Amy L. Sullivan's Blog

February 18, 2019

A New Website for Gutsy Girls: Strong Christian Women Who Impacted the World







A new year means a new online home for the Gutsy Girls picture book series, and this is your official invite to stop by. On the new site you will find the following Gutsy Girls goodness:





Reviews and fun facts for each of the Gutsy Girls books. Did you know the Gutsy Girls book on Corrie and Betsie ten Boom can be found at the United States Holocaust Museum in Washington, D.C., and at the Ten Boom Museum in the Netherlands?







How-to illustrate videos from the illustrator of Gutsy Girls , Beverly Wines. Did you know Beverly Wines breaks down illustrations step-by-step so young artists can recreate Gutsy Girls illustrations?



Printable book club guides for each of the five Gutsy Girls books. Did you know book club guides are available for each of the Gutsy Girls books, and I love Skyping with young book clubbers?











Contact form to bring Gutsy Girls to your school/church/camp/special event. Did you know I work on developing lesson plans for teachers which specifically correlate to Gutsy Girls?







Directions on how-to email Beverly Wines and request her to demonstrate how-to illustrate a specific illustration from Gutsy Girls. Did you know Beverly and I communicate regularly with young readers?



Thanks for your constant encouragement and support of this series! I’m thrilled about this new space for Gutsy Girls. Now head over for a visit!

 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on February 18, 2019 06:28

October 30, 2018

Christian Biographies for Moms and Kids


Sometimes when my nine-year-old is in just the right mood, she completes a running swan dive onto my bed, buries herself in my oversized white comforter, and yells for me to read her a book. When this happens, it means dinner will most likely include cereal, and homework will be delayed. Reading like this together is a reminder of days when snuggling in bed with a book wasn’t a rarity, but the norm.


I adore reading with my girl for an endless amount of reasons. Besides the obvious win of spending time together, I love learning and revisiting ideas I have long forgotten or facts I never learned.


My girl: Did you know North Carolina’s state dog is a Plott hound?


Me: No.


My girl: Did you know North Carolina’s red berry is the strawberry and the state’s blue berry is the blueberry?


Me: Ah, no, but that makes sense.


My girl: What about the state beverage? Did you know the state beverage is milk?


Me: Again, no.


The above questions involving over a dozen state symbols and songs continues and quickly falls into the category of things I never learned.


Christian Biographies for Moms and Kids


Lately, I’ve heard from parents who are reading biographies of great women and having their kiddos read child-friendly versions of the same biography, mamas like Ashley.



And maybe it’s because for the last five years I’ve been binging on stories of strong Christian women or maybe it’s because I love the idea of sharing literature together, but the whole idea of moms and kids reading and talking about the same women of faith makes me giddy.


Here’s a question I recently received:


What books would you recommend parents read to accompany each of the Gutsy Girls books ?


Seriously great question, thanks for asking! Here’s my list:


1. Gladys Aylward, missionary. Book for moms: Gladys Aylward: The Little Woman. Book for young readersGutsy Girls Book One: Gladys Aylward.


2.  Corrie and Betsie ten Boom, evangelists. Books for moms: The Hiding Place. Book for young readers: Gutsy Girls Book Two: Corrie ten Boom.


3. Fanny Crosby, hymn writer. Book for moms: Her Heart Can See: The Life and Hymns of Fanny J. Crosby. Book for young readers: Gutsy Girls Book Three: Fanny Crosby.


4. Dr. Jennifer Wiseman, scientist. Book for moms: God in the Lab. Book for young readers: Gutsy Girls Book Four: Dr. Jennifer Wiseman.


5. Sojourner Truth, activist and abolitionist. Book for moms: Sojourner Truth: A Life, A Symbol. Book for young readers: Gutsy Girls Book Five: Sojourner Truth.


Your turn! Do you have a favorite biography and book for young readers combo? Let’s hear it!

