Session Descriptions

Download a printable Conference Schedule to help you choose your sessions (PDF).

PRE-CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

The She Speaks Pre-Conference Seminar is designed to provide an in-depth study of one of four topics: writing, speaking, the basics of developing a platform and leadership.

Each of these four areas has three workshops you can attend. For the writing, speaking and platform building tracks, we have designed the workshops to complement and build on each other. We will also be addressing very basic concepts in the some of them. This doesn’t mean you won’t benefit from them if you need a refresher. We just want you to be fully informed.

The leadership track is slightly different. This track is designed for women on all levels of leadership.

Even though we have designed the Pre-Conference Seminar to have four distinct tracks, you can pick and choose which workshop you want to attend within each session. Which means you can attend a writing, speaking and leadership workshop. It’s up to you.

Thursday, July 25

1:00-2:00 PRE-CONFERENCE OPENING SESSION

2:15-3:15 PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP SESSION 1

(W) The Nuts and Bolts of Writing
Glynnis Whitwer
Author, Executive Director of Communications for Proverbs 31 Ministries

For most of us, the last grammar lesson we had was in junior high. But today’s editors are looking for clean writing, and spell check can’t always help. So now, faced with whether to put a comma or semi-colon, we start to sweat. In this practical workshop, you’ll learn things like whether the period goes before or after the quote mark, when to correctly use hyphens, and what is an ellipsis anyway? This workshop is crafted for a beginner, but anyone who feels shaky on grammar rules will benefit. After attending this workshop, you’ll:

Increase your confidence in the basic rules of grammar.
Communicate with greater clarity and accuracy.
Write with a higher level of professionalism.
Eliminate mistakes that mark you as a beginner.

(S) Brass Tacks: Message Development Essentials
Amy Carroll
Director Next Step Services

Developing a strong message is the beginning of building a growing speaking ministry. Amy shares the essential basics of a strong message along with tips she’s learned along the way from other speakers with decades of experience. She’ll guide you to write like a speaking pro as she leads you to:

Embrace scripture as the springboard for a fresh, personal message.
Identify the core idea in your message to give it laser-like focus.
Compel your audience to passionate response to the truths you’re sharing.
Create the opportunity for life-transformation in your audience.

(P) Finding Your Niche
Lynn Cowell
Author, Speaker for Proverbs 31 Ministries

Have you felt the general call of God to speak or write to women but are a bit iffy on the specifics? Need to hone in on what makes you uniquely “you” ? Listen and learn as you are equipped to:

Find your areas of expertise by taking inventory of your strengths, weaknesses, loves and loathes.
Blend your life experiences, talents and spiritual gifts together to obtain your ministry niche.
Unearth your hidden passions and turn them into powerful messages.
Discover your unique place in God’s plan that will change lives—yours and those of your listeners or readers!

(L) Leading Proverbs 31 Ministries – The Best Lessons from the past 20 years
Lysa TerKeurst
Author, Speaker, and President of Proverbs 31 Ministries

Twenty years ago, a handful of moms with a passion to encourage each other started a little newsletter. Today, God has entrusted those who lead Proverbs 31 Ministries with reaching millions of women daily through radio, devotions, speaking and online ministries. In this inspiring and practical workshop, Lysa shares some of the most significant leadership principles that will:

Ignite a fresh passion inside you for leading well with confidence.
Equip you with tools to engage and motivate your team to bring the best of who they are every day.
Propel the growth of your ministry as you overcome the obstacles that threaten to distract and discourage.
Help you and your team effectively reach more people and become financially self-sustaining.

Thursday, July 25

3:30-4:30 PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP SESSION 2

(W) Foundational Practices of Strong Writing
Kathleen Kerr
Associate Senior Editor, Harvest House

Glynnis Whitwer
Author, Executive Director of Communications for Proverbs 31 Ministries

What makes a piece of writing move from average to good? Then why does it leap from good to great? Learn how great writers take a message and transform it into life-changing content using simple practices everyone can apply. Whether you’re a beginning author or someone who needs a refresher class on strong writing, this class will offer something for you. After attending this class, you’ll:

Catch an editor’s or reader’s attention with a strong opening paragraph.
Learn to transition gracefully between paragraphs.
Increase the focus and impact of your writing by staying true to your message.
Draw a strong conclusion that completes your writing piece.

