LYFE Breakout Sessions

Have you ever asked yourself this question: How did I end up in these circumstances, and where do I go from here? I did, when an unexpected diagnosis left me confused and angry with God. Join me as we talk about how to navigate life’s wilderness experiences and take steps to strengthen our faith in God during difficult times.

Debbie earned a bachelor of science degree in Bible and has enjoyed teaching God’s Word and discipling others on the local church level for over thirty years. She and her husband, Mark, live in northeast Ohio, where Mark serves as the lead pastor at their church. They have been married for thirty-seven years and enjoy spending time with their three adult children, two daughters-in-law, and their grandson. Debbie is the author of two books: “Faith Unhindered: Finding the Freedom to Trust God Completely”, written in a Bible study format; and “Faith Refreshed: A Slow Walk with Jesus”, written as a 30-day devotional through the Gospels.

While we address specific needs and life stages, you will receive some practical financial wisdom with biblical principles. We will inspire you to manage your finances in a way that honors God and supports your families and communities.

• Discuss common financial challenges faced by married couples (or those in relationships) and how to approach them together with a biblical mindset.
• Manage finances when entering retirement, caring for aging parents, or dealing with health-related expenses.
• Balance personal financial goals with the call to serve and support ministries and other Christian endeavors.

Merri loves working with women and couples in navigating life’s financial challenges. She specializes in transitions like marriage, divorce, retirement and the loss of a loved one. She has been in the financial industry for over 15 years. Merri is a financial advisor and CKA, Certified Kingdom Advisor, with Faithward Advisors. Her favorite people are her four kids and two fur babies

Are you in transition mode? Is it far more unsettling than you ever expected? Join me as we jump into a riveting Old Testament soap opera and uncover God-given clues as to how to handle transition when it looks like chaos.

​​Sherry loves to help women experience the power of biblical narratives and personal stories of faith to change perspectives and ignite change in their lives. Her experiences in urban, suburban and campus ministry, the Peruvian Amazon jungle and marriage & family widen the breadth of her presentations everywhere. Sherry offers group and individual coaching options to Christian women in transformation mode. Find more information on these at SherryBoykin.com. Sherry and her husband, Ted, have been married twenty-four years and have a college-age daughter.

We know that Christianity is about our relationship with God. Like every other relationship, our sense of connection and intimacy can ebb and flow through different seasons. Let’s explore together what we can do to strengthen our walks, and learn some ways that we can get out of spiritual doldrums.

Lynelle has a long history with the LYFE conference and encouraging people to grow in their faith. She served as the Dean of the School of Behavioral Sciences at Clarks Summit University, where she worked for twenty-four years, and now is the Chair for Online Counseling Education at Cairn University. She is very happily married to James, a pastor, and has three young adult children who give her lots to pray about as they grow in their knowledge of God. 

Pull up a chair and join Darlene for a heart-to-heart conversation about finding renewed purpose in your family’s educational journey! Whether you’re wondering if homeschooling might be in your future, already in the midst of this adventure, or simply seeking ways to be more intentional with your children, you’ll find a welcoming space to explore and grow. Together, we’ll discuss practical ways to ground your family in faith, nurture loving relationships, and bring hesitant family members alongside you in this journey. Come ready to be encouraged, equipped, and energized for the beautiful path ahead!

Darlene’s greatest joy is helping families develop a vision for homeschooling. Drawing from over three decades of homeschooling experience and her master’s degree in education, she loves walking alongside others as they navigate their own educational paths. When she’s not serving as a homeschool consultant and encourager, you’ll find her cherishing moments with her husband, children, and grandchildren, always ready to share a cup of coffee and words of encouragement.

The virtuous woman of Proverbs 31 used all available tools to serve God and her family—today, that includes AI (Artificial Intelligence)! Whether you’re tech-savvy or tech-shy, discover how artificial intelligence can be your personal assistant in faith, family, and career. Learn to use ChatGPT for crafting lessons and meal planning, Claude for financial advice, and Perplexity for educational research. Don will show you how to incorporate AI into your writing projects, generate ideas for ministry events, and even plan your next world tour. This faith-filled exploration of technology will address common concerns, share real-world examples, and provide step-by-step guidance to help you confidently integrate AI into your Christian walk. AI might be the answer to enhancing your service to God and others in this digital age!

