Why I Want to Attend She Speaks

Proverbs 31 Ministries has long been a favorite of mine. And I’m not just saying that because I want to win their contest! Seriously, these ladies embody the ideals they espouse. They’re real women; they don’t sugarcoat their daily lives and struggles. The stories they tell on their daily radio show sound just like what goes on in my life. When they write an encouraging blog post and I comment, they often comment back—personally. Their books inspire me.

So, how did they get from housewives to writers, speakers, and leaders? The She Speaks Conference holds the key. Rather than try to paraphrase the benefits of attending She Speaks, I’m going to borrow Lysa TerKeurst’s motivational endorsement (not that I needed to be persuaded myself).

For Speakers:

Whether you are ready to take the main stage and start speaking at conferences and retreats or whether you want to learn how to more effectively teach a ladies’ Bible Study, this track is for you. After attending this conference you will be equipped to:

* Know how to develop a great message from start to finish.

* Understand what keeps an audience engaged and how to make your message memorable.

* Deliver your message in such a way that not only inspires your audience but also motivates them to make life changes.

* Increase your number of booked speaking engagements by using proven marketing strategies.

For Writers:

You have had a passion for writing and have even had people encourage you to write a book, but have never known how to get started on the pathway to publication. You will have the chance to attend sessions taught by some of the top Christian publishers: Zondervan, Harvest House, Cook, and several others. You will also be able to make appointments to pitch your book proposal.

Or maybe you are a blogger and want to learn how to more effectively connect with your readers, increase the impact of your blog, and hear from someone who successfully got a book contract by maximizing her blog platform.

Whatever the case may be, if you are a writer in the making, after attending this conference you will:

* Discover your unique writing voice and the mechanics of effective writing.

* Understand what publishers are looking for and how to write proposals that get their attention.

* Better understand how to build your writing portfolio by getting published in magazines.

* Know how to write a book that will impact your reader from start to finish.

For Women’s Ministry Leaders:

You know firsthand the unique opportunities and challenges that present themselves when you lead a ministry in your church for women. You give and serve all year long—now is your chance to get filled back up with encouragement and training. You’ll have the opportunity to attend a Pre-Conference Intensive session as well as the women’s ministry leadership track where you’ll learn how to:

* Build a dream team of ministry partners.

* Cast your vision for ministry in a way others will catch it.

* Distinguish God’s direction for your ministry with confidence.

* Celebrate milestones of your ministry’s effectiveness and keep your team inspired.

I will only add that I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY want to attend She Speaks this year! I want to be a Proverbs 31 woman, and I want to inspire other women to be Proverbs 31 women as well. My faithful blog readers will remember that among the goals I posted for myself this year were improving my writing skills, publishing more magazine articles, exploring the possibilities of writing a book, and speaking in more venues. The best way to achieve my goals is to attend the She Speaks Conference sponsored by Proverbs 31 Ministries.

Sounds easy enough, right? Just visit the She Speaks Web site and sign up. Oh, and pay the registration fee. Don’t get me wrong, it’s a very reasonable fee for everything offered. Unless you’re a freelance writer who writes for free and a freelance editor who keeps reading, “We don’t need any editors right now, but we’ll keep your resume on file.”

Solution: Lysa TerKeurst is sponsoring a She Speaks Scholarship Contest here. Woohoo! The three winners will receive a fully paid scholarship to the 2010 She Speaks Conference. Did I mention that I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY want to win this contest? Just checking! The best part is that I don’t have any travel costs (I live in a Charlotte suburb). So, if I win this contest, I can get the training I need to take my writing and my speaking to the next level.

Even though I REALLY, REALLY, REALLY want to win, I’m also aspiring to be a Proverbs 31 woman, so here is the link to Lysa’s blog so that you can enter the contest, too. If you don’t win, visit the She Speaks Web site to register for the conference.