 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on October 30, 2018 08:14

October 11, 2018

Five of My Favorite Quotes from Gutsy Girl Sojourner Truth


Recently, I huddled around a binder full of speeches spoken by Sojourner Truth. Sure, many of Sojourner’s speeches can be found online, but there was something powerful about seeing her words collected in one place. Despite never being taught to read or write, Gutsy Girl Sojourner Truth inspired crowds with her deep voice and bold ideas. Not only was Sojourner a star on the anti-slavery speaking circuit, but she wasn’t afraid to point out injustice everywhere she saw it. An advocate for women, African Americans, and the Gospel, Sojourner was truly one of the gutsiest women in American history.


Want to get to know her better? Here are five of my favorite quotes from the next Gutsy Girl (releasing this November!).


1.  Sojourner Truth’s response when introduced to Abraham Lincoln. Not only did President Lincoln make time to meet with her, Sojourner later went on to say that she “was never treated by anyone with more kindness and cordiality than were shown to me by that great and good man, Abraham Lincoln.”


2. Sojourner Truth on pretension. Although Sojourner was for women’s rights, she wasn’t afraid to let suffragists know when their clothing choices were getting in the way of their message. 


3. Sojourner Truth on prejudice. Nope, not having it.



4. Sojourner Truth on women’s rights. In 1851 Sojourner Truth attended the Women’s Rights Convention in Akron, Ohio where Marcus Robinson reported she said the following:



5. Sojourner Truth on slavery. Weaving her life story into her speeches, Sojourner continuously pushed the world to look at the devastation created by slavery.



Watch for the latest Gutsy Girl. She’s making her way into the world this November.

 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on October 11, 2018 06:09

September 18, 2018

Sojourner Truth: The Fifth Gutsy Girl is Heading Your Way


I don’t remember learning about Sojourner Truth in school. Maybe I did. Most likely I didn’t. History books tend to leave out people whose life and accomplishments don’t fit neatly into one little box (especially the accomplishments of an African American woman), and if you know anything about Sojourner, you know she wasn’t about fitting into a box. Sojourner Truth was more about breaking the box.


Born in the late 1700s, Sojourner was an unwilling participant of one of the most horrifying acts of human history: slavery. Her story could have ended there, but with an unshakeable faith, Sojourner fought for herself, and then she went on to fight evil and injustice everywhere she saw it.



Sojourner wasn’t reckless—she was determined. Sojourner wasn’t vying for her own glory—she was working for His glory, and this is why Sojourner Truth is the fifth Gutsy Girl.


Brave Christian women throughout history may look as though they didn’t care what others thought—Lilias Trotter entered the mission field though no organization would back her; Queen Jeanne D’Albret rode to war with her armies, though her own husband opposed her cause—but in truth they cared very much what one Person thought. That is why they labored so hard and risked so much—not to solve a problem or to prove themselves, but because they loved the One who set the task before them. —Thea Rosenberg, Big Story, Little Book


Gutsy Girls: Strong Christian Woman Who Impacted the World, Sojourner Truth

Not long ago, the illustrator of Gutsy Girls, Bev Wines and I hiked it up to Battle Creek, Michigan, the place where Sojourner spent the later years of her life. We had read books and articles and listened to interviews and documentaries about this great woman, but there’s something special about seeing history. So that’s what we did. We went to see history.Through a local museum in Battle Creek, we met Donna. This is Donna. She is all things wonderful, and she happens to be an expert on all things Sojourner Truth.


Donna sharing about Sojourner’s life.


Donna shared stories and answered our 1,546,234 questions on everything from the silly to the serious. She didn’t even laugh when asked, “No really, what do you think Sojourner’s voice sounded like?” This is the point where I will pretend Bev asked that question.


The trip to see history and learn more about Sojourner was incredible, and through it Bev and I got lucky. See, sometimes when you are searching for one Gutsy Girl, you find another.


The Gutsy Girl we went to learn about, Sojourner Truth, and the Gutsy Girl we were lucky enough to meet, Donna.


Bev and I have been busy worker bees, and Sojourner Truth, the fifth Gutsy Girl is headed your way. Watch for her this November! Also, Sojourner could be my favorite Gutsy Girl. I know, I know, I say this about each new Gutsy Girl, but really, you are going to love her.


For more information on previous Gutsy Girls, go here.

