Retreat or Conference Packages
Armed and Dangerous (Wearing the Armor of God)
How do we live in a world where we feel attacked on all sides—even within? How do we turn off the lies we tell ourselves? Where do we find truth for everyday living? In these seminars Jo teaches the answer Paul gave the church at Ephesus: Put on the armor of God. With strong biblical teaching, personal stories, and humor (including a hilarious skit to begin with) Jo teaches from these verses in chapter 6:
- How the armor of God applies to our lives as women.
- How we are trapped into thinking we’re “okay” without it.
- How to live by the Spirit’s power as you protect yourself and your family; and go home armed and dangerous!
“I have studied and taught this topic and you covered it so completely and beautifully. I loved how you weaved in your personal story with many examples. You have put together a great conference with much needed information to prepare us for combating our battle with the devil.”
Specific things others learned or said: “Thank you for ‘spiritual breathing’;” “How to speak to Satan with respect as Jesus did and to speak out loud because he can’t hear my silent prayers;” and “You gave me the key to battling my depression!” “I no longer feel guilty for what happened to me as a child—thank you!” “Dynamic speaker!” “The love of Christ is reflected beautifully in your life and demeanor.”
Valley Christian Fellowship
Soar Unafraid! (Don’t Just Survive—Thrive!)
Are you fearful and tend to worry? Jo can identify. Rich in the Word and personal stories, Jo unfolds more than a strategy, she shows Her own life's lessons leading Her to soar unafraid! In these seminars she teaches the antidote to fear:
- Know Yourself
- Know the Truth
- Know Your Purpose
- Know Your Future Hope
** (This retreat is not to be confused with the one-day seminar where each participant receives a copy of Jo’s memoir.)
“Your message was very powerful and the women repeatedly commented on that. They were challenged to rise to new levels and seek the Lord. Your life has been a great challenge and how you’ve handled this is a great testimony to the Lord.”
West Sound Community Church
Soar Through Life Joyfully! (Don’t Just Invoke Your Escape Clause!)
Do you ever wonder what it would be like to live joyfully? While teaching what biblical joy is compared to happiness, Jo shows Her listeners how to trust in the joy-giver Himself. As God’s character is revealed through Scripture, we learn this is the basis for our trust during life’s tough situations illustrated with Jo’s and others’ stories. These three can be made into four talks instead:
- Would You Life to Have Joy? (A Different Kind of Best)
- Trust in the Joy-Giver (Kiss a Miracle Every Day)
- Crystal Crosses
“Jo inspires and encourages people to look through their pain to experience God’s presence . . . [and] illustrates how God uses these difficult times to bring us closer to God and His Son, Jesus.”
Westside Church
“The ladies comments . . . reaffirmed that the Lord had a divine purpose for us choosing you for this event: ‘wonderful’, ‘awesome’, ‘a true gift from God’, ‘Jo touched my life in a way I will never forget.’
Northside Christian Church
“Your messages ministered powerfully in the lives of many of our women. Your love, courage, and your ‘openness and selfless willingness to serve God’ were significant to them. I know that God used you to help us strip away some of the veneer to make ourselves vulnerable, and to help us understand what it means to get to know the source of our joy.”
Mission Hills Baptist Church
To Know Christ (As Good As It Gets)
How do we know Christ intimately? Jo teaches this requires four basic, yet profound, realizations
- Knowledge of God's incredible love
- Need for Jesus' death on the cross
- Only living by His power
- Wanting Christ to be glorified.
“Women flooded the prayer room after your first session wanting to pray about having a deeper relationship with Christ!”
“I met you in Monterey. I saw God in a new way—Abba Father.”
“What a blessing to have you at our Women’s Retreat in Monterey! Your genuine love for Jesus ad your desire to serve Him with your whole life are a blessing and testimony to all of us . . . joyful in the struggles you have to bear, and absolutely positive in your gratitude to Him for His strength in your life.”
Northern California Baptist Women
Let Abba Father Love You Do you experience God's love? Through Scripture, personal journal entries, and stories, Jo illuminates AbbaFather's love:
- Listening (not talking) in prayer, we are lavished by His love.
