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Kendra
Smiley
Live
life intentionally! That describes Kendra Smiley's
life and the message she brings to her audiences.
According to Kendra, life is a wonderful
smorgasbord of choices and everyone is responsible
for and empowered by the choices they
make.
Kendra
makes that point by noting, "My mother always used
to say, 'All we have to do is die and pay taxes.'
Respectfully, I would say to mom, 'You're only
half-right! Paying taxes is a choice (an
intelligent, law-abiding choice…yet a choice,
nevertheless).'"
Kendra
challenges and encourages her listeners to become
aware of the myriad of choices in life - and to
make the next right choice. She has a unique,
humorous approach that appeals to listeners of all
ages. In each message she teaches Bible-based
skills essential to move forward in life. She also
provides the audience with the motivation to make
positive life changes.
Kendra's
most positive life change occurred as a new bride
when her husband, John, led her to Christ. "He
lived his faith in front of me each day and the
Jesus I saw in him was irresistible. I chose to
accept Jesus as my savior."
Now
after nearly thirty years of marriage they minister
together in many ways. They have the privilege and
joy of raising three sons (Matthew, Aaron, and
Jonathan), and are active in local youth
ministry.
Kendra's
speaking has taken her many places...the Women's
Conference on Possibility Thinking at the Crystal
Cathedral, leadership conferences for youth, a
prayer breakfast for bankers, the Illinois House of
Representatives and the Senate, Proctor and Gamble,
the US Department of Agriculture, the Illinois
Department of Commerce and Community Affairs,
teachers' conventions, Hearts at Home conferences
and women's retreats all across the U.S. She and
John have also served as keynote speakers at the
National Marriage Encounter conference and have
spoken several times for the Farm Family Enrichment
Conference of Successful Farming
Magazine.
She
graduated summa cum laude from the University of
Illinois and also earned an M.S. from the
University of North Dakota. She taught school for
several years before becoming a mother and
home-based businesswoman. In 2001, Kendra was
selected as the Illinois Mother of the
Year.
Kendra
currently serves on the Illinois State Board for
the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. She is on a
team of speakers presenting the "Understanding Your
Teenager" seminar and is on the staff of CLASS.
"Live Life Intentionally," her daily radio show is
heard on the New Life Radio Network and beyond. She
is also a regular on the "Heart of a Mother" radio
show and is a regular contributor to Christian
Parenting Today and Hearts at Home
magazines.
Kendra
is currently under contract with Servant
Publication writing a book on choices for positive
attitudes as a part of the publisher's Women of
Confidence series.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Some of
Kendra's most popular topics
include:
Being
the B.E.S.T. You Can Be
If you have a desire to be a top performer in any
area of your life, this message is for you! It will
provide you with four essential keys:
B
- Bulldoze the crust. (Get rid of the things
holding you down.)
E
- Eliminate weaknesses (Identify your strengths
carried to the extremes and begin to modify
them.)
S
- Strengthen your assets (Capitalize on the
things you do well naturally.)
T
- Teach others about their incredible worth
(Bring out the best in others and it will bring
out the best in you!) Join Kendra on this
entertaining adventure to become the B.E.S.T.
you can become.
(60
min. - Appropriate for business men or women as a
motivational message or with scriptural references
as a keynote for retreats or other
meetings.)
Good
Communication: It's More Than Just Talk
Do you communicate, or do you just talk? The skill
of communication is essential in business and in
personal relationships. Kendra will direct you
through the list of the "Top Ten Reasons People
Just Talk and Do Not Communicate". As you examine
this list, Kendra will help you develop skills for
healthy and positive communication.
(60-90 min. - Appropriate for business men or
women as a keynote or workshop - Also well suited
for nonbusiness groups who want to improve
communication skills.)
Goal
Setting: Drawing a Target on the Wall
Setting goals is like drawing a target on the wall.
You may not always hit the bullseye, but at least
you will be facing the right wall! This
presentation will provide you with the basic skills
necessary for setting goals in all aspects of your
life.
(60-90 min. - Applicable for business or
personal life - if desired, this can be interactive
in nature.)
Choices
- Maximizing Your Good Decisions
Can we eliminate bad choices? No, but we can
maximize good ones AND determine how to respond to
our own bad choices and choices beyond our control.
You will learn to eliminate phrases like "He made
me do it," from your speech and from your life. You
will learn to become aware of your choices and be
intentional in your choosing.
(60 min. - Suitable for business or personal
life and adaptable for audiences teen-aged and
older.)
Helping
Your Kids Make Good Choices
One of my prayers for my children is that they will
make the "next right choice". There are three basic
keys to making good choices: weighing the pros and
cons; seeking wise counsel; and taking out the
emotion. Our job as parents is to model these keys,
encourage good choices, guide good choices and
allow choices to be made.
(60-90 min - Designed for parents in a Christian
or secular setting.)
Mom's
An Entrepreneur
Having a family is an exciting challenge. So is
being an entrepreneur. If you are searching for a
meaningful, healthy way to blend a family and your
own business, this message is for you. Kendra will
discuss the areas of time investment, time
commitment and time management.
(60-90 min - Geared to women who are moms and
are self-employed. Can be done in a business or
Christian setting.)