 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on September 18, 2018 08:19

August 5, 2018

Gutsy Girls + American Heritage Girls = Faith, Service, Fun, and Fanny Crosby


I am legitimately giddy to share this news. Gutsy Girls, book three on hymnist Fanny Crosby is officially a program alliance with American Heritage Girls. Oh,  yeah! This means girls in troops across the nation will use Gutsy Girls as a resource. Do you know American Heritage Girls? It is a national character development organization for girls ages 5-18 that embraces Christian values.





Why Gutsy Girl, Fanny Crosby, and American Heritage Girls? Great question.


Reason #1: Girls ages five and six who are in American Heritage Girls are members of a level called Pathfinders. After girls complete the Pathfinder level, they earn the Fanny Crosby Award. That’s right! Since girls are working to earn an award, it makes sense to give them the opportunity to learn about the person the level award is named after. That’s where Gutsy Girls comes in.


Reason #2: The Gutsy Girls books feature real Christian women who impacted the world, and each book is filled with facts about their lives. Illustrations from the Fanny Crosby book are on the left, and actual photos of Fanny’s house and her life are on the right. Highlighting real Christian women goes along with the American Heritage Girls level awards.



Reason #3: The motto of American Heritage Girls is faith, service, and fun, and I can’t think of three words to better describe the third Gutsy Girl, Fanny Crosby.


Fanny Crosby and Faith


Despite being blind, Fanny Crosby is one of the most well-known and prolific hymn writers in history. No one knows exactly how many hymns Fanny Crosby wrote, but experts estimate it was more than 9,000. Because Fanny’s songs became so popular, she decided to write under a pseudonym. After all, she didn’t want people thinking of her when they sang. She wanted them thinking of God.


Fanny Crosby and Service


Because Fanny Crosby could write hymns quickly, she decided to show God’s love in other ways, too. Fanny created medicine to fight cholera, insisted on living in one of the city’s worst tenements, gave away almost everything she earned, knitted mittens for soldiers, counseled prisoners, and constantly spoke of God’s great love.


Fanny Crosby and Fun


As a child, Fanny was known as a prankster. She hid the postman’s pen, wrote silly poems about her teachers, and even stole a watermelon from her school’s garden.



What next? If you are interested in learning more about American Heritage Girls, find a troop near you. If you are a troop leader interested in resources to share with your girls about Fanny Crosby, you can find a book guide and enrichment activities in the AMHsource and Quick Take for Leaders or here. For information on the other Gutsy Girls who love Jesus and have impacted the world, go here. Here’s to faith, service, fun, and Fanny Crosby!

 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on August 05, 2018 04:44

May 4, 2018

11 Things Your Daughter Needs to Hear You Say


In third grade, I tried out for a community play. I earned the prestigious role of Mouse #3 in Cinderella, and for months, I diligently practiced my one line.


“Make way for Cinderella!”


Family and friends were invited to the play to witness my big debut, but I didn’t get a chance to speak my line. Instead,  greedy Mouse #2  spoke my line and her’s and therefore, I had nothing to say.


My mother bought me a new white shirt for the big performance! I was wearing make-up! I was wearing mouse ears! My people showed up to hear me say nothing. I was embarrassed and no amount of Sizzler’s salad bar (go ahead, pretend you didn’t like Sizzler’s salad bar) could make me feel better.


I don’t think I’ve thought about that story throughout my entire adult life, but when my youngest daughter recently forgot a line at her  school’s play, no amount of consoling made a difference, and suddenly, I remembered my time as Mouse #3.


Kids love hearing stories of our childhood failures. Maybe it’s because our stories remind them that despite our polished and put together lives, adults still stumble through the days.


My daughter’s play and my Mouse #3 experience prompted me to think about the things my daughters need to hear me say. Some of these things flow easily and often, but others I need to remind myself about. Who knows, maybe you need a little reminding too.


11 Things Your Daughter Needs to Hear You Say



1.  Tell her about the times you felt less than (aka your Mouse #3 moments). Tell her about the time you weren’t chosen or chosen last, about the friendship that went bad, and when you didn’t make the cut.


2.  Point out what you see God growing in her. That one thing, the thing she’s been working on and trying to grow. Pay attention. Notice that, and while you are at it, notice what He is growing in you, too.


