“Allen Paul Weaver III gave an outstanding presentation during our 1st Annual Department of Speech Communication & Theatre Arts Conference in January of 2007. Indeed, he captivated students, faculty, staff and invited guests with vivid and memorable experiences and opportunities during the plenary session. Certainly, we will always cherish his valuable impact through his message as well as impressive interaction with the audience. Our department purchased thirty copies of his book, Transition: Breaking Through the Barriers, for our graduating Communication students.” Kekeli K. Nuviadenu, Ph.D., Chair/Assistant Professor, Speech Communication & Theatre Arts, Bethune-Cookman University, Daytona Beach, Florida, January 2008
Motivator, Facilitator, Speaker, Preacher, and Teacher… Allen Paul Weaver III speaks in public venues, small groups and one on one scenarios, seeking to inspire, enbolden and challenge people to fulfill their God-given potential.
Statistics indicate that a person will influence at least 10,000 people within the course of their lifetime. Our words play a major role in our influence.
“A few years ago I was talking with a sixteen year old young man, on his birthday and asked him what he wanted to do with his life. He looked at me without hesitation and said, “I don’t think I’m going to be anything.” I was both shocked and hurt by his unexpected response. In that moment I didn’t know what to say… In June 2006, I was given the opportunity to speak at a men’s prayer and fellowship breakfast. As I shared what God had placed on my heart, I was able to speak directly to the three young boys who were there. There was one boy, in particular, who I was drawn to and kept focusing on. It turned out it was his birthday and he was now seventeen. It wasn’t until after the fellowship was over and I had left that I realized the significance of the encounter… God had given me an opportunity to speak life and dreams and vision into the heart and mind of this young man - on his birthday. I was back at that moment again - full circle - and where I had failed before… here I was able to be successful.”
The bible refers to the hidden power of God’s Spirit being expressed through the “foolishness of preaching.” “We are all a product of words that have been spoken into our lives… words that we have received and rejected. I believe there is a power contained within words both spoken and written… a power that cannot be defined nor denied. And it is this ability that can inspire a life or demoralize one’s existence. The Word of God states: “Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat it’s fruit.”
“My undergraduate degree is in Speech/Mass Communications. People often tell me that I am a pretty good speaker and preacher, but I remember when I first started in college. It was a horrible struggle for me! I am naturally an Introvert. So when I would get in front of a group of people to speak, my mouth would dry up like parched dirt. My hands would get sweaty to the point of creating a small stream. I would feel nauseated and my vision would begin to fade. It wasn’t a good time at all and to make it worse, I was the first male Speech Communications major in the history of the department! Talk about pressure! Yet I would pray and somehow God would get me through it.”
I’ve come a long way since then, but I realize that I have a long way to go because there’s always something more to learn; there’s always a more efficient way to strengthen my ability to communicate. I enjoy helping others discover their voice - their ability to communicate about the things that truly matter to them.