(S) Delivery that Delivers
Whitney Capps
Speaker, Proverbs 31 Ministries

Pursuing excellence as a speaker requires time and attention in a multitude of areas. Appropriately, most speakers give great attention to the quality and veracity of their messages. However, the delivery of those messages can often affect their impact and longevity. How do we use our natural style and giftedness in conjunction with tactical elements of good public speaking to allow God to use us most effectively? In this session Whitney will:

Equip speakers to leverage their natural style to its full potential
Identify and explain practical skills of effective public speaking to enhance delivery
Provide tips for self-analysis, practice and development

(P) Website/Blog Development 101
Lisa Boyd and Amy Bayliss
LisaBoyd.com | AmyBayliss.com

This session offers a complete walkthrough for developing a website to represent your brand or ministry. Areas covered include: choosing and registering a domain name, content management systems (WordPress, Blogger, etc), startup costs, hosts, design options, function, and stocking content. This workshop is for the person who currently has no website or feels the need to start over with a new, more professional web presence.

(L) Generations…The Unbroken Chain: Ministry Through the Ages
Chris Adams
Lifeway

How do we connect all ages of women for spiritual growth and ministry? Join this session as we discover together ways to reach and connect each generation from preteen girls to senior women. You will hear unique traits of the different generations and learn practical ways to connect all ages of women for spiritual growth and ministry.

(ALL) Don’t Strike Out – Mastering the “Elevator Pitch”
Kim Bangs
Regal Publishing

An elevator pitch can be defined as the 30 to 120 seconds you have to sell your idea before you lose your audience. This interactive workshop will help you get the pitch right from second one to done (from someone who has heard thousands – some that worked and some well, not so much.)

Thursday, July 25

5:00-6:00 PRE-CONFERENCE WORKSHOP SESSION 3

(W) What the Greats Knew: Using Literary Techniques in Your Writing
Kathleen Kerr
Associate Senior Editor, Harvest House

All the world’s a stage … Shakespeare knew that a well-written metaphor could communicate an image more vivid and lasting than any detailed description. Literary techniques, like metaphors and similes, have been used for thousands of years to bring writing to life! But have we lost the art of their use? In this workshop, you’ll learn the different types of techniques available, and how to use them to increase your impact.

(S) Hit the Ground Running: Marketing Your Ministry and Message
Sharon Glasgow
Speaker, Proverbs 31 Ministries

God has placed on your heart a desire to speak. You’ve prayerfully crafted your message, diligently practiced your delivery and hand-selected a snazzy outfit to wear. The only missing part? Where is your audience? In this practical workshop Sharon will empower you to:

Understand the concept of marketing—It is getting God’s message out, not showcasing yourself
Identify and creatively describe your core messages for promotional use
Locate potential groups and events that might book you to speak
Launch a campaign by phone, Internet and mail to reach potential event coordinators
Strike a healthy balance between marketing your ministry and trusting in God

(P) Social Media 101
Rachel Wojnarowski
rachelwojo.com

Have you ever wanted to learn the mechanics of Twitter, Facebook, Youtube, Pinterest and get insight on other tools, such as LinkedIn and Google+? This session will help you learn the basics of using social media and assist you in developing techniques to maximize your platform. Through discovering the particular benefits of each medium, the beginner user of social media will be equipped with basic knowledge and tools to drive their platform to its fullest potential.

(L) How to Handle Tough Critics
Lysa TerKeurst
Author, Speaker, and President of Proverbs 31 Ministries

Does criticism threaten to make you want to resign from ministry? Or do you find thoughts of retaliation turning you into a person you don’t recognize?

If you are in ministry, you will face opposition. Someone won’t like something you’ve written, spoken or how you organized the last women’s breakfast. With years of experiences dealing with tough critics, Lysa TerKeurst will empower you to:

Increase your confidence in being a ministry leader as you learn to establish a biblical plan of action to deal with tough critics.
Understand how to manage the pain of the criticism so you can stay authentically engaged and joyous in the ministry tasks at hand.
Navigate with humility and grace the part of the criticism that might be something you need to improve upon without letting it tear you down.