3. Share stories about brave women from the Bible. Inform her that Deborah was a judge who exercised political, religious, and even military authority over the people of Israel (Judges 2:16). Tell her about Tabitha who was a seamstress and used her sewing skills to make clothes for widows (Acts 9:36). Explain how Esther broke rules and risked her life to save her people (Esther 5:1).


4. Tell her growing up is hard, she isn’t alone, and everyone feels scared. This statement is an automatic tear inducer at the Sullivan house. Every time. Why? Because it’s true. It’s powerful to hear this when we are five. It’s also powerful to hear this when we are thirty-five.



5. Make sure your girl knows she is brave for trying. Maybe she is trying out for a team or trying out for the talent show. Maybe she’s trying a new group of friends or maybe she’s trying for that seemingly out of reach 93% in chemistry. All require work. All involve risk.


6. Ask her how you can pray for her. I ask this question every morning to the carload of kiddos I tote to school, and most days, I don’t get much response (although my favorite neighbor boy just asked me to pray that his voice gets deeper fast!), but I keep asking. Remain curious. Keep pushing, even when they pretend they don’t care.


 7. Tell her to go. When I am struggling, I need to get out of my environment to get out of myself. Going for a walk, going for a drive, going for donuts can lead to the exact reset I need for the day. Encourage your girl in developing strategies to help her reset.


8. Make sure she knows God made her exactly the way He wants her. Quiet is good. Talkative is good. Tall is good. Short is good. Cautious is good. Bold is good. Comparison creeps in early.  Help her fight it. Remind her who she is in Him and remind her often.


9. Encourage her to pay attention to things that make her heart race and the ideas that won’t go away. As your girl grows physically, God is also growing her in the way He will use her later in life. Her interests and passions play a vital part in this.


10. Admit your mistakes and admit them often. The easiest way to help your girl fight the beast of perfectionism is to show her how you make mistakes, admit your mistakes, and move on from your mistakes.


11. Tell her she doesn’t have to take a stand on the never-ending list of current events/issues/must-have-your-attention problems in the world. Instead, her job is to love God fiercly and love others always . That’s it.


Your turn. What did I miss? What can I add to this list? What kind of wisdom do you remember receiving as a child? What wise words are you sharing with your people?


SaveSave


SaveSave


SaveSave


SaveSaveSaveSaveSaveSave


SaveSave


SaveSave


SaveSave


SaveSave


SaveSave


SaveSave


SaveSave


SaveSave


SaveSave


SaveSave


SaveSave


SaveSave


SaveSave


SaveSave


SaveSave


SaveSave

 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on May 04, 2018 08:02

March 5, 2018

Raising Brave Christian Girls: When Being Brave Is More Than a T-Shirt


My youngest daughter’s favorite shirt says, “Brave like Mom.”


The girl loves that shirt. Her love stems from the fact that the shirt is black and gold (her two favorite colors). It has peek-a-boo shoulders (still super stylish in the world of nine-year-olds), and since my girl knows I talk about living gutsy all the time, she knows I like the message.



And I do like the message. The idea is similar to messages covering t-shirts everywhere today:


Brave Girls Rule


Strong, Brave, Smart


Fight Like a Girl


Girl Power


Be Bold, Be Brave, Be You


I want my daughters to run hard and fast towards their goals. I want them to get fired-up and fight for what’s right, even when it’s hard and especially when it’s unpopular. I want them to be daring, take chances, and push back. I want them to see failure as a necessary step and not a destination.


But more than that, more than all of that, I want my daughters to be the women God called them to be, and the idea of being who God called them to be doesn’t always match typical ideas about bravery.


Yes, as Christians we are called to be bold with our faith. Bold with our lives, and bold with our love.


But Jesus also calls for a different kind of bravery: A bravery that is radically obedient like Jesus’ mother, Mary. A bravery that is both humble and daring like Esther. A bravery that shows others we will trust and follow through with our promises like Hannah. A bravery that is less about what we want and more about  Him.


The words obedience, humbleness, trust, and follow through aren’t going to end up on t-shirts. Where’s the fight? Where’s the fun? Where’s the risk? Where’s the go-after-everything-you-want-at-all costs attitude? 