Don is your friendly neighborhood tech whiz, turning complex web design and AI concepts into bite-sized, actionable tips. With over twenty years of experience and a client list including Amazon and QVC, Don’s known for his engaging, no-nonsense teaching style. Don’s mission is simple: make technology work for you, not the other way around.

Many of us are familiar with the story of Job in the Bible: not only did he experience terrible suffering, but his friends famously offered him false theology, bad advice, and condemnation. They aren’t the best examples as encouraging friends! Today, many of us are unsure how to approach a friend who is experiencing suffering. This workshop will look at what the book of Job has to say about helping fellow believers look to God the midst of difficulties.

Haley Cleveland is a pastor’s wife, mom, life-long student of God’s Word, Bible study author, and an avid reader. She writes on topics at haleycleveland.com.

Have you ever wondered about the plans God has for your children? The Parent as Career Coach breakout session is for parents, caregivers, and anyone else who desires to help the children and young adults in your lives uncover their God-given life purpose and design. We’ll learn from biblical examples and meaningful conversations with each other because YOU are your child’s first career coach!

Grace is the founder of Life Design Careers, Inc. which is a career development company committed to helping people uncover and move with intention toward desired career goals. She is a career coach, author, and a regular speaker and trainer for colleges, career services teams, church and youth groups, and corporations. Grace holds the Professional Certified Coach designation from the International Coach Federation. Known professionally as Coach Grace, her goal is to creatively help people UNCOVER their God-given life purpose and unique design.

Words are everywhere. Thanks to the latest decorating trend we now have words on things we didn’t know needed them: butter, spoons, pie. Can you relate? Our words are important, yet they often fly off our lips without a second thought. Some words common to our Christian community are: hope, joy, love, peace, blessing. What do these words really mean? How do we apply them in a way that brings life? Come explore with me the deeper meaning of these words of life so that when we hear them they don’t just pass us by, but resonate in our spirit, soul, and mind.

Heather holds a doctorate in human development and loves interacting with others on the ways we are “fearfully and wonderfully made” by God. When she is not teaching, counseling, or supervising counselors in training, you can find her in the kitchen trying a new cake recipe or cycling with her husband Garry.

Life moves quickly and can suck our joy, our passion, and our purpose. It can make us bitter and resentful with our circumstances, but it doesn’t have to be that way. We can stay filled, stay refreshed, and stay on mission even when our lives spin out of our control. Join this session to look into God’s Word and find His plan for our busy lives. Receive practical strategies to stay on purpose and pursue your passion. Leave refreshed and ready to not only keep your cup filled but help fill others.

Amanda has spent the last twenty years teaching not only English at a local public school but also passionately instructing women in the Bible. Her heart’s desire is to see women grow closer to Christ and fervently serve God in the local church and in their community.  Due to this passion, Amanda has taken many women through Bible studies, organized local women’s conferences, and mentored women in their faith journey. Amanda is married to Kurt who is a pastor at Bridgewater Church Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania. They have two sons. In her spare time, you can find Amanda either watching her son play soccer, visiting her other son at college, or reading a good book, but always with a hot cup of coffee.

Discover the joy of growing in wisdom and knowledge through every season of life! In this session, we’ll explore practical and achievable ways to cultivate lifelong learning. You’ll leave encouraged and equipped with tools to grow spiritually, intellectually, and relationally—without adding guilt to your busy schedule.

Diane, a 70-year-old wife, mother, and former missionary and college instructor, has impacted hundreds of people of all ages through Bible teaching, women’s ministries, and teacher training. Believing a Christian never retires from learning, she is passionate about inspiring women to grow in faith and joyfully continues her own journey of discovery.

Hearing God’s Word taught well is enriching, but learning to study it for yourself will meet your personal spiritual needs. In this session, you will practice foundational skills for Bible study and explore practical tools to interpret and apply Scripture. Whether you’re just beginning or fine-tuning your approach, you can gain confidence, inspiration, and skills for a transformative  relationship with God.

