I am an introvert by nature, so it took me a while to figure out that God was calling me to speak to groups of people about what He had laid on my heart! Although nerve-wracking to begin with, today I find it thrilling to be able to share with others, especially when I can sense those lightbulb moments going on in people’s hearts and minds. I particularly love women’s events – I count being able to talk then share more deeply and pray with those around me such a privilege.

I underpin everything I speak on with biblical texts, as well as utilising real-life stories – often from my own life. My heart is to make people think, connect with God and also be inspired to reach their potential.

To listen to a sample of my speaking (taken from the 2018 Bible Reading Fellowship/Woman Alive women’s day ‘Made in whose image’) please click here.

I do know that getting the right speaker for your event really matters: do contact me by using the form here or emailing cmusters@icloud.com if you would like to ask any questions, check my availability or to talk more about whether I might be able to help you plan the details of your event (I may be able to provide a ministry team – I also lead worship).

“Claire speaks with an openness and vulnerability that draws you in. It’s clear to see the depths of her faith and wonderful to be both challenged and encouraged as she unpacks what God has placed on her heart.”

Topics: I am open to any other ideas if you have a topic in mind you would like me to speak on, but here are some of my favourites…

Identity
This is one I come back to time and time again, as it seems us daughters of the King need reminding who we are! I look at the importance of knowing how our identity is fully found in Christ, how to throw off our old identity – and the lies associated with it – and fully embrace all God has for His precious children. We are also all individuals, and God loves us to embrace who He has made us to be.

Taking off our masks
This is an issue that God placed on my heart ever since a painful and humbling situation forced me to remove my own mask. Coming back into church I saw how so many others were wearing masks too, and ever since then I have felt God urge me to be honest with those around me. He has been teaching me how it is possible for individuals to take off their masks and live freely and authentically with those around them. I look at reasons why we wear our masks, and ways in which we can start to take them off.
* I have written a book on this subject, which was published by Authentic Media in 2017.

Cultivating a lifestyle of worship
Too often we can have a mindset that thinks worship can be compartmentalised simply into the songs we sing in a Sunday morning meeting. Worship is actually our heart response to God; something we are wired to do. We all worship all day every day – by honouring the things we value the most. My aim is to open up our hearts and minds to discover what true worship is. I show how we can worship God just as much in the craziness of the Monday morning rush hour/school run, or when doing the cleaning or washing, as we can in a corporate ‘time of worship’. God longs to be involved in all the little details of our daily lives and is passionate about spending time with us. Worship can also be costly – but it is so worth it!

The gift of encouragement
There are so many negative messages bombarding us every day that it is vital that we learn to encourage and support one another well. Encouragement makes SUCH a difference to a person’s life. Gary Chapman, the love languages author, recognises that: ‘From the smallest child to the oldest adult, when our fan club applauds us, we try harder.’ I get us to think about why we may find giving and receiving encouragement difficult, and what we can do to cultivate a culture of encouragement in our own lives, but also in our churches.

Holiness
With our intimate, comforting songs about God being our Father, we can sometimes forget what a holy God He is, and what being able to commune with Him cost. While I delight in the amazing relationship we have with our heavenly Father, I am concerned that we sometimes seem to take His holiness for granted – or simply don’t think about it. I focus on exploring God’s holiness and how He calls us to live in response, as a holy, set apart people.

Finding balance
Let’s face it, life is hectic and often we are swept along at breakneck speed, feeling like we never quite do anything to our best. I share some of the principles God has been teaching me recently, about serving from a place of rest, learning to ask Him to order my day and prayerfully prioritising. God knows the right rhythm for each of our lives – and what is right for us as an individual will be different to the person next to us. If we slow down long enough to listen, God will show us how to live wise, balanced lives.

Using the little we have
We can be paralysed when comparing ourselves to those around us, who we assume are more gifted than us. But the truth is, God has given each of us both natural and spiritual gifts that He longs for us to use: such as being fantastic at admin, singing beautifully, making people feel relaxed in our home… This is an encouragement to throw off our fears, step out and begin to use what we know God has placed inside of us.

Supporting leaders
One of the big journeys I have been on in recent years happened when I became a pastor’s wife. I married a recording engineer – I had no idea he would eventually be called into full-time church ministry (I think I might have run a mile if God had told me that years ago!). It took me a while to realise that the change in his role did not necessarily mean a change in mine – and I wrestled with all the unsaid expectations I felt others were putting on me. Being married to a leader, and having leadership responsibilities ourselves, brings pressures as well as joys. It can be quite lonely at times, and so I love to spend time with others who are in a similar situation to me – to give space for sharing and praying together.

What others say:

“Claire has a very insightful and calmly confident way of delving into topics (especially those that don’t have any straight answers…). I have also found that she is more than just a speaker – she is also an active and empathic listener and can instinctively respond with something suitably apropos to a person’s situation.”

“Claire is a thoughtful and passionate speaker. In addition to her sound biblical knowledge, she often speaks from personal experience – I feel I can trust her teaching as well as learn from it. Indeed, her heart for church life is that we all ‘take off our masks’. She leads by example and will speak openly about her own life lessons and how she’s grown from them.”

“Claire doesn’t back away from difficult subjects, but rather tackles them head on using Scripture intertwined with her own story. I have heard her speak a number of times on different subjects with the same result; I leave with a better understanding of Scripture and a clearer picture of who God has created me to be. So liberating!”

“I have heard Claire Musters speak on several occasions and have always found her confident, sympathetic, understanding and more than able to put across her subject in a way that is easy to understand. She is able to bring some humour in when appropriate and carries her listeners with her. I have also heard her being interviewed on the radio and was very struck by her ability to answer her questioner quickly and very confidently, even when in a live interview with no foreknowledge of the questions. I have also been to a ladies’ day that she facilitated – she kept the momentum going between speakers, again with some humour and very easily put people at ease. The day was a great success and many were helped by being able to relax and take in the subject matter in a non-threatening environment created so well by Claire.”