Speaker Prep

Giving a fireside, devotional, or talk? Pick a theme, get a curated brief: relevant stories, key quotes, citations, and recommended sequencing.

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language laughter law learning letters-of-the-living light lineage listening loftiness longing love love divine love god loving-kindness loyalty majesty manifestation manifestation-of-god manifestations marriage marriage interracial martyrdom martyrs martyrs attitudes master-in-london materialism memorial merchant mercy miracles mirza mihdi moderation mormons mornings mother mount-carmel mourning mulla husayn music mystical mysticism nations nature naw-ruz nearness god transforming lives new york new-day new-york nobility nourishment obedience oneness oneness-of-humanity oneness-of-religion opposition overwhelm pain parable parenting parents treatment paris-talks passing patience peace peacefulness persecution persia philosophy pilgrim-notes pilgrimage pioneering pioneers planning politics poor pope potential poverty prayer prejudice preparation presence principles prison prison akka prison bab proclamation progressive-revelation proof prophecy prophets protection psychic forces punctuality purity purpose qiblih questions quiet-days race unity race-unity radiant acquiescence receptivity reciprocity recognition reconciliation reflection reliance god religion remedy renewal renunciation repentance rest resurrection return revelation reverence ridvan ridvan first day ridvan ninth day ridvan twelvth day right god righteous ruhiyyih khanum sacred-writings sacrifice sanctification scholarship science science begins words science-and-religion scientists scripture search search-after-truth searching seeking self self conscious self hatred self pity self-knowledge selfless service servitude shoghi effendi shoghi effendi marriage shoghi effendi premonition death shoghi effendi schedule shrine shrine bab shrine-of-the-bab sick caring sick-caring sightseeing signs silence simple life simplicity sincerity siyah chal siyah chal bahaullahs declaration slaves smoking social-justice social-principles solidarity solitude soul south sovereignty speaking speech speeches spiritual life spiritual-journey spiritual-life sports springtime station steadfastness stories striving succession sudan suffering suicide sympathy tablets tablets divine plan taxes teaching temples ten-year-crusade tenderness test tests the-bab the-covenant the-feast the-greater-one the-guardian the-word the-writings thoughts tihran timing training transformation translation travel travel-teaching travels-of-abdul-baha trials trust trustworthiness truthfulness twin-birthdays twin-luminaries underground railway unity unity religion unity-in-diversity universal language universal language heart heart venting virtue vision vocation war watchman wealth wedding abdul baha weddings western-journeys wilderness will god willpower wisdom witness women work workaholism world-order worthy writing writings youth

A talk on encouragement

Suggested sequencing: open with a powerful story, deepen with a reflective one, close with one of joyful resolution. Adjust to your audience.

Opening

'Abdu'l-Bahá and the Spiritual Springtime

Across the years of His ministry, 'Abdu'l-Bahá wrote to the believers of East and West at the turning of each Bahá'í year, drawing again and again on a single great image: that as the material world is renewed at the spring equinox, so the coming of a Manifestation of God renews the whole inner world of humanity. "The new year hath appeared," He wrote, "and the spiritual springtime is at hand."

Tablets of 'Abdu'l-Bahá Abbas · 'Abdu'l-Bahá

Middle

A Naw-Rúz Message from 'Abdu'l-Bahá

In the Naw-Rúz issue of the Star of the West for 1916, the editors printed a Tablet from 'Abdu'l-Bahá received during the year — a brief message of cheer and exhortation to the American believers, written during the war years when communication between Haifa and the West had become difficult.

Star of the West · Star of the West Editors

Click into any story to see the full text with extracted quotes — copy what you need for your talk.

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"The earth is but one country, and mankind its citizens."