Special Events/Single Session Topics

The Walk of a Woman:  Woman Up!
“Thus you will walk in the ways of good men and keep to the paths of the righteous.”  Proverbs 2:20

This one-hour teaching covers five challenges for engaging as a woman of God:

• Wake Up!
• Look Up!
• Step Out!
• Own Up!
• Trade Up!

From Egypt to Canaan:
Lessons Learned in the Wilderness
This topic parallels our spiritual journey with the physical journey of the Israelites as they journeyed through the wilderness before reaching the Promised Land.
(2-26-15)

I’m In– Are You In?
“…a great door for effective work has opened to me…”
I Corinthians 16:9

A challenge to embrace the Great Commission by walking through the doors He opens to us right where we are.

Running Your Bell Lap

If you’re an Olympics fan, you know the bell lap is the last leg of the race! Inspired by David’s bell lap in I Kings, this session will unpack David’s charge to his son Solomon in I Kings 2, verses 2 and 3:

1. Be strong.
2. (Wo)Man up!
3. Know the Word.
4. Do the Word.

Consider It…JOY!
Looking for a way to pull in teen girls to your next event? You get two-for-one with this session, as Laura teams up with her daughter Lydia to share mother-daughter testimonies to our great God.

When Lydia was diagnosed with Juvenile diabetes, her blood sugar was over 800, the helicopter from Children’s Hospital had to turn around because of bad weather, and she was so severely dehydrated an IV couldn’t be started and it required the fire department coming to shoot a “gun” into her shin bone to start insulin and fluids through her bone marrow.

But God in His infinite mercy spared our Lydia — He has plans for her that were not yet finished. You will surely rejoice as she shares her “Faith not Fear” testimony, giving praise to the One who, though He did not cause this disease, brings glory through it.

“…Jesus said, ‘This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.'” John 11:4

Laura will also share her own miracle testimony. Lydia is her unplanned blessing who actually saved Laura’s life — ovarian cancer was caught at Stage 1A because of the ultrasound done to determine the pregnancy due date.

You can preview their stories by listening to the recording of their testimonies presented at First Baptist Church, Siloam Springs, Arkansas, May 2014:
http://fbcsiloam.podbean.com/e/mothers-others-2014mother-daughter-testimonies-of-laura-lydia-macfarlan/

Come Thirsty!
“…whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.“ John 4:14

Using John 4 as the text this teaching focuses on the divine encounter of Jesus with Samaritan woman at the well.  It highlights HER problem and HIS provision. Ideal for a women’s event with a gospel-sharing wrap-up.

Living a Life That is Truly Life
In his first letter to Timothy, Paul challenges his young son in the faith to “…take hold of the life that is truly life.” I Timothy 6:19
The world offers many fake, plastic, false counterfeits for life.  Real life is found only in the person of Jesus Christ.
Inspired by Paul’s admonition to Timothy, this teaching highlights three points for living “a life that is truly life:”

• • Living Free
  • Living Smart
  • Living Sacrifice

The Upside-Down Logic of Suffering:
How God Can Bring Good from Bad

This session identifies how our ordinary-day habits prepare us for extraordinary-day challenges. We will explore the blessings and benefits that come from suffering and the dangers of spiritual myopia. (Our text: II Corinthians 1:3-11.)

A Call to Pray: Prayer Prompts on One Hand
Using each of our five fingers as a prompt, this teaching challenges the believer to Engage, be an Example, Exalt, Encourage, and Equip. Corrie ten Boom said, “We never know how God will answer our prayers but we can expect He will get us involved in His plan for the answer.”  Be inspired to pray and then put feet to those prayers!

His Gift of Grace
A testimony of Laura’s unplanned fourth blessing, Lydia Grace Macfarlan, who actually saved her life when ovarian cancer was discovered at an early stage.  This testimony offers a powerful evangelical message when compared to God’s gift of His son who came to earth as a baby to save the lives of us all. (A Great Christmas Outreach topic, too)

www. Remixed: Worship, Work & Witness

www.  We type these three letters multiple times a day, but we seldom stop to think what they represent – world wide web. We only know that they take us to lots of places and people and information all over the world. WWW is the link to the information age and a tool used by billions of people everywhere every single day.

In this session we will  transform www to represent: worship, work, and witness, as we examine the lives of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus in John 12:1-11. Let’s be inspired by how each of their three living examples challenge us personally to devote our lives to a daily WWW – worship, work, and witness.

Beginning with the End in Mind
Based upon Psalm 127, this teaching offers a challenge to mothers to have a long-sighted view when raising their children.

Heart Life 3D: Fulfilling our Titus 2 Mandate
An effective method for older women to mentor younger women.  Laura has used this system for almost five years in mentoring young women in high school, college, and also young mothers.

Note:  This teaching was presented via a webinar on September 12, 2011 hosted by Sandra Hardage with My Journey of Faith.  Just click here
http://myjourneyoffaith.com/wordpress/?page_id=230
and then tab down to the bottom of the page.

Jochobed:  Faith Trumps Fear
A look into the life of the mother of Moses.  Her example challenges us to an active faith that trumps fear as we intercede prayerfully and practically for our children.

Knowing Him:  The Jesus Model for How to Have a Quiet Time
Using the example of Jesus, this teaching will explore the five elements modeled by our Lord for His quiet time with the Father.

Diabetes Wasn’t in the Garden
Laura’s youngest daughter Lydia was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes and rushed to the hospital in diabetic ketoacidosis at age 11.  Dark days followed as Laura cleared her calendar, climbed the steep learning curve that comes with managing diabetes, and asked God, “Why?”

The Jerusalem Project
The Great Commission is something we know we are called to do and commanded to do.  Many of us feel comfortable praying for missions, giving to missions, and even going on a mission trip – Africa, Alaska, and Appalachia don’t seem nearly so intimidating as my own hometown.  Come learn about this strategic mission idea for reaching your Jerusalem with the gospel of Christ.

Fulfilling Our Call to Motherhood
Using an unlikely passage for motherhood, Laura identifies a Baker’s Dozen of truths for mothering from Jesus’ feeding of the 5000 in Mark 6:30-44.

Follow the Star
A Christmas message issuing a challenge to women to keep pursuing Jesus, even in the midst (especially in the midst) of the busy Christmas holiday season.

Wake Up, Look Up, Get Up
Ten principles for living for Him! Are you living the life that is truly life? (Note: this sessions was retitled Spring Fling and presented at a Mother’s Day event.)

Live Sent:  The Jerusalem Project
A one-hour seminar casting ideas for reaching your hometown for Christ.

 Live Sent:  Judea, Samaria, and the World
A one-hour seminar covering going on mission, staying on mission, and living on mission.

Christmas Topics

His Gift of Grace
A testimony of Laura’s unplanned fourth blessing, Lydia Grace Macfarlan, who actually saved Laura’s life when pregnancy led to the discovery of ovarian cancer at an early stage.  This experience offers a powerful evangelical message when compared to God’s gift of His Son, who came to earth as a baby to save the lives of us all.

Making Christmas Missional
Christmas is our big opportunity! This is the season when hearts are perhaps most open to hear the gospel message. Offering a Biblical basis for our call to missions, coupled with ten practical ideas to do it, this teaching will both inspire and equip you to make Christmas missional.

The Message of the Magi
The three Gentile kings saw the star in the east and set out on a long journey to follow it. Just seeing the star brought “exceeding great joy.” This message takes us on a journey with these wise men, spurring our hearts to find that same joy as we are encouraged to worship the newborn King, as well.