Speaking Topics...
All of Laura's topics are relevant and meaningful to today's audiences.
The Love We Long For
“He will take great delight in you, he will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17
Lack of trust and a distorted view of God kept Laura on a treadmill of performance, until God’s lavish love broke through her wall of fear. Laura shares, “I let Jesus save my soul, but I wouldn't let him love me for a long, long time. Fortunately, He rescued me from that broken, wounded condition.”
This workshop shares how to:
- Escape the performance trap.
- Establish your true identity as the Beloved.
- Refrain from allowing others to determine your worth.
- Become certain that God will never abandon you.
- Overcome poor choices which eventually cause pain.
Losing My Mind and Loving It!
“Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus,” Philippians 2:5
Are anxious and stressful thoughts taking over your life? Would you like to learn how to demolish negative thinking? Then this workshop is for you. Christ longs to renovate your mind. He will take you from restlessness to peace.
Together we will:
- Replace nagging doubt with unshakeable faith
- Discover your unique purpose
- Restore joy and destroy discouragement
- Obtain victory over destructive patterns
- Learn how to take action when God calls
Overcoming the Fear Factor
“There is no fear in love; instead perfect love drives out fear.” I John 4:18a
“Fear not” are often the first words angels utter in the Word of God. That’s because fear is a natural response to complexities, change or challenges. Although confident on the outside, Laura lived much of her life trembling in fear on the inside.
Like a massage for the mind, this workshop transports our frenzied and anxious thoughts from turmoil to tranquility. Come and learn how Christ can annihilate the fear factor in your life.
Why Can’t I Say—NO?
Discover the Difference Between Leniency and Love
“Teach me your way, O Lord and I will walk in your truth.” Psalm 86:11
Laura learned how to be a “people pleaser” at an early age. However, she is eager to share how to break free from the vicious cycle. This liberating workshop reveals the root causes of rescuing and enabling behaviors, and how to conquer the destructive patterns.
You will learn how to:
- Say no without feeling guilty.
- Recognize and defeat enabling behavior.
- Master the feelings of dread or fear when not in control of a situation.
- Prevail over making excuses for other’s bad behavior and poor choices.
- Conquer the desire to solve other’s problems.
RETREATS
Laura conducts 2-3 day private retreats for women. Contact Laura if you would like more information on a retreat for the following issues:
- Ministry/Pastor’s wives
- Divorce Recovery
- Deeper Intimacy With God
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The Quest For “Happily Ever After”-
Revealing Myths About Relationships
I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Ps 27:13
Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free." John 8: 31, 32
After more than 18 years of divorce recovery expertise, Laura Petherbridge knows how to strengthen relationships. This straightforward presentation, geared for singles and married couples, reveals fresh insights that will transform today’s audience. Using practical steps and personal experience Laura shares the essential truths that make any relationship fully alive.
Laura enables married couples to:
- Take active steps that enhance closeness.
- Experience a more fulfilling sex life.
- Trust your spouse with the real you.
- Appreciate your mate’s uniqueness.
Laura helps single adults to:
- Choose the best person to date.
- Trust God’s view of sexuality.
- Overcome emotional baggage.
- Set relational boundaries
The Smart Step Mom
When the honeymoon ends a step mom quickly realizes that, “The Brady Bunch” was a fairy tale. Sharing her experiences as a step mom of more than 23 years Laura explains the nature and reality of a stepfamily, and how to lovingly address:
• The Former Wife
• Loneliness and Feeling Ostracized
• When Dad is Stuck in the Middle
• His Kids-Your Kids-Our Kids
• The Financial Strain of Stepfamilies
• Realistic Expectations and Dreams
• How the Marriage Can Thrive
SOMEONE I LOVE IS DIVORCING
—What Should I Do?
Using a “Do’s and Don’ts” format this workshop is designed for friends, family members, or co-workers who know someone experiencing separation or divorce. Filled with practical advice on topics such as:
- Finances
- Children
- Legal issues
- Emotional stress
- Biblical insight
- Handling the holidays and visitation
Laura shares what to say and do to ease your loved one’s pain, and how to be a Christ-like example during this difficult time.
DIVORCE RECOVERY MINISTRY:
MAKING IT SUCCESSFUL
Is your church seeking to help those experiencing the trauma of separation and divorce? Did you know that many people who do not attend church enter or re-enter through divorce recovery ministry?
Laura’s desire is to help the body of Christ develop an outreach to those who are in desperate need. Her instruction provides pastors, leaders and facilitators with the necessary guidelines and healthy boundaries that can create an exceptional divorce recovery ministry.