CONFERENCE SCHEDULE

Friday, July 26

9:30-11:00 CONFERENCE OPENING SESSION

11:15-12:15 WORKSHOP SESSION 1

(S) The Power of a Story
Lysa TerKeurst
Author, Speaker, and President of Proverbs 31 Ministries

Event planners want speakers who create life-change and lasting impressions. Effective story telling is not only one of the oldest tools of communication, it is also one of the most powerful! In this practical and inspiring session you’ll learn:

How to you use everyday illustrations to communicate life-changing truths.
Incorporate the key components that every great story needs.
Tell stories in a way that keeps your audience engaged.
Weave your stories with Biblical truths that motivate listeners to take action in their lives.

Level: Beginner to advanced

(S) How to Start, Lead and Maintain an Effective Online Bible Study
Melissa Taylor
Online Bible Study Coordinator, Proverbs 31 Ministries

In the past year, Melissa has led more than 30,000 women in her online Bible studies. Many women are too busy, intimidated, or inconvenienced to join a face-to-face Bible study group. With growing opportunities on social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and individual blogs, the internet has proven to be a great option to study God’s Word and help women feel accepted and valued as a part of a group. In this session you will learn how to:

Start and lead an online Bible study
Manage registration and mass emails
Integrate video blogs and conference calls into your study
Maintain a large group while giving it a small group feel
Encourage your group to get involved and serve in their sphere of influence
Create small groups within your larger group
Share your love and the love of Christ with thousands of women

(W) Magazine Writing 101: Honing Your Writing Skills
Glynnis Whitwer
Senior Editor, Director of Writer Team Proverbs 31 Ministries

Writing for magazines is a great way to get your foot in the publishing door, develop a portfolio of published pieces and start creating your platform for future publishing opportunities. This session is a must for authors interested in writing an article for magazine or newspaper publishing, as well as anyone who desires to hone their writing skills.

Learn the characteristics of a strong article
Review some confusing rules of grammar
Develop tools to give power to your ideas
Discover tips on finding great ideas for articles

(W) How To Develop and Market an E-Book
Amy Bayliss and Rachel Wojnarowski
AmyBayliss.com | rachelwojo.com

This session will be a walkthrough for taking a book idea from a concept to a self-published bestseller. It will cover honing the angle of the content, editing, selecting a title, formatting for various distributors, hiring a designer (or designing it yourself), where to sell, how to market, what to charge, setting up a sales page, and how to capitalize on the one book for years to come. This session is for anyone who has a book idea and is interested in self-publishing it in an e-book format.

(ALL) Establishing a Ministry from Scratch
Pat Layton

Is there a passion burning in your heart to minister to other women? Has God given you a vision for ministry that’s bigger than where you are now? If God has planted a dream in your heart to start a ministry, this is the workshop for you. With years of experience, and lesson learned in the trenches, Pat Layton will share how to plan for, pray over, prepare to start and grow a thriving ministry that will impact lives today and leave a legacy for tomorrow.

Friday, July 26

1:45-3:15 TRACK MEETINGS

Speaker Track Opening Session (1:45 – 2:45)

On-Stage Secrets for Making the Most of your Message — Tom Davis

Speakers Only: Optional Speaker Coaching Groups Meet & Greet (2:45 – 3:15)

As part of your She Speaks experience, you have the opportunity, on a first-come-first-served basis, to sign up to be part of an optional Speaker Coaching Group. These small groups, each headed by an experienced speaker associated with Proverbs 31, will meet twice during the conference.

You will be asked to come with a five-minute teaching message prepared and will deliver it to the small group during one of the sessions. The leader of the group will offer constructive and encouraging verbal feedback and will lead the peer group through giving their input as well. The group will also spend time brainstorming with you ideas for expanding that short message into a full-length talk. Groups will be formed according to speaking experience: beginner (speaking for less than two years), intermediate (speaking actively for 2 – 4 years) and advanced (speaking actively for over 4 years).

