches to you, this type of opening would often be used. Showcase the difference between diametrically opposed concepts, positions, ideas or words, and the end result will be that some audience members will feel persuaded to change their perspective or embrace something new. There are always two sides to every story, and both sides have to be equally presented. What are the differences between a need and a want? Obstacles and opportunities? Problems and solutions? Highlighting the differences will get audiences to understand the points you are trying to make. 5. Tell a Story Before making the key points of your speech, telling a story to start can draw your audience in. Some of the most powerful words that can immediately grab the attention of the audience would be "Once upon a time" because regardless of age people will love stories of any kind. When you start your speech with a line like "Once upon a time", the audience will know that a story is coming. People will immediately calm down, become quiet, and listen to what you have to say. Whether it is fiction or non-fiction, telling a story will resonate with audience members. 6. Imagining Something If you want people to go on a unique journey with you, encourage them to imagine certain scenarios. For example, if you are working for a non-profit organization that brings water to people who lack the resources to get water, a good opener would be something like "Imagine being thirsty all the time, but never having anything to drink." By having them imagine scenarios like that, you make the audience a part of your presentation. They can actively empathize and engage with the content of your speech because they actually put themselves into that setting. 7. Humor Though this should never be forced onto the audience, when properly implemented you will put a lot of smiles on the faces of those you speak to. Being funny during a speech can be very difficult, but it is a way to give yourself relief as a public speaker. Telling jokes in your opening is a sign to the audience that you don't take yourself too seriously, and that they can relate to you in some way. One witty opener would be "If you can hear me, please start clapping as to confuse those that cannot make out what I am saying." 8. "This Day In History" Open One main reason why audiences gather to listen to speeches is that they can learn something. If you start your speech with a historical fact, the audience will immediately pay attention. For example, if the day of your speech falls on March 5, you would open your speech with "On this day, March 5, 1963: the Hula Hoop, a hip-swiveling toy that became a huge fad across America when it was first marketed by Wham-O in 1958, is patented by the company's co-founder, Arthur "Spud" Melin. An estimated 25 million Hula Hoops were sold in its first four months of production alone." 9. Thank the Organizers and Audience If you want to stick to the basics of public speaking, simply mention the people who made it possible for you to have a presentation. Thanking the event organizers and the audience compliments them, makes them feel proud and happy about your presence, and strongly connects you to the audience. Refer to the person who introduced you to one or more of the senior people in the organization in the audience, and compliment that person as a showing of respect. Be humble and genuine in your positive comments toward the organization. 10. Positive Statement Staying positive throughout a speech can be challenging, but it will become easier if you start your speech with a positive statement. You can begin by telling the audience how much they will like and appreciate what you have to say. For example, you could say something like "You're really going to enjoy the time we spend together today. I'm going to share with you some of the most thought-provoking ideas my company has ever made." The upbeat tone of this opening is enough to make the audience invested in whatever follows. 11. The Skeptical Audience Open A doubting audience is a difficult audience to handle. From the start, they may not trust your ideas or they could be against what you are proposing. Whether they were disappointed in the past or if they are simply stuck in their ways, they will put up a brick wall in front of you. The more hostile the crowd, the faster you must address the gap. Blending your goals and the needs of the audience requires a careful combination of anticipating the major objections, avoiding defensiveness, acknowledging the obvious truths early, and understanding the divided loyalties between the intractable, the undecided, and the supportive. Identify which of those must hear your message and adjust accordingly. 12. The Puzzle Open Brain teasers and mind puzzles tend to capture the attention of audiences that like to be given mental exercises. As the audience tries to figure out what it will take to solve them, they become highly engaged with the practice. Capitalize on this behavior by proposing a riddle, asking a puzzling question that you promise to reveal in the end, and suggesting that the audience complete a mathematical equation and promising to give the answer context as you go along during the speech. Alternatively, reveal one puzzle piece after another throughout the course of your speech to help your audience find the right solution. 13. Refer to Current Events Bringing documentation of something that is currently relevant to the public will help you to illustrate your point the way you want to. Use a current event story that is on the front page of your local newspaper to transition into your subject, and hold it up as you refer to it in your introduction. This serves as a visual image to the audience that they will keep in their minds as they see you hold up this documentation. When they hear you recite or read a key point of the news story, they will carefully pay attention to you. 14. Refer to a Recent Conversation One way to keep the topic you wish to talk about relevant to the audience is to refer to a recent conversation you had with someone attending this public speaking event. Hours or minutes before you get on stage to address the audience, you could be engaging in a thought-provoking conversation with someone in a lobby, and that person might tell you that this is one of the best times to be working in a specific industry. It is likely that many audience members will share the same view as that person, so when you mention this conversation in your introduction they will have something to relate to. 15. The Activity Open An active audience is one that will be more likely to keep listening to you after you finish your introduction. Keeping an audience preoccupied with an activity works well during training sessions and workshops when you are trying to teach a specific skill. Engaging in activity right from the start allows the audience to recognize the benefits of listening to your message. The activity has to be fun but also challenging enough. If they quickly get through it they will spend the rest of the workshop sitting in their chairs doing nothing. 