Christian Gutsy Girls Gladys Aylward, Fanny Crosby, The Ten Boom Sisters, and Dr. Jennifer Wiseman weren’t brave because they accomplished great tasks, cared for others, solved world problems, or claimed they were worthy. Instead, these Gutsy Girls proved brave because they relied on God to complete the incredible and seemingly impossible tasks He set before them.


That’s brave. That’s courageous. That’s gutsy.


Tell me, who do you know that exhibits a Jesus focused, different kind of bravery?


SaveSave


SaveSave


SaveSave


SaveSave


SaveSave


SaveSaveSaveSave


SaveSave

 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on March 05, 2018 05:06

January 11, 2018

5 Ways To Help Your Girl Build Grit



In fifth grade I stopped raising my hand.


It’s not that I wasn’t paying attention in class, I was. It’s not that I didn’t know the answer, I did. It’s not that I didn’t like talking…says the girl who has a stack of report cards which state, “talks too much in class.” I stopped raising my hand in fifth grade because I started to become aware of risks. Growing social awareness and the idea that my actions had the potential to produce weird looks or eye rolling from my peers kept me quiet.


And Fifth-Grade-Me came to the conclusion that low expectations and minimal participation was the road to a blissful existence. But that’s not how we are designed to live, and if you have a daughter, you know that helping your daughter grow into the woman God created her to be will inevitably produce weird looks and eye rolling from peers.


In 2013, psychologist and author, Angela Lee Duckworth flung the idea of grit out to the masses with her wildly popular TED Talk. In the talk, she shared one thing successful people have in common: grit. Grit is the combination of persistence and resilience. While I don’t want to raise my daughters to be motivated by achievements; I do want to raise them to point people to Jesus. And pointing people to Jesus doesn’t come from low expectations and minimal participation, and it certainly doesn’t come without understanding peristence and resilience.


So how do we cultivate grit? How do we promote courage? How do we encourage our girls to keep their heads high and their hands up? Here’s how.


1.) INTRODUCE YOUR GIRL TO BOLD WOMEN FROM THE BIBLE


Esther risked her life for her people. Hannah prayed constantly. Miriam saved her brother. Mary, the mother of Jesus surrendered her life. Bold, brave, and devoted, the accounts of these women never get old.


Read them, share them, read them again.


2.)  ENCOURAGE HER TO DO HARD THINGS BY ALLOWING HER TO WATCH YOU DO HARD THINGS


Before I could spell, I wanted to write. Saying you want to be a writer when you are nine is admirable. Saying you want to be a writer when you are twenty-three is irresponsible. It took me almost thirty years, two kids, and a slew of jobs to decide I didn’t want to be practical and that sure things usually leave us wanting. It’s easy to talk about raising brave girls; it’s harder to be an example of a woman with grit. Nudge, nudge.


3.) LET HER FAIL


Raise your hand if you ever learned a really important life lesson from easy success. Me either. It makes sense to gather your family and shield them from life’s hurts and struggles. Resist the urge.


4.)  INTRODUCE YOUR GIRL TO BOLD WOMEN FROM HISTORY


The first time I read about Nellie Bly, I was fourteen and I thought she was fictional. In the late 1800’s, Nellie, a journalist, spent time undercover researching sweatshops. She exposed the poor treatment of people with mental illness by pretending to be a patient in an asylum for ten days. Bly worked for better treatment of people in prison. She wrote about corruption, and she took on the challenge to travel the world in eighty days.


Bly showed fierce strength, stamina, and determination, and even better, she did so with a pen. Bly wasn’t a made-up character from a dusty novel. She was an actual woman from history.


Seeing someone be brave (even through the pages of books) inspires grit.


4.) TEACH HER TO RELY ON GOD (AND NOT HERSELF) FOR STRENGTH


Raising girls with guts and grit isn’t teaching girls to be self-reliant. It’s teaching girls to find strength in their relationship with God.


Your turn: How do you encourage grit and courage in your house? How do you balance teaching your kids to be brave while teaching them to be safe? Where are you feeling the nudge to live courageously?