In his first year of college, Jim made a life-changing decision to entrust every part of his journey to God—and it’s been fantastic! Through teaching the Bible in college classrooms or hundreds of churches around the world, mentoring young believers, leading a college and planting a church in South Africa, Jim has seen firsthand how God’s Word provides direction and hope. His greatest passion is helping others experience the transformative power of Scripture.

Have you ever had a fight with someone in your mind? Our inner narratives can write scripts for our relationships. Do you struggle with judgement, negative thoughts, fear or worry? Our inner narratives are what we tell ourselves about our past, our present and our future. Join me for this breakout session, where we will learn how to take these runaway thoughts captive and surrender our mind to God so that He can renew and re-write our thoughts. We will look at the life of David and discover from Scripture how we can reclaim our minds for Christ and experience the difference it makes when God rewrites our inner narrative.

Julie is an author, freelance writer, Bible study teacher, and historical researcher. She makes her home in northeastern Pennsylvania, where she lives with her husband, Phil, and their two college-age children. She has taught Bible studies and led women’s ministries at her church, Hillside Haven Community Church in Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania. When she’s not teaching or writing, Julie conducts historical and genealogical research for clients across the country. She also likes to bake, read, travel with her husband, and spend quality time with friends, especially when discussing and studying the truths in God’s Word.

Have you ever felt stuck? We’ve all been there. Maybe it’s a season where you feel like what you are doing doesn’t matter or that I think that was once stable has been shaken. When God is leading you through uncertainty, what’s a girl to do? God intends to use the seasons where you feel lost and stuck for your good and His glory. Join us as we search God’s Word for direction and encouragement.

Since graduating from Clarks Summit University nearly fifteen years ago, Hannah’s life has looked vastly different from what she would’ve imagined. She was 100% certain she would never marry, never be involved in full-time ministry, and never have her own children. In spite of her initial protest, she feels immensely blessed to serve God as a pastor’s wife and mother of four children. Hannah lives in Clarks Summit Pennsylvania, where she serves alongside and supports her husband Stephen who is the llead pastor at Hillside Haven Community Church. She homeschools her children and serves in children’s ministry, women’s ministry, and on the worship team.

Biblical encouragement isn’t “cotton-candy Christianity.” It’s actually one of the most powerful (yet neglected) spiritual disciplines for those who want to advance God’s Kingdom. Come dive into this discussion on why biblical encouragement is so important, what it is (and isn’t), and how we can become contagious courage dealers for Christ where we live, work, serve, shop, and play. P.S. You’ll also receive a free resource for more in-depth study post-conference!

Dan is a follower of Jesus, married to his best friend Joy, and father of two young boys. He’s the Lead Pastor of Grace Christian Fellowship in Cortland, New York, and the Founder/President of Northeast Collaborative (a regional church network). Dan holds a Doctor of Ministry degree from Clarks Summit University where he used to serve as an adjunct professor, and he loves playing golf and pickleball.

We ran out of time at LYFE 2024, so let’s continue the conversation at LYFE 2025!  Experiencing victory in our marriage relationships is God’s will for His people. So why do many married women feel so defeated? We will dig into the “why’s” and the “how’s” and share a battle plan designed to help you win. Like last year, this workshop will include a panel discussion with women like you, who will openly share their scars as well as their secrets to success. Feel free to submit your questions for the panel here! 

Candice was born and raised on the island of Jamaica. She has been married to her soul-mate James since 1998, and passionately embraces her role as the wife of a pastor. For the past sixteen plus years, Candice and James have devoted themselves to kingdom building in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. Candice currently leads worship at their church and avails herself to be used of the Lord in any way she can. When she is not at church, she also enjoys a rewarding career in the field of finance and is a Regional Manager for the Pennsylvania State Employees Credit Union. Candice has been privileged to be a breakout speaker at several LYFE conferences over the years and joyfully embraces any opportunity the Lord gives her to encourage other women in their faith walk.