16. The Study Hall Open If you are someone who loves using data-heavy charts and graphs to illustrate your points, you have to be careful about how you present your data to the audience. While they want to be informed, people in the audience also don't want to be bombarded with too much information all at once. Establishing a school setting and distributing paper handouts of data to your audience to begin your session helps them to follow along. Ask them to read the charts and graphs, and following their review you are well on your way to making your key points. 17. The PowerPoint Open When PowerPoint technology is used correctly it is a highly effective tool for the audience. Otherwise, it immediately makes your presentation feel boring. Slides that are overly literal will fall flat, but conceptual and eye-catching images give strength to your words. Pick captivating and intriguing images. If you present a talk on how to make ice cream, you could begin with a slide that shows the finished product of your ice cream brand. Describe the process of making ice cream in your introduction, and as you proceed you show slides in reverse, moving from final product to the very beginning. Along the way, you guide the viewer through each step. 18. The Audio Clip Open Your voice remains front and center for your talk, but additional sounds can bring more clarity to your message. Your words will be given more meaning with the help of a short audio clip as it makes your message more memorable. If you are teaching a music school, you can include two brief audio excerpts, a before and after of student instruction. Though your words do matter, these clips can have a better impact in persuading students to join your school. Audio testimonies, song recordings, oral accounts, and speech snippets all make for good audio clips. 19. Silence A subtle pause of silence, even if it extends to only 10 seconds, gives your audience enough time to sit and quiet down. Most audiences expect a speaker to begin right away. If you want to get the attention of an audience, taking that extra pause will help your cause. People will start wondering why you are being so quiet as they gather around, and when you break your silence and start speaking you can use that pause to illustrate a key point. Sometimes the main challenge in public speaking events is to get the audience into a silent state. 20. The Challenge Open Audiences want to be challenged and motivated to contribute to something they feel passionate about. Open your speech with a challenge if you are looking to increase sales, raising money for a project, asking for volunteers, or wanting legislative change. It isn't just about buying into your message but also taking the actions to manifest it. Start your speech with something like this: "Leaders see possibilities where followers see obstacles. I am here today to call for leaders to encourage those who are unsure about the project to look past the stumbling blocks we face in the development of this local park and consider giving citizens a better environment." 21. Multiple Choice Test Presenting your own multiple-choice test can draw your audience to your topic, and this approach is tailor-made for a talk with multiple perspectives about an issue or different solutions to the same problem. An example of this open would be to say the following: "As a company, we have several routes we can take regarding growth and increased sales. We could a) buy smaller companies to diversify our portfolio of services, b) move resources to focus on only a few, or c) we could opt to franchise. After we evaluate these options together, I will offer the option that I think is the way for us to go." 22. The Mystery Open The odds are likely that your audience loves to solve mysteries. Whether they are read in books or watched on television, mysteries grab the attention of people simply because of the uncertainty that is wrapped around them. When using this open present some clues on stage, regardless of which side of the argument they lean towards. Remind the audience of these clues throughout the speech and encourage them to come up with their own conclusions before revealing how your mystery gets solved. 23. Have Audience Members Talk to Each Other All audiences will be sitting close together in a setting where they will be visible in front of you, so you might as well take advantage of this. Encourage people to talk to others that are sitting next to them, and specifically to let them know what they would like to learn from your speech. Encourage your audience to discuss with each other any particular points. Any commands or show of leadership on your part will easily influence the audience, as long as you do it with confidence. 24. Bring Up Statistics Even if you don't bring any charts or graphs to illustrate your points, simply mentioning important statistics will resonate with the audience to get your message across the right way. Statistics have the potential to trigger the emotional appeal of the audience. One example of presenting statistics in your open would be something like: "In 2019 there were 152,000 homeless people roaming the streets in California. By 2025 that number is expected to nearly double." This kind of open highlights the need to address the problem of homelessness because the statistic is powerful, personalized and surprising. 25. The Unexpected Definition Open Dictionaries are obviously accurate, but there are times when words gain more power when they are redefined. If you are a valedictorian and you want to share how much your fellow students mean to you, the open can go like this: "The dictionary defines classmate as a member of your class, but my definition for you all is much broader than that. We were friends, teammates, and mentors. As worthy opponents, we challenged each other on the field and in the classroom. And, we now can define ourselves as fellow graduates." Conclusion How you start your presentation will depend on what kind of presentation you are giving, and what tone you want to set for your audience. Regardless of which you choose to begin with, incorporating one of these strong tools into your speech ensures that your presentation is a success from the very start.