Writer Track Opening Session

One Size Doesn’t Fit All — Glynnis Whitwer

Friday, July 26

3:30-4:30 WORKSHOP SESSION 2

(S) Making Your Presentations More Interactive

Tom Davis
Author, Founder Children’s Hope Chest

Most everyone can recall a really engaging speaker. Unfortunately, the more common experience is that most speakers are … well, less than engaging. It’s in everyone’s best interest to change that. Creating an interactive presentation is a great place to start. This workshop is designed to help achieve the full impact of your presentation and become a memorable speaker.

(W) From Blog to Book Deal
Emily Freeman, Author
Andrea Doering, Editor, Revell Publishing

We’ve all heard publishers say you need to have a platform before they’ll consider publishing your book. Most of us hear this and get discouraged, concerned our writing will never be seriously considered. Be encouraged as Emily and Andrea share the story of how Emily got a book deal with little more than a great book proposal and a modest blog platform. In this session, you will be empowered to:

Take simple steps towards using your blog to build your platform
Understand what an editor is looking for when reading your blog
Confront the 8 lies holding you back from your best writing
Turn your unique passion into a stellar book proposal

(S/W) Creative Ways to Utilize Your Online Platform
Jennifer Schmidt
BeautyandBedlam.com

This session will consist of inspiration and idea slinging from a veteran speaker, blogger, and conference host. The online world is ripe with opportunities for connecting with your audience and you will learn how to identify and take full advantage of them. This session is for anyone who desires to utilize an online platform to grow beyond blogging or a static website and engage effectively with their readers and followers.

(ALL) Preparing for the Battlefield Through Prayer
Luann Prater
Speaker, Proverbs 31 Ministries
Encouragement Café Radio Show co-host

Has God called you to front-line battlefield ministry? Do you ever get discouraged, overwhelmed or filled with doubt right before your event or writing assignment? You are not alone! These are common struggles faced by others in ministry. This session will:

Give you insight to recognize spiritual warfare
Equip you with weapons to walk with confidence onto the battlefield
Prepare and provide you with scripture prayers that will lead you in victory!

(ALL) Keeping Up with Today’s Woman: Trends in Women’s Ministry
Chris Adams
Lifeway Publications

Led by one of the nation’s premier expert in women’s ministry, this workshop will take a look at some of the trends in our world that are affecting women. We will discuss implications for women’s ministry and what we can do to minister to women and help them grow in Christ in today’s world.

Friday, July 26

4:45-5:45 WORKSHOP SESSION 3

(S) Your Most Important Message
Micca Campbell and Wendy Blight
Authors and speakers for Proverbs 31 Ministries

Many speakers are invited to share their life story in a talk. Frequently they are also asked to give an invitation to know Christ as part of that message. Often this can invoke concern about how to seamlessly connect the two or even fear of “doing it wrong”. Fear not! By intentionally using your story and life experiences as a springboard for a message that communicates the significance of faith, you can help others discover how they too can know God personally. In this session Micca and Wendy will enable you to:

Help your audience experience your unique story as you use it to communicate the eternal importance of faith in Christ.
Develop a solid framework as you weave its theme throughout your entire talk enabling the listeners to see themselves in your story.
Creatively lace your message with the Gospel in a way that draws women to either a first-time or a deeper commitment to Christ.
Discover how to transition from your story or topic into a clear presentation of the need for salvation.
Effectively give an invitation that elicits a life-changing and lasting response from your audience.

(S/W) Taking Your Website or Blog to the Next Level
Jennifer Schmidt and Lisa Boyd

This session will give you the nuts and bolts knowledge to take your website/blog to the next level. Topics covered include how to utilize search engines for traffic, “about me” pages that connect and influence, how to integrate and use email subscriptions, plug-ins to utilize, and setting up stores and membership sites. This session is for the person who has an existing website/blog that they want to improve.

(W) Create a Successful Nonfiction Proposal
Sandy VanderZicht, Zondervan
Karen Ehman, Director of Speaker Team Development, Proverbs 31 Ministries

A book proposal is an essential tool to gain the attention of an agent or editor. This workshop will cover the elements of a winning non-fiction book proposal, and give you insider information about what works and what doesn’t. You’ll learn how to summarize your book, discuss the competition, position yourself as qualified to be the author and how to address your platform and marketing.