Intention is great—until it isn’t. So many of us get caught in the trap of having great intentions—but never getting anything done. Having only intentions will keep you stuck in a cycle of procrastination, instability, and a lack of motivation. The missing ingredient is direction. Without direction, our intentions lie dormant inside of us. Without direction, we have no motivation, and we begin to lose sight of who we are created to become.  But where and how do we get that direction to get our lives back on track in a mode of growth?  

From God. From our faith. From Scripture.   

This workshop will give you the steps you are seeking to get that direction back into your life. With clear steps laid out from Scripture, you will tap into how to follow the steps that God is laying out for you—and with that direction you will begin to blossom in the way God intended you to blossom. Gone will be the procrastination, replaced by the direction you need to fulfill the intentions you have.

CarrieVee is an international speaker, best-selling author, corporate and non-profit consultant and executive coach who works with those who desire less stress, greater profits and stronger relationships by tapping into unmatched communication and leadership skills. Carrie has been certified by the Maxwell Leadership Team as an executive leader in speaking, coaching and training as well as a certified DISC consultant. She is the founder of the Radical Empowerment Method—a program designed to walk people through the exact method she herself used to move from a life of feeling invisible to a life of empowered success and action. CarrieVee is a Toastmasters Semi-Finalist in the World Championship of Speaking. She has been chosen to speak on the stage at the Maxwell International Conference, has been featured in multiple media outlets and has spoken on stages to thousands of men and women.

How’s your hearing? The Bible recounts heartbreaking stories of people who failed to listen to God, yet His Word can become mere background noise—heard but not heeded—in our busy lives. Join me to identify and eliminate 4 things that hinder your spiritual hearing, as well as 4 steps to improve your intentional listening to God’s voice.

Jeannie has a Masters in Biblical Studies from Clarks Summit University and has served with her husband Jim in various church ministries for forty-six years. She is a mom of five, Nana to seven, an author, speaker, teacher and tennis and pickleball player. She is currently the New York Ambassador for Revive Our Hearts. Her goal in life is to know and serve God better 4God’sGlory!

Jesus has been called the Great Disruptor. He shows us what it’s like to behold truth and live a holy life courageously devoted to the Father. Whether life’s disruptions happen to us as a result of circumstances (i.e., illness, divorce, depression, job loss, financial crisis, or an entire college closing), or we are led to disrupt an ungodly status quo, how do we bravely live this out? In this session, through personal and biblical stories, Sheri will explore why disrupting a worldly status quo is inevitable and necessary and how we can have the courage to question everything and live out the strong faith to which we are called.

In 2016, the discovery of a brain tumor led Sheri to a six-month journey into partial paralysis before the tumor was removed. That journey, along with the birth of her first grandchild, led Sheri to a revival of faith and a deeper commitment to God and the Word. She is a writer and speaker in women’s ministry inspiring others to put their hope in Jesus and know, love, and do the Word and will of God. She and her husband, Mike, have lived in Central Pennsylvania for almost forty years and have 4 daughters and 6 grandchildren.

“Shhh. Don’t cry. It’s okay. Settle down. Be quiet.” From childhood, we’re often taught to suppress outward expressions of grief, learning early on that our tears are unwelcome intruders. As a result, many of us struggle to navigate our losses, disappointments, and heartaches. We quarantine our sadness and pain in our desire to move on quickly. But moving on is a myth if we don’t first allow grief to move through us. 

Biblical lament is a powerful yet often unfamiliar language. It invites us into unashamed tears, guttural cries, and embodied expressions of our pain—experiences that can feel uncomfortable but are profoundly transformative. Lament is a beautiful gift from God, helping us process grief, make space for healing, and ultimately open our hearts to tenacious hope and deep joy.

“I have heard your prayer and seen your tears” Isaiah 38:5

Teresa is an author, speaker, life coach, and host of the Find Hope Here podcast. More importantly, she is a friend and fellow struggler! Teresa’s passion is to help women recognize God’s beautiful, redemptive work in the midst of their broken lives. Her first Bible Study, “Graced: How God Redeems and Restores the Broken”, was released in June of 2023. She is currently writing her second study. Teresa and her husband Greg are recent empty-nesters after raising five kids. In her happy place, you’ll find Teresa walking the beach, reading a good book, or spending time with her family, untethered from technology!