Blueletterbible.org

Bible Search and Study Tools - Blue Letter Bible

Quotes Around Verses Remove Square Brackets Sort Canonically * 'Number Delimiters' only apply to 'Paragraph Order' Partner with the BLB   (Disclaimer) Verse of the Day For ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise. (Hebrews 10:36) See today's reflection on...

Apecsec.org

Asia-Pacific Economics Blog

Articles discussing the major economic issues facing Asia-Pacific countries.

Christianstt.com

ChristiansTT

Prayers and devotionals to inspire and uplift your daily Christian life.

Thenextgalaxy.com

Samsung Galaxy Blog | TheNextGalaxy.com

The holidays provide a special time of year where lights and festivities bring about cheer and togetherness. Bringing people together this holiday can be a big

Desiringgod.org

Desiring God

Find your joy in God with sermons, books, podcasts, video, and daily articles from the ministry of John Piper.

Christianity.com

Christianity - Beliefs and History of Faith in God and Jesus Christ

Learn all about the beliefs, facts, history and origin of Christianity. Understand deeper what it means to have faith in Jesus Christ.

Bible.org

Bible.org | Where the World Comes to Study the Bible

Where the world comes to study the Bible.

Openbible.info

OpenBible.info

Basic Bible data available free to remix and mashup.

Biblestudytools.com

The Bible - Read and Study Free Online

Read and study the Bible online with over 100 translations and languages. Read verses by topic, study Scripture with commentary, and apply the Word of God with articles for Biblical living today.

Faithandworship.com

Christian Prayers | Worship Resources | Bible Studies

Welcome to Faith & Worship, which is a growing resource of resources for worship and small group leaders.  You'll find traditional, Celtic and contemporary prayers, liturgies and themed resources for the major Christian festivals, alongside a wide range of Bible Studies, which have been written to provide a very economic...

Gotquestions.org

Bible Questions Answered | GotQuestions.org

Bible Questions Answered by GotQuestions.org! Fast and accurate answers to all your Bible Questions!

Ourcatholicprayers.com

Traditional Catholic Prayers to Inspire You

God is calling! Are you listening? Enrich your life with Catholic prayers, including traditional favorites, prayers for different needs, and prayers to Saints. A wonderful resource for all of us!

Getrevising.co.uk

Get Revising

Get Revising can help you study for your exams - GCSE, AS, A2, International Baccalaureate. Features include a unique revision timetable creator, interactive revision cards, games, and a shared resource library created by our members.

Navajocodetalkers.org

Navajo Code Talkers - Interviews, Videos & More

See the true historical accounts and hear the actual Navajo Code Talkers tell their stories.

Nyln.org

NYLN.org | Youth Leadership Blog

Leadership Leadership See all Kofi Annan: Importance of Youth Leadership June 21, 2015 Youth Leadership in Community Development June 20, 2015 Taking Youth Leadership to the Next Level June 19, 2015 TEDx Teens TEDx Teens See all I am Seventeen June 17, 2015 Why Homeschool Makes Me Happy June 16,...

Lordcalls.com

Catholic Prayers

Categories Categories Select Category Bible Quiz Bible Study Catholic Prayers Church Teachings Daily Prayers Easter Season English Devotional Song Lyrics English Devotional Videos Feast Days General Inspirational Lenten Season Life of Saints Malayalam Devotional Song Lyrics Malayalam Devotional Videos Malayalam Prayers Miracles Natural Family Planning Prayers for different people Prayers...

Opinionfront.com

Home - Opinion Front

Essential Benefits of a Digital Detox Very few people would argue the digital revolution hasn't yielded any benefits for humankind. Thanks to our new digital tools, we have the ability to … [Read More...] about Essential Benefits of a Digital Detox Why Non-STEM Degrees Are Still Valuable These days, there's...

Weebly.com

Free Website Builder: Build a Free Website or Online Store | Weebly

Weebly’s free website builder makes it easy to create a website, blog, or online store. Find customizable templates, domains, and easy-to-use tools for any type of business website.

Wordpress.com

WordPress.com: Fast, Secure Managed WordPress Hosting

Create a free website or build a blog with ease on WordPress.com. Dozens of free, customizable, mobile-ready designs and themes. Free hosting and support.

Typepad.com

Typepad. Share your passions with the world.

Typepad is the reliable, flexible blogging platform that puts the publisher in control. Plus great one-on-one support from our team of friendly experts.

Netivist.org

netivist - controversial debate topics and critical thinking

Netivist promotes critical thinking and social impact through public deliberation. Controversial debate topics, pros and cons, polls and knowledge sharing.

Healthresearchfunding.org

Everydayprayerguide.com

Every Day Prayer Guide

Trending Now Prayer Points To Destroy Dog Bite in Dreams Inspirational Prayers In Times Of Despair 50 Fasting Prayer Points For Breakthrough Deliverance Prayers From The Spirit Of Demotion PRAYER FOR THE NATION OF CAMEROON Prayer points Prayer Points To Break The Yoke of Slavery and Bondage admin staff -...