(W) Writing out of Your Passion
Tom Davis
Author, Founder Children’s Hope Chest

We are most deeply moved by the things that our closest to our hearts. Or, you may have heard someone say, “Write what you know.” This session is designed as a means to connect with your deeply held passions, and begin the process of translating them from feelings of the heart and into the written word.

Kahlil Gibran writes in The Prophet, “Is not the cup that holds your wine the very cup that was burned in the potter’s oven?” The joys and sorrow of our lives and the ingredients of the passions that drive us forward. Justice issues, tragedies we’ve suffered, or things that have inspired us. This workshop will help you to write about what you feel most passionately about.

After our time together, participants will have a sense for what they are most passionate about, how to begin writing about it, and what words, phrases, and images best communicate what they want to say. It will also help you to develop a platform based on these issues by showing you how to use social media, speaking, and training to establish yourself as an expert in the field.

(ALL) Brand You
Holley Gerth
Author, Co-Founder (in)courage and Squee

The publishing and speaking world is no longer about individual projects but instead personal brands. Understanding what that means and how to create your brand is an essential piece of moving forward. We’ll walk you through a process that will help you:

Discover your unique voice
Use your gifts to the fullest
Identify the best platforms to authentically and effectively share your God-given message
Pursue the best partners for you
Stay focused on God’s purpose for you

Saturday, July 27

9:45-10:45 WORKSHOP SESSION 4

(S) Positioning Yourself as a Professional Speaker
Leah DiPascal
Speaker, Author, Inspirational Bible Teacher

Many of us think of speaking as a wonderful ministry opportunity. But, we can sometimes neglect the business principles that are necessary in becoming a more effective and professional speaker. Come learn the basics behind the business side of your speaking ministry. We’ll discuss important tips on professionalism when working with event leaders, creating a fee schedule and contract, setting appropriate speaking fees, and developing promotional materials that don’t cost very much but will bring in bookings! In this highly requested session you will be empowered to:

To Charge or Not to Charge: Knowing with certainty when it is okay to start charging a fee.
Fee Schedules: Determining your fees and overcoming awkward obstacles when communicating your fee.
Contracts: Understanding the key components to include in your speaking contract.
Promotional Materials: Creating eye-catching materials that are cost effective and time efficient.
Giving a Professional Air: Helping others take you seriously.

(S/W) Secrets of a Compelling Radio Interview
Carol Davis
Co-host 106.9 The Light

Your passion is contagious. Your event message is developed. Your book is published. Now if you could just get the word out. In this session you will learn how to use the powerful medium of radio to share your message through the power of your story. Carol Davis, award-winning morning show co-host at WMIT 106.9 The Light will share:

How to get your foot in the door of a radio station
5 topics that NEVER fail!
Practice techniques to help you make a good interview better
Excerpts from interviews and ideas to help you develop your own style
What to do once the interview is done and how to guarantee that they will ask you back!

(S) Teaching by the Book
Wendy Pope
Speaker with Proverbs 31 Ministries

“How did she know that?” Have you ever asked this question of a dynamic speaker whose message strongly impacted you life? Discover how to use the Scriptures in a life-changing way, not only in your messages and writings, but also in your life. Walk through the development of a powerful message and gain insight into how to:

Develop a scripturally based message from beginning to end
Use Internet Bible Study tools to enhance the depth of you message
Bring authenticity to your speaking and writing by living by the Book

(W) Writing Life-changing Devotions
Renee Swope
Author, Speaker, Executive Director of Development for Proverbs 31 Ministries

Glynnis Whitwer
Author, Executive Director of Communications for Proverbs 31 Ministries

How can we use our words to help women begin their day in God’s Word? This question led us to start Encouragement for Today devotions over eight years ago. What started as a ministry to few hundred each week is now the fastest growing area of Proverbs 31 – reaching over half a million each day. In this session, Renee and Glynnis will share what we’ve discovered to be the four elements of a life-changing devotion. You will leave knowing:

How to hook and hold your readers’ attention from start to finish
How to self-edit for stronger, focused and more memorable writing
How to connect with readers through the power of story and transparency
How to include questions that lead to life-application and authentic biblical change

(ALL) Reaching Today’s Busy Woman
Donna Jones
Women’s Ministry Director

Have you ever wondered how to reach today’s already overbooked and overworked woman? Ever struggled with knowing what types of resources to provide to successfully enfold new women into your ministry? Ever wondered if what you’re doing could be done better?