SaveSave


SaveSave


SaveSaveSaveSave


SaveSave


SaveSave


SaveSave


SaveSave


SaveSave


SaveSave


SaveSave


SaveSave


SaveSave


SaveSave


SaveSave


SaveSave


SaveSave


SaveSave

 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on January 11, 2018 06:12

December 20, 2017

What I Learned in 2017


Oh 2017, you were good to me. Here are seven things I learned this year.


1. Quit moving to what’s next and celebrate what’s now. This year my illustrator and I were invited to the Ten Boom Museum in the Netherlands to chat about our book on the Ten Boom sisters. Big deal!


A few months later, my daughter went the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in Washington, D.C. and found my Ten Boom book. Super big deal!


My mom beat cancer. My dad beat cancer. My favorite uncle beat cancer. Even bigger big deals! But with each of these events, I refused to stop circling the question, “Yeah, but what’s next?” This question strangles the joy of my now, and therefore, you won’t hear it from me anymore. Nope, nope, nope. I’m too busy celebrating the now.


2. Favorite quote of the year:


If our girls are reading books reminding them that they are called, chosen, capable, strong, clever, creative, wise, even empowered by the Holy Spirit…well, the dangerous and wonderful thing is that our girls might just believe them. ~Sarah Bessey


Never as in neeeeeeev-ah have I seen so many well-written books encouraging girls to be their dangerous wonderful selves. Let’s read them. Let’s check them out from libraries. Let’s buy them.


3. Podcasts make flight delays (and even housework) fun. To the people behind Goal Digger, Code Switch, What Should I Read Next, and This American Life, you make me happy and smarter and you also make folding laundry a joy.


4. Creative people inspire creativity. I need time with other people who create. It isn’t optional. I require in-person, real time with other writers. This isn’t selfish. This isn’t lavish. This is something I need. These two know about both the business side and the creative side of writing, and they also know a lot about baby sharks and fleeing from alligators.



5. Christians want to talk about science. I wrote a post, which was more of a list, and it caused a bit of a stir. It didn’t cause a stir because of what it said, it caused a stir because apparently your girls love Jesus and science, and you want to talk about it. Well, me too. 


6. Let people spoil you. My college roommate’s mother, Linda turned seventy this year. To celebrate, she decided to take her college roommate, her daughter, and her daughter’s college roommate (wait, that’s me!) to Alaska. Obviously, this was uber generous of her, but I am not good with generosity. Generosity makes me squeamish. Are you sure you want to take me? That’s a lot of money. What if we just had a nice party with a fancy cake instead?



Years ago, Linda taught me the importance of opening your home and your refrigerator to random teenagers who show up at your house…even when those teenagers are loud and drama filled and don’t always attend school. She practiced the art of being available, laughing hard, and seeing good in people before they see it in themselves (wait, it’s me again. Linda did that for me!).This year she taught me the importance of letting people do for you. Not because you need something, but because they want to. It should be noted this is a yearly lesson for me.


7. Learn to sit in the weirdness. This year church was weird. Friendships were weird. Parenting was weird. My response to weirdness is to either fix it or flee, but those choices weren’t options. So, I learned to sit. Sitting is not a good time, but here’s something I learned. Sitting keeps me humble, and it pushes me to constantly seek God’s direction. Both make the weirdness worth it.


Your turn: What kinds of things did you learn in 2017? Let’s hear it.


SaveSave


SaveSave


SaveSave


SaveSave


SaveSave


SaveSave


SaveSave

1 like ·   •  2 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on December 20, 2017 06:19

October 24, 2017

14 Mom and Daughter Conferences for 2017-2018


Hey friends,


It’s time for my annual list of mom and daughter conferences. Woohooo! As always, if you know of a conference you would like to see added to the list, let me know. Also, if you want to give future attendees any information or feedback on any of the events listed, yay! Jump down to the comment section. I’d love to hear from you.

1. THERE{4} Teen Gathering. THERE{4} is an event for high school girls in grades 9th-12th. Girls may attend alone, with a friend or with a mentor, a mom or their youth group. Youth leaders to bring a group of girls and use this as a special getaway.


Date and location: February 16-17, 2018. Arlington, Texas.