Sarata.com

Sarata - Open Source Software, Tools, Support and Services

Sarata is a technology support, services and consulting company specializing in Linux, software, ecommerce, websites, hosting, online and Open Source technology.

Nursebuff.com

NurseBuff - Nurse humor and lifestyle blog

Product Reviews 6 Best Nursing Clipboards With Storage, Reference Tables, and Refillable Pads July 27, 2022 About Nursing <3 10 Healthy Meal Planning Tips for Elderly Patients Nursing Quotes and Prayers 50 Rejuvenating Burnout Quotes For Nurses Nursing Quotes and Prayers 65 Strong Women Quotes for Nurses July 5, 2022...

Honestproscons.com

Honest Pros Cons - Advantages & Disadvantages Of Things

At honestproscons.com we aim to bring you an unbiased source of all the advantages and disadvantages of various topics.

Christianquotes.info

ChristianQuotes.info | A compilation of Christian Quotes and popular Bible verses

A compilation of Christian quotes by topic and author, popular Bible verse quotes, daily devotionals and much more.

Kcm.org

Homepage | Kenneth Copeland Ministries

Home Watch Main navigation VICTORY Channel Live Ways to Watch BVOV Daily Broadcast Notes/Downloads Ways to Watch Watch Events OnDemand Today on TV God’s Power and Delegated Authority Kenneth Copeland, Greg Stephens Are you getting God’s results when you pray? Watch Now Search all media Broadcast Product Offer Image The...

Brandongaille.com

BrandonGaille.com - Small Business Articles on Marketing, Design, Finance, and Employees

Small Business Articles on Marketing, Design, Finance, and Employees

Lynndove.com

Lynn Dove's Journey Thoughts | Award-winning Blog with an Inspirational Message

Award-winning Blog with an Inspirational Message

Hopefaithprayer.com

Faith in God's Word is the Real Power behind Prayer

Faith scriptures & faith articles for receiving God's blessing for depression, hopelessness, fear, worry, healing, protection, love, mercy, and grace.

Elegantmemorials.com

Balancedpolitics.org

BalancedPolitics.org - Free Balanced, Non-Partisan Discussion of Political & Social Issues for Debate (Pros and Cons - Decision Making Politics)

Free balanced, non-partisan discussion of controversial social and policital issues (pros and cons)

Xavier.edu

Whatchristianswanttoknow.com

What Christians Want To Know — Bible Verses, Quotes, Christian Answers, Songs and More

Bible Verses, Quotes, Christian Answers, Songs and More

Allaboutprayer.org

Prayer - AllAboutPrayer.org

Prayer - What is it? How does it work? Do you want to increase your prayer life while learning how to pray more effectively? Praying can replace worrying! Discover how today!

Guideposts.org

Guideposts | Inspiration. Faith. Hope.

Connecting people with uplifting stories of comfort and hope, prayer, and tools for faithful, positive living.

Coreknowledge.org

Core Knowledge Foundation | Building knowledge and community

We are a nonprofit working for educational excellence and equity built on strong foundations of shared knowledge. Explore our approach and free resources.

Catholicdoors.com

Catholic Doors Ministry

Catholic Door is a leader in equipping the Catholic faithful for evangelization through our efforts to spread the truth, share the beauty of our faith and do good by living out the gospel.

Ignatianspirituality.com

Catholic.org

Catholic Online - World's Catholic Library

World's Catholic Library. Find saints, prayers, bible, daily readings, catholic news and everything Catholic.

Beliefnet.com

Beliefnet

Beliefnet is a lifestyle site that serves as your number one resource for faith, belief and spirituality. Visit our site daily for inspirational quotes, prayers for strength and words of comfort and hope.

Envirothonpa.org

Energyinformative.org

Compare solar companies, solar panels, and solar prices | SolarReviews

SolarReviews is America's leading independent, unbiased, solar company and solar panel comparison website for homeowners considering installing solar panels on their homes.

Officianteric.com

Dublindiocese.ie

Ibelieve.com

iBelieve - Christian Women Inspirational Blogs and Devotionals

Be inspired with blogs, devotions, and inspiration for Christian women. Daily articles, devotionals,  bible study, recipes and more only on iBelieve!

Chausa.org

Catholic Health Association of the United States - CHA

Log in Forgot Password? Create Account Please Log In Log In Log In Forgot Password? Create Account COVID-19 Store About Members Careers Directories News Podcasts Focus Areas Advocacy Community Benefit Disaster Resources Diversity & Disparities Eldercare Environment Ethics Global Health Human Trafficking Immigration Medicaid Ministry Formation Ministry Identity Assessment Mission...