- Resting in forgiveness we are free to soar above pain.
- Walking in the Spirit we have power to live.
- Reveling in His creation gives us wings to soar unafraid near to heaven.
You'll go away looking forward to utilizing Jo's teaching so you will experience Abba Father’s love. “You gave me a new way to relate to God—as my Daddy!”
“I love how you brought me closer to heaven. I now know it’s okay to long for it!”
Friends, the Silver Lining in Difficult Times (Effective as an individual presentation.)
What kind of friend are you? Like the title of a song she wrote when her own needs were met sacrificially by others while she served on an excavation team in Israel, Jo explains how you too can be a "then coming friend." Jo contrasts Biblical, judgmental, so-called "friends" to burden-carrying ones, while illustrating with her own life experiences and other examples. (Jo can add a talk to these three about how our personalities affect us being friends.)
Fair–Weather Friends
All–Weather Friends (two sessions)
“I knew friends were important but I didn’t realize HOW important.” “You really helped me see what kind of friend I am.” “You are very real, deep and personal. God has lifted you as gold out of the fire.” “I loved the addition of songs.”
SW Hills Baptist Church
“This is absolutely the best retreat I have ever been to! You bring your audience closer to Jesus. You bring us closer to each other.” “I love your passion for the Lord Jesus and your tenderness of Heart. Wow! What a joy it was to get to meet and talk with you. To hear and see God through you.”
Baker City Church of the Nazarene
Rivers of Living Water (Walk Out of the Desert!)
Does your life seem like a dried up river bed? Do you express your Christianity through the pumped water of good works? Perhaps you're unaware of the power source given to each Christian. A stream of living water is waiting to pour through your life! In this study Jo leads you through the Bible to the headwaters, the source Jesus made available so the "impossible Christian life" gives way to the reality of a supernatural, Spirit-filled one. This is for all denominations.
"Speakers say 'Go home and change,' but you gave me the key--the indwelling Holy Spirit!"
“Jo helped women see and experience the potential of God’s living water in us and through us. Sharing some of her own story enabled the women to see God’s transforming work in her life and it opened many to seek God’s presence more fully in their own lives. Jo’s gift of music added powerfully to God’s message through her.”
Presbyterian Church of the Master
Single Event Topics
Soar Unafraid! NO charge to your church but gas expenses! Attendees pay a fee and receive a copy of Jo’s award-winning memoir. They will learn how life can be an adventure no matter what they face and:
- Realize how important absorbing Bible verses can be.
- Understand how important being vulnerable with God is.
- Have a good time! We know women and teens want to have fun!
- Learn tips for their relationships because during difficulties.
- Learn how to forgive and be forgiven.
- Grasp that difficulties can be adventures as we learn to trust God!
Velveteen Mom (Mother’s Day Event for women or a church service)
What makes a mom, Mom? Jo relates to others girls’ dreams of motherhood, and then tells how her hopes seemed to be dashed. But God had another plan—He made Jo a “Velveteen Mom” with two daughters. Everyone will be able to relate to how Jo became “real” like the bunny in “The Velveteen Rabbit” book, bringing tears of joy and laughter!
“Your flexibility with the schedule and your anointed presentation were so appreciated. We would love to
have you back again sometime in the future. You are a blessing and a true inspiration.”
Family Life Christian Center
“Thank you so much for sharing your wonderful, warm testimony. I wanted love and beauty and you provided both. The beauty in the way you give God the glory throughout your adversity was inspirational.”
Tri-City Baptist Temple
Clothe Yourself in Splendor and Majesty (appropriate for a Mother’s Day church service for all women)
Are you a woman of splendor and majesty as Psalm 45:3 exhorts us to be? As we look at the life of the Priscilla in the book of Acts we learn just how to become that woman.
“Our women loved it. And there were visitors from the community who seem genuinely interested in attending again. We let the woman who referred you to us know how great you were!”