2. LifeWay Girls Conference. This two-day event will have breakout tracks designed specifically for middle and high school, and college-aged girls, as well as girls ministry leaders and moms. Participants will also hear from platform speakers and worship leader during three general sessions and will have the opportunity to take part in prayer and missions experiences that relate to the conference theme, as well as some late-night fun on Friday.


Date and location: February 16-17, 2018. Nashville, Tennessee.


3. Bloom: Teen Girl Conference. Speakers, breakout sessions, music, and more.


Date and location: February 23-24, 2018. Gahanna, Ohio.


4. Right in the Middle. A mini-conference for moms with daughters grades 5th-7th based on Michelle Icard’s book, Middle School Makeover. Topics include social media tips, friends and frenemies, expert Q and A, media matters, and all things middle school related.


Date and location: March 25, 2018. Charlotte, North Carolina and April 22, 2018. Raleigh, North Carolina.


5. Heart to Heart: A Mother Daughter Retreat. Rachael Inouye leads a weekend for moms and daughters ages 12 and up. Relationship-building activities, opportunities for worship, and biblical teaching.


Date and location: April 20-22, 2018 (Saturday only option available) Westboro, Wisconsin.


6.  Mother and Daughter Camp at Conference Point. Spend time at Conference Point Center in Williams Bay with lake views. Intentional time in God’s Word, one-on-one time, fun crafts, and outdoor activities.


Date and location: April 27-28, 2018. Lake Geneva, Wisconsin.


7.  Mother Daughter Retreat Tuscarora Inn & Conference Center. Peaceful get-away, designed for mothers with teen/tween daughters, sisters, close friends or spiritual mentors, as a way to celebrate Mother’s Day. This include three general sessions, creative and informative electives, and evening activities.


Date and location: May 11-13, 2018. Mount Bethel, Pennsylvania


8. Mother Daughter Retreat at Camp Barakel. Canoe trip, crafts, bouldering, archery, riflery, volleyball, canoeing, kayaking, hiking, and a time of worship. Ages 6 and up.


Date and location: May 18-20, 2018 in Fairview, Michigan.


9. Bloom. BLOOM is a two-day event that connects the next generation female leaders from across the world to be equipped, encouraged, empowered, and inspired to “BLOOM where they are planted” and become all that God has created them to be.


Date and location: June 22-23, 2018. Honolulu, Hawaii.


Ongoing Conferences/Events/Worshops

10.  Umbrella Prayers Workshops. Umbrella Prayers is a creative prayer tool that teaches people how-to cling to God in prayer during the storms of life. Workshops are interactive and fun yet profound with biblical teaching and opportunities to connect with God and each other.


Date and location: October 28, 2017. North Wilkesboro, North Carolina. Ongoing dates and locations throughout the United States.


11. Polished Ministries Conference. Polished Ministries provides a variety of options for moms and daughters: events, conferences, retreats, and nights of inspiration. Each option contains different activities such as worship, breakout sessions, hair, fashion, and biblical teaching.


Dates and location: Ongoing conferences and events across the United States. Next scheduled event is February 24, 2018. Hickory, North Carolina.


12.  Daring Daughters at Disney World. Daring Daughters at Disney World is a bi-annual conference for moms and teenage daughters with a focus on missions.


Date and location: The next conference will be in February of 2019. In 2017-2018, Daring Daughters is hosting mother-daughter mission-networking conferences and Clarity Day strategic training workshops all across the USA — in Oregon, Montana, Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, Michigan, and Oklahoma. The next Clarity Day conference is December 1 and 2, 2017.


13. Secret Keeper Girl. Secret Keeper Girl is an evening for girls ages 8-12 and their moms. Secret Keeper Girl creates books, events, and resources for Christian mom an daughters.


Dates and location: Events scheduled throughout the U.S. during the fall of 2017.


14. TEAM Grace Retreat. The mission of TEAM Grace Ministries is to help moms and daughters strengthen their relationships through scripture study and fellowship. Conference includes speaker, interactive breakout sessions, worship, and fun.


Date and location: Date of 2018 conference to be announced soon. Austin, Texas.


Your turn: Do you have any events I can add to the list or any tips for future attendees? 


: :


Let’s stay connected! Find me on your favorite social media channel. Instagram, FB, Pinterest, or Twitter.

 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on October 24, 2017 08:05