With two decades of experience as a speaker, pastor’s wife and women’s ministry leader, Donna knows all sides of a successful women’s ministry. In this practical session she’ll help you…

Discover the two biggest secrets behind every successful women’s ministry.
Learn to identify the needs of the women you desire to reach.
Gain insight into your current ministry effectiveness.
Develop a game plan for reaching women currently “too busy” to be plugged in.
Be equipped with several “take away” strategies and resources for attracting new women to your ministry while developing the ones you’ve got.

Saturday, July 27

11:00-12:00 WORKSHOP SESSION 5

(S) How to Get Better Bookings
Lynn Cowell and Sharon Glasgow
Proverbs 31 Ministries Speakers

You’ve felt the call to speak. You’ve thrown yourself out there, and you’ve managed to speak a few times at small churches for dessert nights, or women’s Bible studies, or rustic retreats. It’s been wonderful, and you’ve felt God’s presence. But you want to expand your ministry and get some bigger bookings, so that you can afford to keep doing this. In this seminar we’ll learn the number one way that speaking engagements are generated–word of mouth. And then we’ll cover strategies to help you generate word of mouth—without spending a dime. We’ll cover choosing speaking engagements strategically, following up with people you’ve spoken for, and creating a web presence that will propel you to the next level.

This workshop will cover these strategies:

How to Get Others to Take Note of Your Messages
How to Use the Events You are Doing to Generate More
How to Use Workshops to Gain Keynote Invitations
How to Prepare a Presentation Package
How to Set Up your Web Presence

(W) Creating a Must-Read Non-Fiction Message
Alice Crider
Agent, WordServe Literary Services

Presented by a long-time acquisitions editor now agent, this workshop focuses on sharpening your non-fiction manuscript so that a powerful central idea stands out in the marketplace as a must-read message. You’ll learn what turns words into an event in a reader’s life, what causes a paradigm shift, and what you can do to offer your readers spiritual transformation. We’ll follow up a step-by-step process that will give you an outline for your message. Start thinking of your book as a catalyst for a life-changing event and bring your ideas with you.

(S/W) Finding Something to Talk About
Karen Ehman
Author, Speaker, Director of Speaker Team Development for Proverbs 31 Ministries

Do you long to speak, write or blog but fear you will run out of things to say? How can you continually come up with fresh material for messages, books, blog posts, devotions or articles that will resonate with today’s women? In this practical workshop, Karen, a six-time author, blogger and national speaker for nearly two decades will empower you to:

Unearth ready-made and relevant material from your seemingly ordinary life
Learn to process situations and interactions with an eye toward turning them into life lessons to share
Use Scripture as a springboard to construct helpful written and spoken messages that resonate with today’s women
Craft a system for recording and retrieving stories, situations, sayings and Scripture to utilize as you write
Assemble an arsenal of pertinent material that will help keep you writing and speaking for years to come!

(ALL) Hitting the Mark: Developing a Purpose Driven Women’s Ministry
Lisa Allen
Women’s Ministry Expert

God wants to use your ministry to leave His mark on this world! So, how do you know if you are “hitting the mark”? Instead of creating ministry around activity, why not create activity around purpose and intention? Join Lisa Allen as she helps you develop and fine tune the unique “mark” God wants your Women’s Ministry to leave on your church, city and community by:

Determining your ministry vision and values
Building a team around your vision and values
Evaluating whether you are accomplishing your ministry vision at the end of an event, series or ministry year
Maintaining strong leadership relationships throughout the process.

(ALL) God-Sized Dreams
Holley Gerth
Author, Co-Founder (in)courage and Squee

We all have them. Ideas that make you stare up at the ceiling in the night, causing your heart to pound. Those times when you seem to hear God loudest. We are called to be risk-takers and change-makers for the Kingdom. And it just may be your time. In this session you will discover:

How to know if you’re really called to pursue your dream
What’s the best way to begin
How to get the help you’ll need along the way
What success really means
Why your God-sized dream is part of your calling

Saturday, July 27

1:15-2:15 WORKSHOP SESSION 6

(W) How to Launch Your Full-Time Freelance Writing Career
Suzanne Eller (Suzie)
Author and speaker for Proverbs 31 Ministries

So, you want to write full time? In this workshop, Suzie shares how to launch your full-time writing career, and establish yourself as a Christian writer by understanding the market, the query and submission process, how to meet an editor’s needs (and become a regular contributor), and how to turn beginning rejection into ongoing publication.