Breakthrough!
Men and Women are Different
Men are strange and women are weird. Is that one
statement enough of a description of the difference
between the genders? No, but it's a good start. In
this presentation, we'll examine the differences
between men and women and how better understanding
these differences can be helpful.
(60-90 min - Suitable for audiences of men and
women or only women.)
Seven
Essentials for Success on the Job
There are skills and attitudes that can
significantly enhance your success on the job,
especially if you are self-employed. Do you
understand your personality and the personality of
your customers and your associates? Do you realize
that one personality is not better or worse than
another? Do you communicate encouragement,
information and enthusiasm to you team? Have you
developed that enthusiasm? These are a few of the
issues which are presented.
(60-90 min - Suitable for men or women who are
self-employed.)
The
Master Plan - Time Management for Busy
People
"Teach us to number our days aright that we might
gain a heart of wisdom." (Psalm 90:12) This
workshop (with workbook if desired) will help you
establish one of the age-old tenants of time
management - routine. You may discover that you've
been wasting time. You may discover that you are
overcommitted. You may discover that you are right
on track to successful time management.
(1/2 day - Basic time management for adults.
Suitable for secular or Christian
audiences.)
Unpacking
from a Guilt Trip
Do you feel burdened with guilt? There are times
when each of us feels guilty. Is it good guilt or
bad guilt? As Kendra literally unpacks the bags of
this message, she will help you examine the keys to
determine the freeing truth.
(60 minutes - Suitable for women in a secular or
Christian setting.)
Recipe
for a Positive Attitude
There are certain ingredients that are
essential for a positive attitude. All of them are
choices. We can choose to praise someone else. We
can choose to be flexible. We can choose not to
worry. We can choose to give and forgive. We can
choose to respond rather than react. In this
message you will be encouraged to follow the recipe
and stir up and positive attitude.
(60 min - Great for Christian women as a
keynote.)
Strengthen
Your Marriage/ Strengthen Your Business
IF you are self-employed you have probably already
discovered the importance of having your family on
your team. In fact, if your spouse is not cheering
for you, it is very difficult to succeed as an
entrepreneur. Learn keys to strengthen both your
marriage and your business.
(60 min - Keynote or workshop for men &/or
women who are self-employed.)
First
Things First
Establishing priorities is very important. It can
also be confusing and frustrating. Does a #1
ranking mean the majority time commitment? How does
a list become a guideline for decisions? This
message will provide insight into the importance of
establishing priorities and will give you a new
perspective to live out your commitment to those
priorities.
(60 min - Suitable for any adult
conference.)
You
Can Have a Happy Hubby
Are you interested in meeting the needs of your
husband? Did you know that he actually had needs?
Join Kendra as she looks at priorities, the steps
to ministry and the unique needs of a man in this
entertaining and informative session.
(60-90 min - Suitable for wives who want happy
hubbies.)
Understanding
Your Temperament - or Why Is Everyone Else So
Strange?
Have you ever wondered why your spouse is so
strange? Or why the coworker down the hall is so
different? Or why your Aunt Tillie drives you
crazy? Well, while you are busy wondering why
everyone else is so strange, they are wondering the
same thing about you. Learn about the four basic
temperaments, their strengths and weaknesses, and
how you can bring out the best in yourself and
others.
(60-120 min. - Can be done as a lecture or with
each attendee taking part in a personality
survey.)
Throw
Away, Give Away, Keep
How long has it been since you cleaned out the
drawer by your refrigerator? How long has it been
since you cleaned our your memory or your heart?
Some of the basic principles of housekeeping can
help you sort through the things you are storing
inside of you. This is a freeing presentation
encouraging listeners to throw away the garbage
they have been keeping, give away jewels (not
junk), and keep those things that are pure, noble,
trustworthy…
(60-90 min. - Created for a retreat setting. Can
be adapted for secular groups with the emphasis on
sorting through our communication
options.)
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These
books, written by Kendra, are also available as
speaking topics.
EMPOWERED
BY CHOICE...With wit, wisdom and insight,
Kendra tells stories of godly women rising above
tough circumstances and making positive
choices.
GIVE
YOUR HEART A GOOD SPRING CLEANING...Sort
through the contents of your heart -- throwing away
trash, giving away treasures, and keeping what's
important. No house cleaning tips here...only heart
cleaning.
IT'S
A MOM THING!...Ready to celebrate the notions
and emotions of motherhood? Then relax, reminisce
and rejoice as you are encouraged in your role as a
mom!
HELPING
YOUR KIDS MAKE GOOD CHOICES...Practical,
insightful, and encouraging...This book helps
parents guide children through a world full of
options.
HIGH
WIRE MOM...Practical tips to successfully
manage your time, gifts and priorities to
accomplish the balancing act of a home-based
business mom.
* * * * * * * * * * * *
Kendra
Smiley has enlightened and entertained audiences
throughout the United States with her animated
anecdotes and practical
information.
Many
of Kendra's messages can be presented in either a
Christian or secular setting. The messages are
based on Biblical truths, however the exact chapter
and verse of those truths are only presented in the
Christian setting. The message MEETING HIM
PERSONALLY is Kendra's personal testimony and is
always appropriate for Christian
groups.
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