Toutle Christian Fellowship
“Jo truly has a heart to see others set free through the Gospel message. . . a testament of God’s love and His grace. . . Jo is a talented woman and uses many of those talents in her presentation to capture the attention of her audience and to get her point across. Many is the congregation were touched by Jo’s story, her message and her song.”
Senior Pastor, Valley Christian Fellowship
His Treasure (Diamonds Aren’t Really Forever) (Single Event or a Conference Workshop)
Do you feel like God’s treasure? So many do not. Jo wants you to experience the joy of being God’s light! Based on 2 Corinthians 3-5, Jo teaches truths that will compel you to walk away feeling not only does God want you to be His light, there is nothing in your life now or before that need keep you from being it!
“Jo was very inspiring to me. I looked at everything she has been through and she just shines for God. Her attitude is amazing and she made me look at my life, my attitude and I realized I need to let God shine through me—I want to be an example!”
“I learned it is okay to be perplexed. Paul was! God will reveal the truth is you stay in the Word and seek him.” “I liked her analogy of the eagle and its wings!”
“I I felt like if God used her pain for His Glory He could do the same for me!”
The Spa Women’s Retreat
Signs of Spring (Outreach event)
Not only do we WANT a fresh start, we are Promised a Fresh Start, Need a Fresh Start, and we Need a New Family! In this talk women are drawn to the Savior through these points and some of Jo’s life story!
“From the moment you arrived, it was so evident that your joy is just over-flowing. In spite of difficulties, you are faithful and you are radiating God’s love and joy. We had many different age groups present and your message minister to them all in powerful ways. We have heard from many you made a difference in their lives.”
Applewood Baptist Church
Sweet Peace (Great for any event)
Do you struggle to find elusive peace in relationships, when God seems distant, or life is tough? Jo has experienced all of these and when she share Her remarkable testimony of God’s grace, others seek and find His peace.
“We have had so many favorable comments. Some saying it was the best we’ve ever had. Since this is our 28th year, that is quite a compliment! We especially enjoyed your songs in the midst of your talk.First Baptist Church
Treasures & Heirlooms (Christmas-themed event. Great for outreach!)
Sharing the memories of Mary, and how she would tell them to Her Son Jesus about the night of his birth, Jo brings into the talk how our own memories—whether good or bad—can shape our Christmas, and how knowing Christ makes all the difference.
“Her one statement that she wouldn’t trade anything she’s gone through because of it bringing her closer to Jesus and God made this whole evening worthwhile for me.” Visitor to the banquet.
“Our guests thoroughly enjoyed the way you shared from your heart and helped us to remember cherished memories of Mary, Jesus, and our own growing up years. Your love for the Lord and His place in your life came across beautifully. Our women felt a special connect to you as you shared about some trials and how you are still able to soar unafraid! Your singing was lovely and added another dimension.”
“Marysville Church of the Nazarene”
Gifts for Jesus (Christmas-themed event)
Santa supposedly brings gifts, but Jesus is the gift! As Jo explains the significance of God’s gift to us, the gifts of the magi are unwrapped, encouraging listeners to bring significant, vulnerable gifts to Jesus.
“I have received many wonderfully favorable comments both on your sharing and beautiful music.”
Brush Prairie Baptist Church
Tell It Like It Is! (Lifestyle Evangelism Talk)
It’s so intimidating to tell others about the good news of the Gospel—life with Jesus—isn’t it? Through Jo’s personal examples you’ll see that “lifestyle evangelism” can be easier than it sounds. Let Jo show you how to Answer the Call, Casually Pick Up the Ball, Avoid Feeling You Must Be a Know-it-all, Let Go of Whatever May Befall, and Rejoice in Being Faith-ful. You’ll sense God’s smile on you!
“Thanks for a tremendous job. We appreciated your spirit!”
Evangelism & Motivation Training, Longs Peak Association of Baptist Churches
Jo’s presentations can be adjusted in length and topics can be adapted to tie into your group’s theme. Jo incorporates songs, some of which she has written.
If you would like to receive more information about having Jo speak, please email her from the Contact page and she will get back to you as soon as possible!