This teaching explains how to:
- find excellent Bible based resources
- dispel the myths associated with divorce recovery ministry
- reach the lost in your community
- establish a solid and safe ministry
- restore marriage for those who are separated
- choose the proper leaders
- train small group facilitators
- recognize and overcome common pitfalls
- advertise and promote this ministry
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Thriving As A Single—
A season of refreshment and rejuvenation.
Singleness is not synonymous with failure; in reality the opposite is true. Singleness, either for a season or a lifetime, can be an exhilarating journey. And Laura longs to help you discover the voyage.
The following workshops can be presented individually, or combined together to create a weekend event. The host may choose as many topics as desired or tailor an event for a specific singles audience.
Have I Ever Been Single?
—Finding Contentment
This workshop examines the root issues of discontentment during singleness. Laura admits that in her mind and heart she has never been single. When unmarried her main goal was to find a relationship to ease the loneliness as quickly as possible.
Using humor and authenticity Laura shares how panic and restlessness often led to disastrous relationships, and how you can avoid similar experiences by finding contentment.
Navigating New Relationships
One of the most perplexing issues facing the person who is single is when and how to enter a new romantic relationship. Laura offers honest and straightforward insight on the predominate questions facing today’s single again audience.
In this workshop you will learn:
- How to recognize when you are ready to date.
- Healthy guidelines for a new relationship.
- What dating looks like in today’s society.
- What adult kids and young children feel when a parent dates.
- When it’s time to consider a re-marriage.
Single Parenting-You CAN Do It
Single parents are often convinced that their children are destined to be permanently damaged. However, that doesn’t need to be the case. Children are as emotionally stable as their parents choose to become. Laura’s own parents divorced when she was eight years old; therefore she knows firsthand how divorce affects children.
This session is saturated with practical insights that will aid single parents on how to overcome fear, guilt and anger and create a secure and healthy home that is thriving.
Topics include:
- Coping with conflict
- Learning how to tell your kids the truth
- Helping a child comprehend that he or she is not to blame
- Choosing words that heal rather than hurt
- Managing your money
- Working with a biological parent who is addicted, unreasonable or negligent
- Understanding a child’s perspective on new relationships
Help! I’m Single Again
—Re-entering the Single Life
This workshop is for anyone navigating the complex journey back into the single life. Laura will share how to:
Recognize the unique issues and emotions “single again” people face.
Overcome the fear and uncertainty of the future.
Tackle the loneliness of single living.
Let go of the past and move toward thriving as a single.
Embrace this new season of life.
Surviving as a Single:
the Holidays, Weddings, Funerals,
Special Occasions and Valentines Day
Most singles agree there are certain days of the year they dread. Laura shares creative ways how you can prepare for emotionally dangerous days, and even turn them into a time of fun. Rather than hide or become depressed discover how to cope and turn the days into something productive.
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Each of these topics can be designed to create an entire seminar or a single workshop.
When “I Do” Becomes “I Don’t”—
Practical Steps for Healing
During Separation and Divorce
“The Lord has anointed me to bring good news to the afflicted...to bind up the brokenhearted,” Isaiah 61:1.
Laura experienced the heartache of divorce as a new Christian. She shares how God has used this traumatic life-changing experience in her life, and the purpose that came from pain. And that you too can move from devastation to peace.
After 18 years in divorce recovery ministry Laura is an expert on issues associated with divorce. Her workshop addresses the most common questions people ask and the topics include:
- Recognizing the stages of grief
- Understanding true reconciliation
- Overcoming fear and loneliness
- Conquering depression
- Handling finances
- Helping the children to cope
- Walking toward forgiveness
- Divorce after 50
- Divorce in a step family or second marriage
Her original book “When Your Marriage Dies—Answers To Questions About Separation and Divorce” has been re-released in 2008 with the new title, “When 'I Do' Becomes 'I Don’t'—Practical Steps for Healing During Separation and Divorce.”
SANTA IS STUCK IN THE CHIMNEY
—HANDLING THE HOLIDAYS,
SPECIAL OCCASIONS, VISITATION,
and FORMER IN-LAWS
In divorce coping with the previous family is often complex. And holidays, weddings, funerals, and graduations present a unique challenge. These events trigger memories, anger and a profound sense of loneliness that is hard to explain unless you have experienced it. This workshop will explore creative ways for parents and children to prepare for these occasions. Visitation issues, and surviving your ex-spouse’s remarriage will be included.
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