(All) How to Avoid Being Stressed Out, Burnt Out or Giving Up in Ministry
Tracie Miles
Author and speaker for Proverbs 31 Ministries

Stress is an inevitable part of most people’s lives, but when the stress of ministry is added, and trying to determine and follow God’s call on one’s life, women can reach the breaking point. When you are exhausted from pouring yourself out to others and to God, teetering on the verge of burnout, stress can take a toll on you physically, emotionally and spiritually, and possibly even weaken your ministry. There are positive steps you can take to embrace God’s peace while pursuing your passion, and avoid getting stressed out and burned out. This session will motivate you to:

Embrace a new perspective about the dangers that stress brings to ourselves and our ministries.
Learn to identify and recognize the symptoms of stress before reaching the burnout stage.
Intentionally overcome stress by learning to purposely pursue God’s peace amid chaos.
Position yourself to be all God called you to be by adopting eight new stress management tips based on biblical principles.

(ALL) Developing Spiritual Confidence
Wendy Blight
Author and speaker for Proverbs 31 Ministries

Do you want to minister in your calling with more authority? Do you want to pray from a place of greater confidence? Join Wendy for this session as she teaches you to take hold of God’s promises and minister in the authority God has given you. Wendy will help you build confidence in your calling as she equips you to:

Identify the authority behind your calling.
Position yourselves under that authority.
Stand in that authority.
Pray in that authority.
Speak and Write in that authority.

(ALL) Walking Beside the Brokenhearted
Stephanie Clayton, MED LPCI

“The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:18 NIV) As speakers and writers we have the privilege of imparting God’s truth to women. And, as you words to shed His light into hearts, pain that has been pushed down for years may surface causing women to seek guidance and advice. How can you help without enabling them to become dependent on you? With a Master’s Degree in Counseling, Stephanie Clayton has worked with survivors of sexual abuse and trauma, parents of special needs children, women struggling with addiction, anxiety, and depression as well as families affected by poverty. In this session you will learn:

Five steps to effectively lead women towards healing
Tell-tale signs that it’s time to refer to a professional counselor
How to recognize the difference between helping someone and enabling dependency
How to set healthy boundaries that protect you, your family, and your ministry

Saturday, July 27

3:15-5:15 TRACK MEETINGS

Speakers Only: Optional Speaker Coaching Groups

Then choose one:

Beginner (speaking for less than two years)
Intermediate (speaking actively for 2 – 4 years)
Advanced (speaking actively for over 4 years)

Writers Only: Hands-on Platform Building/Critique Groups Workshop

In today’s market it isn’t enough to have a great message. You have to have a way to promote that message. These small groups will be provided to give you individual attention where you need it most.

If you elect to participate in the platform development coaching group, you will be placed in group with 6-8 women with one leader who excels in that particular area. Please come prepared with specific questions to ask your leader, and/or a project to work on. And note that we have limited openings in this group. If the group you want is full, you will have the choice to go on a waiting list or choose another group.

Pick one group:

WordPress
Online Strategies
Grow Your Audience
General Social Media
Facebook
Twitter
Blogging
Branding

Optional Writing Peer Critique

Whether or not you are pitching a book idea, everyone can participate in our peer critique session. One of the best ways to improve as a writer is to get feedback from other writers. We’re giving you the opportunity to have your writing reviewed by other participants of She Speaks. If you would like to participate, please read and adhere to these guidelines:

Bring two copies of an article you have written.
Please be sure your name and contact information is on every page.
Keep your article under 800 words.
Double-space the article.
Use Times New Roman font, size 12.
Choose a topic you would submit to a Christian magazine for publication.

On Saturday afternoon, all writers who have brought an article will meet and break up into groups of three. You’ll have time to read and critique each other’s articles and discuss your thoughts. This is a great way to grow your writing and editing skills.

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